A Simple Spring Cleaning Guide
Spring cleaning, it almost seems as natural as a woman's urge to "nest" before having a baby. Once the winter weather begins to subside and the longer, sunnier days arrive, we're ready to get the house organized and cleaned. (Plus we can see ALL THE DUST!)
I was reading a little wiki history about this seemingly intrinsic practice, and found it interesting that people have been spring cleaning for hundreds of years.
It might seem impossible to escape the urge to purge your home of clutter, grime and dust. And it certainly may feel like the time to hire a maid service. To help you avoid feeling too overwhelmed, we created this simple guide to help you accomplish the organizing and cleaning that matters most. Remember, spring cleaning should be joyous, refreshing, reviving!
“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
G E T M O T I V A T E D
- Get essential oils diffusing or candles burning
- Make sure the kitchen is clean - with a messy kitchen I feel paralyzed
- Music - something light and energizing like Mozart or 70s folk or on some days I'll play old movies instead - the quiet voices and old sound is comforting
- We're Ready to go (do this for all the days that you are spring cleaning)
O R G A N I Z E
Organizing should come before cleaning, for obvious reasons.
1. Make a list of ten spaces that you want to organize (the highest priority). For example, the attic may have to wait for one random day in the fall, or for when you move again. Choose the spaces that could benefit everyone in the household if they were cleaned out and organized.
2. Select a space from your list and start organizing (this may take several days or weeks). Use containers to sort things (i.e., throw away, give away, put elsewhere). If you are cleaning out a closet or cabinet make sure to wipe down the surfaces before putting things back into place. Once the space is organized and cleaned out, cross it off your list.
3. Deep clean the space if applicable. For example, on our list one of the spaces is our office. Once our office is organized we will mop, clean the windows, wipe the baseboards, dust the light fixtures etc. This helps with the actual deep cleaning that will take place after organizing our ten spaces.
4. Select the next space, organize, clean, repeat.
D E E P C L E A N
Deep cleaning is typically loathed by all of us, that's why we wait for spring to even consider cleaning certain parts of our homes. If you setup a motivating environment, and if you've already organized most of your home, it should be easier and somewhat exciting.
1. There are several things that can be added to a deep cleaning list, but again, start with ten things. I typically choose the easier things first, like the tubs/toilets and the fridge/freezer. I do these more often and know how much time it will take me to get them accomplished (even with Ester nearby).
2. Work through the list until complete.
R E F L E C T
You've done so much, your home should feel refreshing! Why not keep it clean?! Once per week organize a space and deep clean something. This will give you that "spring clean" feeling all year long.
And don't forget to reward your efforts with a new plant or some lovely spring flowers.
