Two of the most scariest words in the English language = spring cleaning. Cleaning in general is not anyone’s favorite verb but it’s one of those things that ya just gotta do it! The thing about tidying up, especially a big chore like spring cleaning is it can be so extremely overwhelming and make some of us so anxious that we end up throwing in the towel! But what if you had a list of tips to make your life easier - to make spring cleaning easier. Read on my friend, read on…
First and foremost, something that can make the task of cleaning your entire home a little less daunting is how you look at it. If you associate spring cleaning with a fresh start, it might give you a better outlook on the entire process and essentially make it easier for you.
Now let’s start on those tips:
Put Pen to Paper
Lists keep your organized; lists are your friend. Walk through each room and write down what you want to accomplish. Have a list of cleaning items you need to get your hands on. Having a list of this beforehand keeps you from having to stop in the middle to remember something you forgot.
Make Cleaning Fun
We promise we aren’t crazy - you CAN make chores fun and then it won’t seem so much like a chore. Make a cleaning playlist of your favorite songs to help it go by faster. Put on your favorite Pandora playlist. Have something exciting waiting for you at the finish line! For example, if you get all of the downstairs cleaned then you’ll treat yourself to a movie, that new grill tool you’ve been eyeing or a pedicure with the girls!
Don’t forget the Kondo method
Did you read our February blog post? (here you go) It’s all about cleaning your home and according to Marie Kondo 2019 is the year of tidying up and we don’t question her! Her way of cleaning and organizing is all about inspiring you to live more thoughtful and mindful lives through purging your home of items that don’t spark joy.
Keep yourself on track
When you start deep cleaning, it’s so easy to get caught into a pile of memories with photographs or old college t-shirts and next thing you know you’re sitting on the floor going down memory lane! Start a timer on your phone to keep yourself on track - this also allows for breaks to so you don’t get bogged down.
You had kiddos for a reason
Put those little boogers to work! Make it into a game for the younger ones or for the older kids add to their monthly allowance. Also look at it as a way to get more time with them! Cleaning and bonding ahhh what a way to spend a weekend!
Work from top to bottom
Start at the ceiling and dust your fans and air vents. Then work your way to dusting and/or polishing the stairs, banisters, light fixtures and furniture.
Begin to clean room by room. Start with the bedrooms: wash all your bedding, turn your mattresses, organize your dressers and closets, donate clothing you haven’t worn in a year.
Then work your way to the bathrooms: sort through your medicine cabinet and drawers, deep clean the showers and tubs, reseal the grout lines.
Make your way to the heart of the home, the kitchen: deep clean the stove and oven, sort through the pantry and discard expired foods, clean out the fridge, disinfect the sink.
Finish the with floors: vacuum the carpets, mop your hardwood floors with a mixture of 1/2 cup of vinegar per gallon of water and don’t let the water stand. Mop and wax your tile floors and reseal the grout.
