Spring has finally arrived. Along with the flowers blooming and the warm breeze many of us get the overwhelming desire to scrub away all the grime from the winter. Overwhelming is a good word to also describe how many of us feel in the springtime. Sports activities ramp up, exams begin and end of the school year activities fill each day. Spring cleaning can be difficult to add to our already full schedule. I have no answers to the full schedule but I do have suggestions on ways to approach it.
First there is the ”get in there and get it done” approach. In this approach we literally start at the top and work our way to the bottom. Look up. There are light fixtures to clean and dust; changing light bulbs as you go to LED ones. Ceiling fans need to be dusted and while you have the ladder out go ahead and change those pesky smoke detector batteries.
After tackling the ceiling, look at your walls. Mirrors need to be dusted and cleaned. Paintings should be dusted. This is a good time to do any touch up painting on the walls from scuff marks or graffiti from little ones. Also this is the time to clean the windows so we can enjoy our view. Doors are next on the list. Scrub down the doors. Get rid of those cobwebs inside and outside the door to make it a welcoming sight for any visitor.
Furniture is next on our list. Time to dust those pieces, actually moving the books and figurines as we dust. We should not forget the legs of the furniture either. Dust in the places we usually skip over. Next go to the bathroom and scrub that tub, toilet and sink.
Finally we get to the bottom of things - the floors. Time to clean the carpet and do a thorough job of mopping the wood or tile floors. This is also time to dust those baseboards and get the rugs cleaned.
The above is a very thorough way to get our home clean and ready for spring. It may be too overwhelming and time consuming to approach spring cleaning in this way. Another approach is called “area cleaning”. For example, cleaning specific areas one at a time. Completely clean the kitchen then start on the living area. Do all the bedrooms next; followed by the bathrooms. If time is a problem, take a month and do one area each week. This can be a somewhat easier way to clean in that you are only concentrating on one area at a time and less likely to create a mess as you go.
If area cleaning still seems to be too much, then cleaning “in theory” is a suggestion. The idea here is to give your home the feeling that it is as fresh and clean as the spring weather. There are simple things that we can do to give our home that feeling. First of all look at the entrances, decks, or porches. Are they inviting? Wash down the areas, clean the doors, and rinse off the furniture. This is the time to add some potted flowers that are welcoming. Also add a nice fresh welcome mat.
In the kitchen bring out your colorful glasses or plates. Add colorful napkins. Give that fridge and pantry a serious clean out, getting rid of any expired food. Stock up on food that says spring. Fresh fruit, vegetables and light snacks can replace our heavier items we indulged in during the winter months.
In the bedroom freshen up your bedding; give them a good wash. Replace the heavy blanket with a lighter one. Go through the closet and put away the wintry sweaters and boots and get your spring clothes out and ready to wear.
The living area may need some sprucing up. Clean out the fireplace replacing wood with a plant or candles. Add some fresh flowers or a potted plant or two. Remove any heavy throws and add a lightweight one. Remember fresh and airy are our goals.
As we can see there is not one way to spring clean. We have to go with what works for us and our families. We could even argue that spring cleaning should be done year round a little at a time or even in the fall after the kids have gone back to school to get ready for the holiday season. Whatever works best is the best way!
At Dwelly we can help you with spring, year round or even fall cleaning by sending you reminders of things that need to be done and creating a checklist so we can be thorough.