52 degrees - 12:32 pm - foggy and raining...
Spring cleaning ironically is not as necessary as it once was. Back in the olden days, spring cleaning was a much different concept then it is today. This cleaning was a necessary routine because of how they had to heat their homes and keep them lit. Using kerosene, wood, gas, oil, and candles caused the house to develop dark sooty grime around it. This grime created the need for a deep cleaning of the home. Their deep cleaning restored the beauty of the home and also gave them the opportunity to get out the lighter linens, rugs and furniture that they used during the warmer seasons. Not only did they divulge in spring cleaning, they also did fall cleaning as well to prepare them for the cold season of winter.
Today we do not have the need to do spring cleaning although in many families it is a ritual that brings about peace and renewal in our homes after an entire day or week of intense cleaning. In this day and age, however, it is hard to be able to set aside that much time to get all of these tasks done. Our schedules and days are so full that it’s hard to devote more than the few hours necessary just to keep our home running smoothly.Instead of doing one deep cleaning I have vowed to “spring clean” four times a year – once every season. I will go through closets and reorganize, donate what we haven’t used in awhile or set it aside for a summer garage sale, wash windows inside and out, clean out my fridge and pantry, etc. A few things that make my “seasonal spring cleaning” go a little easier are:
- Checklist – I make a list of everything that needs to be done. It may be a little overwhelming when you first see that long list, but it motivates me as I see the list shrink
- Cleaners – I take an inventory of my cleaners and the tools that I will need in order to accomplish all of the necessary cleaning. Nothing is worse then getting ready to do your task and then finding out that you are missing that one component needed to complete the task.
- Clutter – I don’t care for clutter very much. There was a time when I used to want to fill my home with loads of stuff. Now I look at everything as one more thing to dust and care for. If I don’t like to dust it, don’t love the item, it doesn’t have a proper home in the home – it’s gone… trash, garage sale or donated!!
- Cleaning Caddy – I keep a caddy of cleaning supplies on each floor. I find it much easier to clean my house when I know that the tools that I need to accomplish my task are just a few steps away.
- Schedule It – Sometimes life is going by so quickly that you loose track of time. It sounds silly, but don’t you remember your appointments and engagements better when it is written on your calendar? It is hard to ignore scheduled tasks in glaring print.
- Helpers – The kids and hubby can be active participants in getting the home organized just like they help to contribute to the clutter. Involving the family can be beneficial in showing them all that you do to keep the house running smoothly. Although I will admit that sometimes, it is just faster if I do it myself.
I still need to do it for fall… our house could use it too! It seems to be overflowing right now. Tools are everywhere, since we are still in the ‘construction phase’. We also have some stuff here that is not necessary at the moment and could go back into storage for the time being. So today I will be running around doing errands and picking up needed supplies and tomorrow is “Fall Cleaning”.
So… what kind of "Spring Cleaning" do you do?
