This winter hasn't been
particularly harsh, but for some reason I've had the itch to kick off spring
cleaning for a while now. Maybe it's just because our kids seem to have amassed
a ridiculous amount of stuff this winter or because we've all had a never-ending
cold, but I'm ready to whip our house into shape. In years past, I've let the
cleaning impulse simmer only to lose my mind finally and start upending
closets willy-nilly. Since then, I've become much better about preparing for
spring cleaning, and I have a few tips to share.
Plan in Stages
I break down any real
cleaning effort into three stages: purge, organize, and clean. Going through
these sequentially seems like a lot of work, but I find that it really saves
time in the end. There is no sense cleaning toys you end up giving away. I like
to start on a level of our home and go through one stage at a time for all the
rooms on a floor.
Involve the Entire Family
I always loop our kids into a
cleaning effort. It helps teach them to be responsible, to take care of their
things, and to appreciate the daily efforts of maintaining a household. If they
balk, I let them know that they can help make the purging decisions or that I
can ruthlessly do it for them. Think of some ways to make it fun for them,
too. Whip up a silly product like cleaning slime or turn making labels for their stuff into an art
project.
Take Stock of Supplies
Go through your cleaning and
organizing supplies and make a list of what you have and what you need.
Planning ahead ensures that you have whatever you need to get the job done once
you get started. I also find that buying supplies in bulk makes the effort more
cost-effective.
Outsource Maintenance
There are several home
maintenance items that you'll likely need to outsource to the pros. Plan ahead
for things like sprinkler system, pool, and air conditioner maintenance. Service providers book up quickly, and you don't
want to wait until you really need these systems.
Make a Schedule
It's easy to let all of this
slide, so I like to make a schedule to hold myself accountable. It doesn't need
to be a Martha Stewart-worthy calendar, although Martha has a great checklist that I use as a starting point. Making a simple list
with dates for each stage is enough. I always like to give everyone a reward
for crossing items off the schedule. Let the kids pick a small prize for doing
a good job organizing their rooms. You don't want to go overboard, since a big
part is of spring cleaning getting rid of excess things. A little incentive
never hurts, though!
This might seem like a lot,
but with a little bit of planning, I find these to be effective tips that get
me started on spring cleaning. Now I just have to tell the kids.
