The flowers are blooming, the birds are serenading, but your house may still feel like it’s stuck with the winter blues. It’s time for spring cleaning, a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the hectic seasons of spring and summer. Here are three handy tips to get started!
Create an Action Plan
One of the hardest parts of spring cleaning can be deciding where to begin, and what to tackle first, and if you’re lucky enough to have help, figuring out who will do what. A checklist can go a long way to ensure a thorough spring cleaning and to keep you on track!
Make Safety a Priority
Hit the ground running by shopping for all your cleaning essentials. As always, read the labels of any product you use so you fully understand all directions and precautions. Consider, too, whether you’ll need special equipment, like safety goggles or rubber gloves, to protect your eyes and skin. If you have concerns about using certain cleaners, there are more natural alternatives. Baking soda, lemons, and vinegar are very strong cleaners that do not possess any health hazards.
Time to Clean House
Visualize your progress by taping the appropriate checklist to the door of the room you’re cleaning and check off tasks as they’re completed. This is also a great time to organize and de-clutter each room. When cleaning, it’s important to start from the ceiling down. This will force dirt downward and keep you from having to re-dust or re-clean your space. Use a vacuum with a long extension hose to get cobwebs and dust from your ceilings and fans. Then, dust your furniture and other items before vacuuming all the dust from your floors.
There are few rites of spring more satisfying than the annual clean. For many people, however, the joy comes only after the work is finished. Your spring cleaning may never become effortless, but you can make the project more manageable – and even enjoyable!
