It’s that time of year again! Time to come out of the hibernation of winter and say hello to beautiful, green days. The fresh air in our lungs inspires people to start their spring cleaning, so open your windows, grab your rubber gloves, and check out these tips on the most effective way to get your home in tip-top shape this season.
Make a plan.
The easiest way to attack a big job is by breaking it down. Like the old saying goes, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. So pick one room to focus on first. Once you’re in that room, decide what your main goal for the room is. Is it to declutter, reorganize, redecorate, or deep clean? Different rooms will need different levels of attention.
For instance, a bathroom may need a deep clean but depending on the size, there may not be much reorganizing or redecorating to be done!
Set the stage.
Before you jump into cleaning, you need to get prepared so you have nothing else to focus on but the task at hand.
Grab three baskets or bins--one for things to put away, one for things to give away, and one for things to throw away. This set-up eliminates the need to run about from room to room. It’s easy to get off track when you return an item to another room and suddenly see 10 other items that need attending in the second room!
After you have three baskets ready to go, get your cleaning supplies. Some good basics are gloves, a vacuum, some rags, and some multi-purpose cleaner.
What else does focus mean for you? For some people, it means turning on loud music to drown out distractions; and for others, loud music IS the distraction. Whatever works for you, set your stage and get ready to start.
Follow the Rule of Thumb.
If you’re on the fence about what to with an item, ask yourself, “Does this have sentimental value?” If the answer is yes, keep it for now. If the answer is no, ask this follow-up, “Have I used this in the last year?” If the answer is no to this question, too, then it’s time to get rid of it. And of course, if you have a sock with no pair, a screw that has no home, or a lid that fits nothing--throw them out!
Remember, if things don’t bring you joy or use, then they’re just taking up space in your home and your head.
Finish the job.
After the baskets are full and the room is clean, don’t just move the baskets around to another room. Take the “giveaway” basket to your church, or a local charity; toss everything in the trash basket into the garbage bin; and finally, walk around and put everything in the remaining basket back in its rightful home.
After you’re all done cleaning, give yourself a break--you’ve earned it! Kick back with a cool glass of lemonade and enjoy the clean spring breeze.