Five Tips for Easy Spring Cleaning
The dreaded chore of spring cleaning. The very thought of it makes you want to stay hidden under the covers rather than face a houseful of beckoning chores. But with a few simple tips, spring cleaning doesn’t have to be as frightening or tedious as it usually may be. These tips will help to organize the cleaning process so that it can be completed more efficiently and hopefully more quickly, leaving you plenty of time to bask in the radiant sunlight.
Tip #1 – Preparation
Get all your cleaning supplies out and into one central area, or place them in the proper rooms as needed (i.e. put bathroom cleaning supplies in the bathroom, etc.) This will save you time from having to return to where you may normally keep all your cleaning tools. Whatever you need will already be within easy reach.
Place garbage bags in every room. There is most likely something to be thrown away lurking within every room, under beds, in closets, or maybe it’s just that ugly dust collecting curio you received three years ago and can’t bear to look at anymore. If its garbage, toss it. You’ll probably find the room already starting to shape up.
Tip #2 – List
Although the idea seems like a time-waster, as it can be comprehensive, it actually will save you time in the long run, as once the cleaning process has begun, things can easily be forgotten or simply skipped out of frustration or laziness. Walk from room to room and prepare a list of what needs to be in each, in the preferred order of what should be done first. Cross off each item as it is completed. This provides a little feeling of accomplishment as you complete your goals and will further serve to keep you focused.
Tip #3 – Organize
Focus on one room at a time. This is mainly important if you own a large home, but still serves to be effective for smaller dwellings as well. We have a tendency during spring cleaning to become distracted by all rooms calling for attention. Rather than view the whole house as the project, break your cleaning process into steps, or rooms, and work one room at a time.
Tip #4 – Delegate
Assign tasks to family members. If kids are involved, give them some chores hat are more suitable to them, such as putting away the things in their room that may be cluttering the floor. Working as a team over a variety of tasks will move you towards completion faster. Many chores need only one person to execute them, so delegate accordingly, assigning the appropriate amount of manpower (if available) to the required chores.
Tip #5 – Process
Work top to bottom. If dusting is required, begin at he top of furniture, curtains, etc. Clean windows, tables, counters, etc. You’ll find that your cleaning supplies will not be able to snag every piece of dirt and some of it will fall to the ground. By working top to bottom, you’ll ensure to remove every last bit of dirt when the room needs nothing else but vacuuming, which should be performed after all other cleaning is finished and all items have been put neatly away.
Hopefully these five tips will help you to face the onset of spring cleaning with a little more confidence and a little less dread, and remember, you have the whole summer ahead of you, so spending a day or two cleaning in preparation is a small tradeoff for a few months of fun and recreation.
