How to Make the Most of Spring Cleaning
How To Make the Most of Spring Cleaning
A Post by Bridgette
Spring Cleaning
It’s that season again- the weather starts getting nicer and you start feeling that extra life and energy from the promise of warmer days ahead. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it’s the perfect time to air out the house and give it a good spring cleaning.
Some may get the urge to spring clean, and others may dread it. I’m one that gets the itch to clean! One of my favorite things about spring cleaning is that it feels different than “normal” cleaning. Maybe that’s just me, but it’s just a little more fun in the spring. Here are a few ways to make the most of your spring cleaning experience.
Plan Ahead
As Kim’s oldest daughter, I grew up living the home management strategies taught in “Home Management: Plain and Simple.” Having an organized “battle plan” and a list of tasks for each room makes the work go by quickly and so much easier. With a list and a plan, you never have to wonder where to start or what to do next.
As an adult, I don’t have my mom around all the time to make those lists for me anymore. So, if I’m not intentional about making a list or referencing resources such as “Home Management: Plain and Simple,” I end up hopping from room to room and task to task with no rhyme or reason. This causes the work to be done inefficiently, and oftentimes I’d jump from one task to another without completing it. Save yourself this trouble by making and/or using a plan for your cleaning day!
Use the Resources Available to You
Does planning out your spring cleaning day sound… daunting? Don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered! In the Free Resource Library you will find printable lists for each area of the home.
These lists include daily, weekly, and deep cleaning/spring cleaning tasks for each room. Print these lists and keep an appropriate copy in each room. (In a drawer, taped to the inside of a cupboard door, or someplace easily accessible for reference).
Having a to-do list in each room makes it possible to send an older child, husband, or helpful family member into that room with a ready to use battle plan. This makes delegating tasks that much easier.
Spread it out
While tackling spring cleaning in one day may sound appealing, it may not be a realistic goal depending on your unique situation.
Between your typical daily demands, distractions, and unforeseeable interruptions; it may be almost impossible to conquer this battle in one day.
For your own sanity and the well being of those near and dear to you, it may be best to spread your spring cleaning over a series of days or weeks. This may be a time when it makes sense to utilize a system such as “The Whole House Overhaul in 6 Weeks.” Or to schedule a few days or a week to focus solely on spring cleaning tasks. Think about your schedule and what works best for your family, and base your plan on that.
Avoiding interruptions
Whether you choose to do your spring cleaning in a day, or spread it over a month. It’s helpful to plan it in a way that you’re able to give it as much focus as possible. Trying to accomplish spring cleaning while distracted or interrupted can be a challenge. Scheduling a dedicated day or planning around other commitments is one way to avoid distractions and work efficiently.
For example: Schedule your spring cleaning on a day that isn’t interrupted by children’s appointments or music lessons. Picking a day that is free and clear of other commitments allows you to focus on the task at hand.
Save Time in the Kitchen
Another way to give spring cleaning more focus is to cover your bases before you start. Plan ahead for meals and snacks. Perhaps leaving a veggie or fruit tray on the counter for children to “graze” on will save you from being interrupted by snack time. Planning a crock-pot or freezer meal for lunch/supper is a great way to save time and effort in the kitchen too!
Plan ahead for Small Children
Many spring cleaning tasks can be delegated to older children, but what to do with the littles? They typically want to be in the middle of all the “fun” and hang out where all the activity is happening. While it may be fun to let toddlers “help” for a while, here are a few ideas to keep them occupied for when you really want to focus on the job at hand.
Spring cleaning day may be a time to set up a special activity (distraction) for the youngest children. Or it may make sense to put an older child in charge of occupying the younger ones for the day. Another idea would be to allow the little ones spend the day/afternoon with grandma or another family member/friend. Plan ahead for how to manage the younger children so you can achieve your spring cleaning goals. Think about your family and what works best for you, and base your plan off of that.
Set the Mood for Spring Cleaning
Setting the mood for the day and being intentional about creating a positive experience changes spring cleaning from another big project, to a fun and enjoyable day of work.
Putting on some happy and upbeat music, a podcast, or an audio book helps to set the mood for the day. Maybe light a few of your favorite scented candles too! Make yourself a fun smoothie or drink to take with you as you go, or bring along a water bottle (does cleaning make anyone else thirsty or is that just me?!)
One of my favorite ways to set the mood for Spring Cleaning is to start by opening all the windows and letting that fresh air into the house. Airing out the house helps to bring that energetic springy feeling into the home to help carry you through your spring cleaning tasks.
You’ve got this!
You’ve planned ahead, prepared your crockpot dinner, thrown open the windows, and set the mood for the day. All you’ve got left to do is jump in and knock out spring cleaning, step by step.
Head to the Resource Library to access printable cleaning to-do lists for each room of the home, lets get to it!
Home Management: Plain and Simple
If you have dirty dishes, laundry, and a home to keep clean; have I got the book for you!
This book is for ANY kind of home manager. Whether you have kids, no kids, large family, small family, homeschool, or don’t homeschool. If you have a home and want to learn how to manage your tasks better- this book is packed full of the skills, tips, and hacks you need. Get it here.