Make Spring Cleaning a Breeze
If you feel a bit overwhelmed and the motivation is lacking, just start with small steps and soon you will be on your way to a clean house! Remember, it’s important to tackle a simple spring reboot sooner than later because the longer you wait, the harder it is to get started.
Here are some tips to get you off the couch and ready to tackle the task of removing the old and bringing in the new just in time for spring.
Start Before Spring
Don’t wait until spring to get started on spring cleaning your home! Keeping things neat and clean all year around can improve your home life and save you money. A clean home also ensures that you are living in a safe and healthy space. The other bonus to have a tidy home year around can make spring cleaning seem less overwhelming.
Start prepping for the big spring clean-up at the beginning of the year. Make a list of the spring cleaning jobs that need to be done and spend 20 minutes per day knocking out the items on the list. To stay organized, make a checklist of things to do for each room. Organization makes all the difference and gives you an actionable plan. By getting organized ahead of time, you will have a good head start and won’t feel so overwhelmed as spring draws near.
Divide and Conquer
Spring cleaning is often associated with an “I’m not so sure I want to do this” mindset, but with the right approach, it can be a fun experience and valuable family time. So get the whole family involved, even the kids! Give your partner the chores he or she enjoys doing and keep the other tasks you enjoy for yourself. And for the kids, give them age-appropriate tasks and give them a high-five for a job well done. Small tasks like this teaches kids responsibility and helps build self-esteem. Plus, they will learn an important lesson about cleaning, work, and keeping a tidy home. It’s never too early to start!
Re-Purpose the Items you Don’t Use
Once you’ve conquered the mess, and have divided all of the items, you can put a pile aside for things you may be able to re-imagine with a new look. If there are a ton of neckties hanging in the closet, repurpose them into a footstool. If you have jeans that have seen better days, cut them up and create placemats or wine bags. Mason jars can be use as floral centerpieces, old candle containers can be made into make-up brush holders. Just about anything can be reimagined once you let your creativity flow.
Donate, Donate, Donate
While it’s great to repurpose, it’s not great to hang on to too mic stuff! It’s tough to throw out anything that is still in perfect condition, and that’s one reason why clutter builds up. Most people have way too much stuff, but there is a way to fix that. Donate!
Donate the items you haven’t used in the past year to a charity. When you donate rather than toss, someone benefits from your clutter and you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing it went to a good home. Psychologically, that’s way more appealing than throwing away things that are still usable.
Go through the items in each room and evaluate it with an objective eye. If you haven’t used it in a year, put it in the give-away pile. Research shows that if you haven’t used something for a year, you won’t use it the next year. A cluttered living environment creates a cluttered mind. Let some of those things go.
Have a Yard Sale
Another way to clear clutter and provide motivation to let go of items you no longer need is to have a yard sale. It’s easier to eliminate items you no longer need if you’re getting something back for them. A yard sale can bring in a few hundred up to several thousand dollars. Use that money to take a vacation, donate it to your favorite charity, or add it to your savings account.
Don’t forget the Refrigerator
One area that many people forget to clean is the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets. What good is it to have a pristine house but expired items in your fridge? Take everything out of the refrigerator and pantry and toss expired items. Also eliminate those unhealthy junk foods that provide no nutrition. Spring is time to make a fresh start with your food choices, and healthy living is also about what you eat. And while you are at it, don’t forget to wipe down the shelves with warm soapy water for a clean foundation.
The Bottom Line
Follow these tips to make spring cleaning less of a chore and more of an opportunity to enhance your home and family life. Don’t put it off because once you’re finished you can relax and applaud yourself for a job well done.
About Jane Clauss
For more creative living tips, check out two-time Emmy Award winner Jane Clauss’s website. If you have any great health and wellness ideas that you would like to share, or just want to say hi, fill out this contact form. We will be happy to hear from you.
