Spring Cleaning Tips

Ideas to get your home ready for the season

It’s April, almost the middle of April, and my house is a mess. My living room is a combination of office and art studio, My den is full of laundry. My kitchen floor is growing in new life forms. Don’t let me get into the second and third floors. Let’s just say it would be a hoarder’s dream.

But I am not a hoarder — at least I don’t want to be. I like things in a certain order. Easy to find and easy to use. I like things clean. But the past winter has been rough both physically and mentally. I just didn’t have it in me to clean.

Of course, I’d pick up something here and there. I’d sweep or dust when the mood struck me. But I wasn’t doing any deep cleaning. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. After a day of trying to get through to hard-line students, my mind and body were spent. All I wanted to do was to come home and veg out on the couch.

Unfortunately, I did too much vegging out and my home suffered for it. But all is not lost. My house can be cleaned. It will take time and a lot of effort, but I plan to have my home spic and span by the end of the summer.

So here are some tips to help you with your Spring cleaning:

1. Set a deadline — I want my house to be in order by Labor Day weekend (the unofficial end of summer). So that gives me about four and a half months to get the cleaning done.
2. Start with one room — My issue is I try to clean up everything all over the house. I get frustrated and tired and make little progress. It’s best to start with one room and only one room at a time. By focusing on one room, all of your energy can be devoted to cleaning that room. Once it’s done, move on to the next room.
3. Have a plan of attack — Once you have chosen your room, create a plan on how you’re going to clean the room. Are you going to dust the curtains, sweep the floor, or organize furniture? I’m going to start with my living room and get my art stuff in order. So the organization is my first step.
4. Pace yourself— Don’t rush through each room. It’s important to go through each room carefully and slowly. Of course, don’t go at a snail's pace, but take your time organizing and cleaning. There may be a lot of sorting that needs to happen and you have to be careful that important items aren’t thrown out.
5. Use a timer— With that said, each day give yourself at least an hour to work on your chosen room. Take short five-minute breaks every fifteen minutes. When the hour is up, that is all for that room for the day. You will see the progress as time passes.

Cleaning is a chore, literally. However, it needs to be done. I have to make the effort to make my home more livable. If I stick with my plan, I can make my goal and maintain my home.