My Spring Cleaning is getting off to a slow start this year. Throwing open the windows and doors to air out the house, and washing and hanging the curtains out to dry doesn’t work so well when the snow is still flying and the temps are freezing. But Spring and Spring Cleaning are finally here.
I find it easiest to tackle 1 room or area at a time. That way the whole house isn’t in disarray all at once. Depending on the time factor, we do 1-2 rooms per day for about a week, or 1-2 rooms 1 day per week for a couple months. Ideally, I’ve been going through drawers, shelves, baskets, and other stashing places throughout the Winter. Those things can be done easily in small snippets of time, one at a time. That leaves just actual cleaning to be done come Spring.
Spring Cleaning begins by removing curtains, bedding and other “cloth” in the room. Curtains, bedding and window blinds are washed, and preferably hung out to dry. Rugs are beat and aired out, and vacuumed and cleaned as needed. Pillows and bed toppers are hung out to air out. While these are all down and out, cleaning begins at the ceiling.
Ceilings, walls, and light fixtures are cleaned; windows washed inside and out. Furniture, including appliances, is cleaned and/or vacuumed, inside and out, and moved and cleaned under and behind. Pictures, lamps and shades, books and other nic-naks are cleaned well, books removed from the shelves to dust, then returned. Cupboards are emptied and cleaned, then refilled. Plants are thinned, trimmed, or repotted as needed, and fake plants/greenery is washed. Floors are swept and mopped or vacuumed and carpets cleaned. Then all is returned to its proper place and we have a completely clean and fresh room.
Time needs to be set aside for Spring Cleaning, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of extra time. On days that we are working on Spring Cleaning, we don’t do other house cleaning. The other rooms will be well cleaned soon, or just were. They’ll survive a week.
I hope Spring has sprung where you are, and that you are enjoying the freshness that comes with Spring Cleaning.
Packing away winter clothes and getting out summer ones will have to wait for another day. 🙂
