Spring Cleaning… it’s here!

Happy Spring! There are so many things I absolutely love about Spring. Fresh air, flowers, green grass, sweet aromas, and new life. But I have to admit, spring cleaning is not my best feature. But, I do love when things are clean. It feels organized, free, clear, and refreshing. So I love the end result, I just get stuck in the process of getting there. So, I have decided to do a little research and blog about spring cleaning tactics, ideas, and hints to try to motivate me to get some cleaning done. In researching, I found lots of information and some great websites with cleaning supplies, printables, checklists. So here are some thoughts, followed by the checklists and websites.

My Overall Tips:
Strategy: Have a plan as you go into it. Room by room? Task by task? Priorities first?
Set it all out: Make sure you have all cleaning supplies, rags, and everything ready.
Delegate: Don’t feel like you have to do everything. Divvy up the jobs.
Use Time Well: Work for a specific amount of time. And take breaks. If you feel overwhelmed, start small. Do different jobs on different days.
Make it Fun: Add incentives and rewards for those family members who help.

Main Cleaning Verbs:
Wash: laundry, sheets, makeup brushes, pillow covers
Dust: blinds, decor, furniture
Clean: windows, mirrors, sink, toilets, showers, oven, car
Wipe down: appliances
Polish: any silver, pots or pans
Organize: organize papers, decor, books, pantry, refrigerator
Vaccuum: carpet, car
Mop: floors
Sort: Use four bins 1.Thrift or Sell, 2.Find Home, 3.Storage, 4.Throw out
Flip: mattresses
Throw out: all expired food and medicines
Clear: Clutter
Clean out: Closet- Take to thrift store, consignment shop, or sell on Ebay. A fun thing to do would be to host a clothes swap party. Out with the old doesn’t have to mean in with the new. But it can mean swap with the used.
Replace: old mats
Sanitize: sponges, trash cans, counters

Great Websites for all natural cleaning products or DIY products:
Earth Easy
Homemade
All Natural

Great Spring Cleaning Checklists:
Martha Stewart
Homemaking
Homemaking PDF

How does cleaning make you feel? Is the end feeling worth a little bit of effort? We have to start somewhere. So give it a try. On that note, I guess it is time for me to get off my computer and start cleaning too. So see you next week. Happy Spring Cleaning!  Leave any comments on things that work for you to help other readers!