How To Make Spring Cleaning A Breeze
When we think of spring cleaning we typically think of scrubbing, mopping, organizing, and generally getting our homes back in shape. But why is it that we only do it in the spring or fall? What if we didn’t have to do it at all? Obviously we need to keep everything clean, but not many people enjoy taking two or three full days to just get down and dirty and clean the dark recesses and corners.
Wouldn’t it be a lot easier if we could do the less-desirable tasks on a schedule? That way there would be none of the “ugh, those baseboards need to be cleaned” moments. Well, there might be a few, but you’d know that it will come up in the schedule, so there’s no need to worry about it right now.
Or what if we simply had less to clean? Do we really need a little ceramic figurine to remind of us a trip to Dollywood we took with friends in 1987? How many salad spinners does one household need? Sometimes letting go of the clutter can exercise that “letting go” muscle. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Once a lot of the clutter is gone, then the cleaning becomes much easier.
So, going back to the scheduling of the cleaning tasks (or any other task, for that matter), when I was newly married, ages and eons ago, my sister-in-law taught me a system that I use to this day. I still use the same file box and some of the cards I’ve had for years. All of the chores are on index cards, filed by day of the month, monthly, or annually. Every day we just pull the cards out and sort them by who is responsible for getting them done. Once they’re done, they’re filed appropriately and forgotten about. Once the cards are done, we’re free to do the fun stuff for the rest of the day. If this sounds familiar to you, you probably remember The Sidetracked Home Executive. At least, that’s where my sister-in-law learned this. You can probably find a used copy of it somewhere, but I think it’s out of print now.
If you don’t feel like searching for a copy, I am happy to come and teach you how to do it, help you set up your system, and get you moving on your way to a tidy, uncluttered, and systemized cleaning routine. Once you try it you’ll see how easy it really is.
On the other hand, there are those that really do love cleaning. There is an instant gratification thing that happens when you clean something and it’s all shiny and pretty again. It can be quite satisfying. If you’re not one of those, though, and still really dread the thought of even starting a spring cleaning project, you always have the option of hiring someone to do just the deep cleaning and then you can take it from there. There are always options.
Whatever you choose, just remember that it’s your space and it should nurture you, provide a sense of home, family, calm, creativity, and inspiration. Like they say in Rush’s song, Freewill, “if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
Tatia Elizabeth Childers is the owner of Girl Friday Agency, professional organizers who specialize in move management. They take the stress out of moving by managing the project from the decision to sell all of the way through closing. They do everything from helping you determine needed repairs, scheduling repairs, scheduling movers, sorting, packing, delivering donations, selling unwanted items, and final cleaning. They also clean out abandoned storage units and warehouses so that they can be re-rented in a timely manner.
Tatia is married to her husband Alan, a retired Navy veteran, and they have 5 children between them. She has owned several businesses, is a serial community volunteer, and has a BA in Health and Wellness from Purdue University. She is the city lead for the Haywood County chapter of PrepperNet and a founding member of the Blue Ridge Connect BNI chapter. She is a certified sustainability consultant, an ordained minister, and a reiki master. She believes that the best way to succeed at anything is to help others succeed first. She also loves all things homestead-related, laughing, cheese, and wine.
She can be reached at:
828-550-7573
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