Think, think – what’s the absolute worst yet absolute best part about spring? Think hard, the word ‘best’ might throw you off course. Give up? Okay, I’ll tell you. The worse but best part about spring is the glory of… spring cleaning! (The ‘best’ part occurs after it’s all done and you feel like a million dollars.)
Admit it. All winter you’ve been spot cleaning with disinfectant wipes, just enough to give the sensation that your house isn’t a disaster. All winter you’ve been dragging in gravel, salt and grime that has found its way to every corner of your house. Your windows have been locked tight, causing you to breathe stagnant air and feel glum. No more! It’s time to gag at the dust bunnies behind the refrigerator and relieve the clutter that has built up in your closets. Spring cleaning is the worst time of year for the time it adds to your already busy calendar. Spring cleaning is the best time of year for the refreshing weight-off-your-shoulders feeling that will have you dancing by summer. Two words for you: Get going.
First things first. Reframe your misery. Hire yourself. You are now a spring cleaning professional, and your first client is you. Like any professional, you get paid. I pay myself $200 with the stipulation that the money must be used on something selfish and frivolous. Last year I had a hot stone massage and a pedicure. Mmmm… my limbs were wobbly for weeks. This year, I want a kitchen full of new Tupperware, even though there’s nothing wrong with my old stuff. If your financial situation is on the plus or minus side of $200, pick a payment that motivates you. Is a night at the movies with a large popcorn suitable compensation? How about catching a good deal on an all-inclusive to Cancun?
Like any professional, constructing a game plan is fundamental for success. Five to seven days whole days are needed for this undertaking. Three to five days for the ‘Projects’. One to two days for the ‘All Out Scrub’. Mark this week on your calendar and cross your heart that you won’t let anything else sneak onto your to-do list. No lunch date with Suzanne whom you haven’t seen since Christmas. No quick back nine because your golf course is having a loonie per hole special.
The ‘Projects’ are big jobs such as closets and the basement. They require concentration and commitment. The ‘All Out Scrub’ is that high energy endeavor that burns more calories than forty-five minutes on the crosstrainer. Lastly, like any professional, you need to dress the part. Tie back your hair and put on your grubbies.
Projects
Plan for one Project per day, maybe two if you enlist the help of your spouse or children. (They don’t need to get paid, however. They can be strictly volunteers with big hearts.) For each project, you need two garbage bags: Garbage Bag (for garbage) and Give-Away Bag (for charity donations or a garage sale). Side note: Unless you’re a garage sale enthusiast and have a whole lot of time on your hands, I highly recommend donating your unwanted items. Let someone else benefit from your clutter and save yourself the trouble.
Day one, Project A: Closets.
Find all the closets in your house: linen closet, front hall closet, spare room closet, and bedroom closet. Take every last morsel of the closet. It should be bare, as if you were moving out. Vacuum or wipe the floor. Clean the walls and shelves. Put back the items that you absolutely need, and the rest go in either Garbage Bag or Give-Away Bag. Get rid of excess bed linens and towels that are too tattered for the dog kennel. You don’t need that tablecloth that your daughter made when she was in fifth grade. If you do need it, consider taking a photo of it to keep it close to your heart instead. (Using photos to replace clutter with emotional value is a great way to create space and energy in your home). Bring your out-of-season clothing bin up from the basement and swap your winter garb for rayon dresses and Capri pants.
Day two, Project B: Cupboards.
Cupboards are basically just small closets, except you have a whole lot more of them. Take the same approach. Find every cupboard in your house. If it has a door that is too small to walk through, chances are it’s a cupboard. Empty, clean, and sort. Get rid of everything you possibly can. What does anyone need thirty-three yogurt containers for? Last year I found three sets of dinnerware, yet I have zero intentions of ever having more than eight guests in my home. (More than eight guests means that paper plates will be our tableware.) I was happy to donate two sets of dinnerware to charity and I was able to use this newfound cupboard space for appliances that aren’t used on a daily basis, such as the rice cooker and waffle iron.
Day three, Project C: Window and window treatments.
Scrub and shine every window in your home, inside and out. If you don’t own a ladder, consider hiring out the higher windows. Oh heck, hire out the entire exterior of your home. Dig deep for the muck that has collected along the windowsills. Vacuum or carefully wash curtains. Rinse blinds in the bathtub or outside with the garden hose. At the end of this day, your ears should be ringing from the streak, streak, streak of window cleaner and your arms should be blissfully fatigued. By the way, a 1:1 ratio of rubbing alcohol and water, plus a bit of vinegar makes a great glass cleaner.
Day four, Project D: It’s basement day!
This is the worst of the Projects. Get it done, and the rest of your spring cleaning week is a piece of cake. However, if you sorted through your basement last spring, this Project will be a snap. You’ll enjoy a day of ‘Hey, I forgot I had this!’ Although if you have too many ‘Hey I forgot I had this’ moments, you need to get rid of some junk. Make sure Garbage Bag and Give-Away Bag are right by your side. If this is your seventh Give-Away Bag, now might be a good time to go to the charity drop-off of your choice. The best approach to organizing your basement is a series of inexpensive utility shelves and labelled bins. Last year, I labelled a bin ‘Extra Gift Bags and Tissue’, then I realized that I didn’t need fifty gift bags and wrinkled tissue. I recycled the tissue and gave away the gift bags. Labelling will cause you to pause and realize what you have, then question if you really need it. Go crazy with bin labelling.
Day five, Final Project E: Outside.
This project is 99% easier than yesterday in the basement. Hose-off the deck. Put away the snow shovel. Clear away dead foliage and leaves. Then make an inventory of everything that needs done throughout the summer. Spring cleaning is for indoors so leave the outdoor stuff for warm summer afternoons. Does your garage need sorting? Any repairs needed for your house or yard? Painting? Wanting new landscaping? Add them to your summer list.
Congratulations, your Projects are complete. Get plenty of rest for tomorrow: the All Out Scrub.
All Out Scrub
After a hearty breakfast, put on your grubbies and some music, and get ready to dance your way from room to room. The phone and television are off-limits today. Open the windows and let sunshine boost your spirits. Before you start, take inventory of your supplies. You need a bucket, rags, paper towels, a good all-purpose cleaner, furniture polish, and a glass cleaner. You already know what makes a good glass cleaner (from Project C: Window and window treatments). Straight vinegar or baking soda (not mixed together!) make excellent, chemical-free cleaning products. Don’t forget Garbage Bag and Give-Away Bag. Your mantra today: Work from room to room, top to bottom.
In the living room and bedrooms, vacuum furniture, lighting, and pictures. Be thankful that you’ve already done the window treatments. Vacuum mattress and box spring. Flip and rotate the mattress. Wash walls. Polish furniture and dust knickknacks. (Got any knickknacks for Give-Away Bag?) Vacuum or mop floors.
Next stop is the kitchen. Tackling the oven, stove-top elements, refrigerator (inside and out) and microwave should put beads of perspiration on your forehead. Remember, this is spring cleaning. Put away any ‘I’ll do a better job later’ thoughts. No cutting corners. Do a thorough job now. It’s that time of year. Clean places you’ve forgotten about such as the bottom of the trashcan and behind the appliances. Muster up your elbow grease when mopping the floor.
Finally, head to the bathroom(s). Spray the shower, tub, toilet lid and bowl, and sink with cleaner. While you let the cleaner do its job, use glass cleaner on the fixtures and mirror. Clean the bottom of the trashcan and under the sink. Scrub and rinse everything down. Finish line is straight ahead.
You’re done, done, done! Five Projects, done. All Out Scrub, done. Exhale. Order pizza so that you don’t get your stovetop dirty. Great job, you should be very proud. Don’t forget to pay yourself what you had decided was suitable compensation for your efforts. Get out of your grubbies and into those Capri pants. You may now enjoy the summer by reducing your weekly cleaning to a quick once-over with the vacuum and disinfectant wipes. See you next spring.
If all of this seems overwhelming, call us and we'll do it for you! ;-)
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