Do Spring Cleaning Right: 7 Ways To Make It Easier
One weekend you’re wearing sweats and watching TV all day, and the next you’re testing room sprays at Target and replacing your kitchen sponge. It’s almost time. With roots in biology, religion and tradition, spring cleaning is a global rite.
Is this an article about spring cleaning? Yes it is. But first let’s procrastinate for a minute.
In 16th-century Scandinavia, a spick was a nail (spike) and a span was a fresh wood chip. A ship that was so new that its nails were shiny and the wood shavings from its construction were still visible was admiringly called “spick and span.” Back then, the saying meant brand spanking new, but now it means freshly scrubbed and spotlessly clean.
Okay, let’s stop screwing around and get to work. To do the least amount of work while still making your house spick and span, organize your attack around these seven steps:
1. MAKE YOUR PLAN
Whether you draft it on your phone or download this super cute printable cleaning checklist, you need a plan. It should include:
Areas you’re going to clean
Day and time you’re going to clean each area
Inventory of cleaning supplies (see #2)
Day and time you’ll make your donation (see #6)
2. KONDO YOUR SUPPLIES
A person I love who shall remain nameless buys (pricey) new cleaning supplies on the regular, leaving the cabinet chock full of barely used cleaners that all do the same thing.
If you have this same problem or know someone who does, here’s the antidote: Inventory your cleaning supplies and shop for what you need before you get started. Keep the products to a minimum so you can clean efficiently.
3. FORGET MULTI-TASKING
When you pull out the vacuum cleaner, fight the urge to go ahead and do the whole house. If you bust out the mop for the kitchen floor, avoid hitting the bathroom floors “while you’re at it.”
Going back and forth between rooms is a surefire way to get overwhelmed and/or distracted. Keep to one room at a time. It’s more efficient in the long run, and you’ll get the extra reward of seeing results quickly.
4. YES, I *AM* IGNORING YOU
Spring cleaning is special. Ignore those areas you already clean frequently—kitchen, bathroom—and concentrate on areas that may not get such a regular cleaning: Living room, dining room, home office, bedrooms, closets.
5. THAT ONE BUTTON ON YOUR OVEN
Don’t work harder than you have to. A few simple pre-cleaning steps will make the overall job easier and save time.
Clear away dirty dishes, pick up dirty clothes, put away clean clothes
Let cleaning products sit before wiping down surfaces
Deploy the self-cleaning setting on your oven
6. THE 80/20 RULE RIDES AGAIN
Can you have a tidy home if you’re buried under clutter? According to the experts, only 20% of the things we own are truly important—which means that 80% of our stuff is just getting in the way. Decluttering is a well-known therapeutic, so make these four piles while you’re cleaning:
What to keep (and the lesser known pile, “What to store”)
What to donate
What to toss
7. LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR NEXT TIME
Make next time easier by choosing at least one of the items below. If you do all three, there may not even be a next time.
Clean for 15 minutes every day (uh huh)
Create a task chart for household members (good luck with that)
Go paper-light (ending reliance on paper as the primary medium for doc storage)
Christy Rosen Clement is a Pricing Strategy Advisor®, Seller Representative Specialist®, Military Relocation Professional® and REALTOR® at Palermo Real Estate Professionals in South Tampa
