How to Make the Most of Spring Cleaning

Remember the good old days--when Spring Cleaning meant days of getting the house sparkling, the linens were all hung outside in the fresh air, and when you were through, a huge family dinner was waiting. Well, those good old days are gone, but spring-cleaning is still a tradition that remains. With today’s hectic schedules, making the most of the time you have to get things done can be a real chore. Here are some great ideas on to make the most of your Spring Cleaning time!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cleaning products of your choice
• Helpers
• Paper and pen for lists
• Time

1. Make a list. Go room by room through the house and highlight all the little jobs that need to be done. Nothing is too large or too small to include on your list. Do the carpets need cleaning? Is the tile in the bathroom looking grungy? Could the kitchen cabinets use a little touch-up paint? Does the furniture need a good polishing? How about the bookshelves, are they loaded with dust? And don’t forget the bedding and laundry! Put everything you can think of on the list. Make a checklist for each room and hang it in a noticeable position.

2. Assign tasks. Sit the family down with a list of things to be accomplished and assign each person a job. Create fun rewards to be handed out when everything is finished. Hire a professional to get the big jobs done while you’re not at home. There’s no sense in renting a carpet cleaner that will take you a whole weekend to use, when it’s worth the expense to hire someone to do it. Remember, the savings in time and effort should be factored into the cost of a professional

3. Designate a dumping site. If you’ve ever seen Clean Sweep on TLC you’d have the right idea. Set aside one spot in the house or garage for anything that can be thrown away, and one for items that can donated. Toys that are in good shape, but never played with can be donated to Goodwill or a women’s or homeless shelter. Anything in the closets that haven’t been worn in more than a year, get rid of. Be tough. Clutter is contagious and will grow unless stopped. Remember to pick it up and put it away, don’t just move something from one room to another.

4. Some cleaning can even be done while you sleep. Place paper towels or old newspapers on the floor next to your oven to catch dribbles, and then spray your oven with oven cleaner. Close the oven door. When you wake up, just wipe the oven out. Letting the cleaner sit overnight will help to loosen the baked on food particles. Make sure you read the instructions for your stove before doing this to make sure you use the right product. Your bathroom tile can be cleaned the same way. Right before bed, spray the vinegar and soapy water mixture and let sit overnight. In the morning, just wash the dirt away. Some built up soap scum may take a little extra work, but once it's done, it's great. To keep it clean, spray the vinegar/water solution on the tile after each shower.

5. Don’t do the work twice. The biggest challenge anyone can face is going back and doing something again. Before a room is “officially” cleaned, inspect it to make sure that your helpers did everything they were supposed to. The windows should be cleaned, woodwork polished, bed linens changed, floors washed, shelves dusted, closets and drawers cleaned out, etc. Once done, put a big smiley face on the list and close the door. This will let everyone know that this room is done and to move on to the next.

6. Celebrate! Go out for dinner or order in pizza. Have a party that shows you appreciated everything that was accomplished. Treating your helpers well will make them want to help you again and again and again.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut down on the cleaning supplies. Assign one person to do all the windows, one to do all the dusting, etc.
• Use Natural ingredients to clean with. Vinegar is a great basic cleaner, as are orange and lemon oil based products.
• Don't forget the outside needs cleaning too.