That Spring Cleaning Bug

I love spring time!!!! It’s fresh and new. The rains have washed away the old and dirty, which is great for the outside, but what about the inside of the house? It’s a good thing I also love some good old fashioned spring cleaning! I get excited little butterflies in my tummy just thinking about it. I know, I know…maybe this makes me a tad bit unique, but I’m ok with that. For me, spring is a time of renewal and fresh starts, of hope and redemption. It is so, so good.

Each year around the end of February, when my green thumb starts itching to plant seedlings, the cleaning bug begins to wake from its winter slumber and start reminding me ever-so-slightly that it’s almost time. Almost time for what? Why, for Spring Cleaning, of course!! That spring cleaning bug starts nudging me more each week until I can not ignore it any longer and must begin the spring time ritual of old. Hey…at least we don’t have to whitewash the inside walls every year anymore like the pioneers used to do! Phew! But I do like to give our house a cozy, yet open and free feeling each spring. I open up all the windows, let in the fresh air, and let out that stale old winter chill. I wash all the throw blankets and rugs, replace winter table linens with fun springtime colors, buy some beautiful fresh cut flowers (usually daffodils) for the kitchen, and shine up the guest powder room just in case anyone stops by.

But there’s more. You see, I love to start each spring with a clean slate, which means that I need to go a little deeper than just these few surface items. Yep, you’ve guessed right, it’s time to bring out the scrub brushes, magic erasers, lemon vinegar cleaner, and more! I make a checklist for myself (this shouldn’t surprise anyone anymore…haha), and get to work. I’ve also made you your own pretty, printable copy, too! I like to go room to room and see how much I can get done in a day. Of course, it is not possible to do the whole entire house in a single day…even though I dream of accomplishing this one day…because there are still the everyday things like school and cooking to be done. That’s ok. Maybe we just do one room per day. By the end of the week, the house is going to be sparkling! Yay!

Time to get to work. Here’s what I do:

1. Make a list of ALL rooms in the house. (Don’t forget the laundry room, mud room, master closet, pantry, hall closet…ALLLLL the places!!)
2. Make a new list of items to be cleaned in every room. On my list, you’ll find baseboards, air duct vents, corners, light switch plates, light fixtures, door knobs, floors, walls, doors (front and back).
3. On your original list of rooms, be sure to note if there are any extra things to be cleaned/tidied/sorted in each room. For instance, for the kitchen, I always make sure to add the refrigerator and oven. For the closets, I make sure to replace any cedar rings I am using for scent and to keep moths away. For the laundry room, it’s time for the annual “cleaning behind the washer and dryer” event. For bedrooms, I make a note reminding me to vacuum under the beds. And so on.
4. If the spring cleaning bug has bitten hard, and I am feeling really ambitious, I add in the garage and the yards. I often need to coordinate calendars with my dear husband to get these big jobs done, which is actually pretty fun. We normally get the kids involved, too.
5. Get my cleaning kit ready to go, making sure I have everything I need. This includes stocking up on paper towels, nontoxic cleaner, laundry soap (for the many extra loads I’ll be doing), baking soda, and rubber dish gloves.
6. Launder all heavy winter coats to be stored away for use next year, and give away winter items that will clearly not fit anyone next year…no use storing it for a whole year if no one will be able to use it then!
7. Go through socks and underwear for everyone in the house to ensure old/tattered/too snug items are tossed and replaced.
8. Inventory bath towels…is it time to freshen up your selection? Replace old? We use our old towels for dog washing, car washing, emergency leak catching, and so on. We seldom give them away, since there are so many uses for towels that are too worn for the shower.

Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get cleaning! Our homes will be fresh and lovely very soon. Won’t that feel great? I’m about to grab my coffee cup to refill, put on some great music, and get started. What about you? Sending love and joy to you today as you conquer your list!