Spring Cleaning – It’s not too late!

Spring is a time for renewal. Winter was nature’s way of clearing away the old, and spring is how it brings in the new. It can be this way for your life as well, if you stop procrastinating and just take action. Spring cleaning can help prevent further accumulation of dirt and filth later and also helps you to inhabit a healthier space by clearing away dust, dander, and pollen that has made its way into your home. This is especially important to people with allergies or breathing disorders. Yes, we all know how daunting it can be to tackle immense projects around your household, but here are some easy steps to make your cleaning project simpler and smoother.

Like any project, it’s important to get an outlook of how and when things will be done. Set some realistic goals for yourself and your household, and create bite sized projects based off of your needs. For example, try tackling the basement one day (or weekend), and divide up the tasks to clearing, cleaning, restoring, etc. If you notice some lights that need to be replaced, or some drywall that needs to be repaired, try to group several of those projects together at a certain time or date so you can get your hands dirty all at once instead of several times.

As you go from room to room, you may notice an excess amount of things like: old toys, furniture, memorabilia, crafts, clothes, etc. Make the decision on what you need to keep and what you will not encounter for another year if it just sits there. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Not to say your stuff is trash, some of it may hold great memories or meaning to you. But there are probably some things you could let go of to free up some space. Start putting things into piles, or a place where you can store it until you have a garage sale. Other things you might not want to get rid of, but you may need to get out of the way. Good places include the garage, or outside; unless you live somewhere where it rains a lot. If in the northwest, I’m sure you can find some Toronto storage units or something. But get it out of the way so you can actually get in there to work, and clean.

Finally, be thorough. If you are committed to doing serious cleaning like this, at least do it right. Start at the top and work your way down. Clean the light fixtures and cobwebs from the ceiling, move to the walls, then furniture and finally floor. Start with the biggest issues as they will be the messiest and then move on to the smaller, lighter issues. Open rooms up to air them out, change sheets and covers, and finally spray some air freshener. And remember, it’s your place; use your best judgment.

After toiling over your domain, you will finally be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Notice the cleaner air and the sweeter smells of your rooms. And the lack of dirt! And if it isn’t perfect, don’t sweat it. You still made more of a difference than if you would have sat around watching TV all weekend. Happy Cleaning!