Spring Cleaning 2018

Spring cleaning is one of those ubiquitous cultural traditions that is big in the United States. It is the practice of deep cleaning your house during the spring season. Traditionally, it is done when the weather is warm enough that furnaces and fireplaces can be turned off for the year. Coal burning furnaces and wood burning fireplaces cause a lot of soot to collect, so spring cleaning became a way to air out the house and clean up the soot.

Even though most of us don’t use coal burning furnaces anymore, the tradition has held on.

I typically hate it. However, this year I have embraced it. I am systematically going through my house, moving all the furniture, touching everything, purging, and doing some things that we just haven’t done. I want to share my strategy and let you know how it is going so far.

Day 1: Living Room

I started in the living room because I thought it would do the best to keep me motivated. I dusted, swept and mopped the living room. I cleaned the wall décor and decluttered. When it was done, I felt great! I had to start a list of tasks that I need help doing, so I will do those tasks with Chris’s help over the few weeks following the major cleaning.

Day 2: Master Bedroom

This room is where a lot of random things go to die. I don’t know why I do this stuff. I had a blanket dumped in a corner that needed to be washed. I can’t even remember the last time I saw that blanket. Anyway. I dusted, wiped down the walls and vacuumed. I gathered everything that did not belong in the room.

I only made it ¾ of the way around the room before I ran out of time! Instead of continuing, I cleaned up, made dinner and folded some laundry. The next morning, I finished the last section of the room and I purged my bookshelves so I could make room for books and photo albums that were being held in the office.

Day 3: Laundry Room

Since this room got a big overhaul in January, it wasn’t going to take too much work. I tidied my shelves, dusted, swept, mopped and took inventory of paper products and cleaning products I need to stock up on.

Day 4: Office

I never clean the office. It is Chris’s domain. I occasionally wipe down Chris’s desk and do a trash collection, but not much more than that. I started on our overflowing bookshelf and pulled all of my stuff. Then, I categorized Chris’s stuff and styled the bookshelf. After that, I cleaned off the chair and wiped down the desk.

At that point, I had to stop. The last ¼ of the room had Chris’s computer stuff and gardening stuff. The next day, I badgered Chris into helping me finish the office. He checked the bookshelf and finished purging it. Then he tidied up the rest of the room, helped me dust it and we vacuumed the floor.

Day 5: Kitchen

In the kitchen, I wiped down cabinets, counters, and appliances, cleaned windows and tidied cabinets. Then I cleaned the sink, swept and mopped. I managed to finish this one in record time because I had purged the cabinets a few months ago.

Day 6: Shed

For a few months, we have been loading stuff into the shed. While there is a basic organization system, it needs some refining. It shouldn’t take me more than an hour to reorganize and sweep.

Day 7: Bathrooms

I have this slated for 1 day. I have 3 bathrooms…I’m not sure I can do this in a day. I need to deep clean the floors, tubs, toilets, sinks and counters. I need to wash bathmats and shower curtains. And I need to purge ALL of the cabinets and closets in the bathrooms…yeah, that’s going to take more than a day.

Day 8: Guest Room

I just re-organized the closet in the guest room, but I need to tidy that up. Then, I need to dust, purge some stuff out of the room, and vacuum.

Day 9: Hallway and Porch

In the hall, I need to dust, vacuum and spot treat the carpet.

On the porch, I need to wipe down the white railing and put away a few things we were, well storing on the porch. Then, I will sweep it and work out how to decorate it.

Day 10: Master Closet

I did a MAJOR purge and reorganization last summer, but I need to tidy it up, purge some clothes and vacuum.

And, then…I’m done. Wow, 10 days.

I didn’t realize it would take me 10 days. I’ve been planning this as I go (tomorrow is Day 6). I’ve been doing 3 days of spring cleaning every week, so it will have taken me the better part of a month to do this spring cleaning.

But that is ok. When it is done, it will be so great!

Do you spring clean? When you clean, do you also purge as you go?

#springcleaning #homemaking #2018 #2018goals