Six Sensational Tips for Spring Cleaning
In the spirit of spring and good weather all around (I’m looking at you, Iowa–finally coming out of hibernation) let’s look at six practical, easy-to-implement tips to help with spring cleaning. If you’re anything like me, spring cleaning can feel daunting and it’s easy to push it off to do literally anything else (…even grocery shopping 😅). I’m in the middle of trying the idea of zone cleaning my house (and not just in spring) which seems to go okay most of the time…although I catch myself cleaning my least favorite rooms every other week instead of weekly. Which kind of defeats the purpose. But it’s more than they’d get cleaned otherwise so I’m calling it a win 🙌🏻.
Our first step is to pick up the house first. Decluttering is a natural (and super helpful) aspect of spring cleaning. It not only helps free up some of your time (since it helps you have less to take care of) but it also is excellent for your mental health. So why pick up first? Simply put, it’s to help us start and finish the job. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I bite off more than I can chew when it comes to cleaning. I decide I’m going to clean the whole house and go through the clothes in the closet and the books and the toys…you get the picture. In the end, all I end up with is a halfway-picked-up house and piles of clothes and books and toys that are now in plain sight and I’m out of steam. So they get moved and left out and I just have to deal with them later. By picking up first, you can focus on decluttering rather than picking up, cleaning, and then decluttering. Save your energy, Mama. You need it.
Second, (and this is crucial to avoid the stacks of clothes that look less stable than the Tower of Piza) tackle your spring cleaning and decluttering in small increments. 15-30 minutes is more than enough time to commit to this daunting task. One helpful thing to do is make a list of the areas in your home that need to be cleaned by room, then by area, and then niche down until you can say “I’m going to spend 15 minutes cleaning and decluttering the top two dresser drawers” or the top 3 kitchen cabinets. Make your goals manageable. Little wins over time will add up to big victories.
Third, as I’m sure you’ve realized by now I’m a huge fan of decluttering. Don’t be afraid of it. It’s good for you! It’s time to take the clothes you don’t wear, and the books you’ll never read again (unless you’re working on curating your personal library in which case, keep all those books. Getting rid of books doesn’t usually bring me joy…#bookwormprobs). Pick small spaces (drawers, cabinets, parts of a closet, etc.) and go through things slowly. It’ll take time, but it will be worth it.
Fourth, this is a tough one–if you haven’t used it (seen it, thought about it, etc.) in the last year…get rid of it. If you haven’t needed it in the past 365 days you probably won’t need it in the next 365 days either. As Elsa would say, let it go 🎶).
Fifth on the list–you don’t need 4903257 cleaners to do the job. Not cleaning a room because you don’t have the cleaner is not an excuse (unfortunately 😅). Most of the time a good all-purpose cleaner (including the one you can make yourself HERE) is all that you need.
Lastly, give yourself grace. Lots and lots and lots of grace. Mama, you’re a busy person and you wear all of the hats. You’re a mom, a wife, a referee, a teacher, a disciple-maker, a nurse, a therapist, a cook, a housekeeper, a chauffeur, and so many other things. Give yourself grace if your house isn’t perfect or if your work gets undone in fifteen minutes because #kids. You’re in the middle of a short but chaotic season and that’s okay. We all fall short (Rom. 3:23) and God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Be present with your children–the dust will wait.
