Many people have a love-hate relationship with spring cleaning. Winter is over: it’s time to change our wardrobes for lighter fabrics and fun sandals, color is back in style, and the sunshine seems to make everything better. With that comes the natural duty of self-imposed spring cleaning. Out with the old and in with the new. It’s time to dust off those shelves in the attic and work your way through the boxes of clutter that have plagued your home through winter. How can you make this more interesting and even enjoyable? While there is the natural reward of decluttering your home and making it more orderly, how can you make this something you look forward to with a smile?
Storage Bins & Containers
Storage bins and containers are great because they help you organize and compartmentalize your “stuff”. Additionally, though, stores are starting to sell more unique containers. If you love to make cards and craft, you can find all sorts of colorful drawers to organize your stickers, papers, and cardstock. Amazon, the Container Store, Michaels, and several other stores sell really fun bins and containers for pens and markers. Laundry bins no longer come in boring white or olive green shades. Instead, you can find turquoise, purple, teal, braided baskets, and all sorts of containers to store your dirty laundry. Choose containers and bins that you like and look cosmetically pleasing, so that when you are organizing, it subconsciously signals a good message to your brain.
Set a Schedule
Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to think about all of the cleaning that awaits you. So much dust has accumulated over the winter and you have a stack of papers that you could spend a week alone on. Organize yourself and set a schedule. This can help alleviate those feelings of despair. Decide to tackle one room or one corner at a time. Begin with a small task that will quickly give you encouragement and a sense of accomplishment. Then, move on to the next. Scheduling out your time can also be beneficial. Aside from prioritizing the order of which you spring clean, also, schedule the time each day. If you set aside 30-45 minutes each day, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results. Knowing you only have to work for a short period of time will keep things fresh and you’ll make the most of it, versus cleaning for a full 4 or 8 hours.
Use a Label Maker
Label makers are so much fun and they keep things neat and organized. You can pick up the P-Touch by Brother at your local Costco for around $30 and then, begin labeling the totes and bins in your basement. This helps you in the future, as you will forget which black bin you placed the Christmas lights in. It will save you time and frustration. Plus, it looks neat and clean.
Set a Regular Cleaning Schedule
If you want to avoid spending a ridiculous amount of time on cleaning each spring, then, set up a regular cleaning schedule. Just like spring cleaning, schedule everything out. Choose to dust on Wednesdays, mop and vacuum on Mondays, and tackle one harder task (i.e. washing your baseboards or the windows) one Saturday a month or every third Saturday. Setting up this regular schedule will keep your home more organized, so that when spring cleaning comes, it’s quite minimal.
Make a Chart
Sometimes it helps to see things visually. A chart is a great way to remind you what needs to be done for the day, but it also helps you to feel productive. You can check off the tasks you have completed and look back with a sense of accomplishment.
Reward Yourself
For completing the deep detail of cleaning out your car, or organizing the basement storage, treat yourself to a break of a movie or doing something you enjoy. This will break up the monotony and help you to refocus when you return to cleaning.
Rent a Storage Unit
If you find that you have too much stuff around your house and you’re feeling like your house is too cluttered, rent a storage space. This can declutter, help you prioritize your furniture and items. For example, if it goes to storage and you end up never needing it, then, maybe it’s time to sell it or discard it. Storage can help free up space in your home and your mind.
Have Fun!
Blast music while you clean, dance, and sing along. These sound like pretty adolescent suggestions, but they can keep you in a lively and happy mood, while you tackle the cleaning. Make it into a game. Do whatever you have to, in order to break up the monotony.
Spring cleaning means saying goodbye to winter and welcoming the warm seasons. It means new life and birth. It’s almost like you’re renewing and redirecting your energy on the things that matter most in your life. It does not have to be a mundane task. Spice it up with vibrant-colored containers, fun charts, and organized time. Commit to doing just a little bit each day. Keep up with the tasks throughout the year, so that it’s not as big of a task. And have fun! Liven things up with music and laughter, as you tackle your spring cleaning.