Spring is in the air in Plano—the grass is getting greener, mornings are a little warmer, and signs of life are popping up all around us. Spring is a great time to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather with family and friends, open your windows to breathe fresh air, and get your garden started. It’s also the perfect time to make your house sparkle before the busy summer months. Read on to learn how to simplify your spring-cleaning process and get the whole family involved in just a handful of steps.
Create a Plan
Image via Flickr by wuestenigel
When you know spring cleaning is going to be a massive project, it can be hard to know where to start. Before getting lost in the mess, grab a pen and a notepad and start making a plan. Make a separate column for each room you want to clean, and in each column, list the tasks you want to complete for that room. Remember what you might forget on regular cleaning days, like walls and lighting globes. Then, cross off tasks as you finish them. Seeing what you’ve completed can help you visualize your progress and stay motivated.
Start With the Clutter
Most of us have at least one room in the house that’s notorious for clutter, especially when kids are involved. The first step to spring-cleaning is to clear out the clutter, deciding as you go what you want to keep and what you no longer want, need, or use. This helps you create space and access floors and surfaces that need cleaning. If you have a hard time finding a spot for things you want to keep, set them aside until you create or find the space for them.
Use Organizational Tools
Consider using organizational tools to keep everything in the right place as you’re moving through the clutter, cleaning cabinets, and putting things in order. To keep your things sorted and easy to find, you can use helpful solutions like totes, drawer dividers, cupboard inserts, shelving, and closet organizers. Adding shelves with cubbies, such as fabric boxes, to kids’ bedrooms can also help them learn to stay neat and organized.
Get the Kids Involved
Speaking of the kids, there are plenty of small jobs you can give them to get them involved in your spring-cleaning project. While older kids can help with tasks like vacuuming, cleaning the refrigerator, and organizing the pantry, younger kids can do simple jobs that keep them busy and productive and help you out. Consider giving them jobs that are close to ground level and easier for little ones to reach than adults, like washing baseboards, picking up toys, putting clothes in hampers, and using a handheld vacuum to clean corners.
Donate to Charity
Once you’ve decided what you want to keep and what you’re ready to part with, make a pile of things you want to donate. Remember to only donate items that are clean and in good condition. Leave out things like stained clothes, broken electronics, and toys with missing pieces. After making your donation pile, sort through what’s left and determine what you can recycle and what you need to throw away. Check with your local recycling center to get a list of items they accept.
Experiment With Scent
While you’re cleaning, there are many ways you can add refreshing scents to spruce up the atmosphere in your home. Many cleaning products are available in a range of floral, fresh, and fruity scents, and they can help you make your house smell nice when you’re cleaning and avoid overwhelming, sterile smells like bleach. You can also use eco-friendly cleaning products like essential oils for natural cleaning power and aromas. When you’ve finished cleaning, burn some candles or diffuse oils to keep the fresh scent going.
Make It Fun
One way to get the whole family involved in your spring-cleaning project and prevent them from losing steam is to make it fun. Turn on upbeat music everyone loves and make your cleaning party a dance party. Sing along together to the music as you clean, or take turns singing your favorite songs karaoke-style. For kids who love competition, consider coming up with some cleaning games. Challenge them to see who can clean their rooms first or hide small toys or treats they can find as they pick up their things.
Plan for Consistency
Now that your house is clean decide how you want to maintain it. Cleaning and decluttering your home regularly can help you avoid spending extra time on seasonal cleaning projects. Use a calendar or whiteboard to create a housekeeping plan, including chores for each family member. Designate daily, weekly, or monthly tasks based on how frequently you plan to do them. For example, you might sweep the kitchen daily, wash the family’s bedding once a week, and shampoo the living room carpet once a month.
Reward Yourself
That’s it—the house is clean, each room smells fresh, everything is in its place, and you have a maintenance plan. Now it’s time to reward yourself and your family for a well-done job. Choose something fun for the whole family, like ordering pizza, having a video or board game night, gathering in the living room for a family movie, or going out for ice cream. Spending time together having fun after working hard to revitalize your home is a well-deserved reward you can all enjoy.
We hope this list makes tackling your spring-cleaning project a little easier this year. It can be tricky to get the whole family to take part, but following a plan and incorporating kid-friendly chores and rewards can help you finish your spring-cleaning project faster and prepare your home for summer fun. Do you have any great cleaning tips we missed? The team at Huffines CDJR Plano would love to hear them. Drop us a line and let us know so we can add it to our list.