Monday, April 5, 2010
Tips for Organizing Your Spring Cleaning
Everything looks so fresh and new in the spring. The bright sunshine streaming through the windows is so pleasant, but it does shows that things are not as sparkling clean as we’d like them to be. There’s dust everywhere. The windows are dingy. And where has all this stuff come from? It’s time for spring cleaning!
Tackle Spring Cleaning with these Simple Tips
Go through the house with notebook and pen. Using a separate page per room, list everything you want to do in each room. Then you can assign each job to a family member who can do it. Do the same thing for outside of the house, on the veranda or deck, and in the garage. Inspect things like the lawn furniture, lighting fixtures, air conditioning filters, gutters, etc.
Make a schedule. After listing what needs to be done, schedule a weekend or perhaps successive Saturdays throughout the month to tackle the projects. There will probably be too much to do in one day. Let the family knows what days are scheduled and get them on board to help.
Make sure to have all the cleaning supplies, rubber gloves, vacuum bags, sponges, rags, bags and boxes ready to go. You don’t want anyone losing momentum just because they’ve run out of supplies.
Review and update your storage system. If everything has a place where it belongs, just putting it away properly will clean up a room quickly. Be sure to put it away, not just move it from room to room.
Get rid of the clutter. Go through drawers and closets and, if you haven’t used for a year, get rid of it. Label three boxes; “Donate” to shelters and thrift stores; “Garbage” to throw away; and “Store” for what you want to keep. To make it easier to get out stored things later, it would be a good idea to have separate boxes labeled with the name of each member of the family.
Use the right products. Make sure you clean according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Test cleansers on an inconspicuous place before treating the whole item if you’re not sure about the cleanser. Start with a mild cleanser first—a simple solution of water with a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid and a splash of white vinegar works on cleaning many things. That might be all it takes and it will be gentler on your possessions and your health. Another inexpensive and effective cleanser is baking soda.
Take one room at a time. Start from the top of the room and work down. Finish one room completely and inspect carefully before closing the door and moving on. This is a good time to check the smoke detectors and change the batteries if it’s needed. Clean all air ventilation screens as you go. Look for places that need to have the paint touched up and wax or polish the woodwork. You probably should find a professional to clean precious items like your oriental rugs.
Now that you’re finished you won’t want to mess up the kitchen by cooking. Treat everyone for a job well done and order out for dinner, and relax. It’s time to enjoy your beautifully clean home together.
For a handy itemized checklist of what to do in each room, keep an eye out for my upcoming blog.
If live in the Bay Area Peninsula and South Bay, including Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Atherton, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, and San Jose, let us at Simplify put together a team of top service professionals who can get those projects done that you just don’t have the time or energy to do.
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