SPRING CLEANING

No, that title is not a euphemism for getting rid of Facebook friends, nor even real ones! I’m talking about literal cleaning. In the Spring!

I’ve been so upset that I didn’t use my time in the house for these past two years to clean and de-clutter it, that now I’m wasting even more time ruing that decision!

So now that it’s Spring, I’m about to finally get going on that project. And maybe my doing it will give you the impetus to do it, as well.

The easiest way is to just tackle one task a day, and you’ll be all set by the time summer roles around. (Spring began almost a month ago, so get started already! You have until the Summer Solstice on June 21st to make it official.)

Here are some Spring Cleaning tips I’ve started to follow, which I culled from the internet, magazines, and actual people who use them. I hope they help all of us!!!

~ Tell yourself that you’re going to do just a short time each day, like ten-to-thirty minutes. That way your mind won’t be tortured about it beforehand.

~ Maybe crank up some music with a good beat to get you going.

~ Begin by cleaning windows with a solution of water and white vinegar; the new clean light coming from them will help you see everything—both the good and what needs to be cleaned next—more clearly.

~ Speaking of windows, open them while you work. You’ll not only be getting rid of any fumes from cleaning products, but you’ll be bringing the fresh Spring air in, which helps on every level!

~ My favorite thing to do is recycle. It’s so satisfying because I’m ridding my space of unwanted materials while also cleaning-up the planet! It’s a true win-win. And you’ll be surprised how much space it clears-out in the long run. (Just first check the internet for the rules in your area. One of my pals once thought the sanitation workers go through her garbage bags to take out the items that should be re-cycled!!! OMG! How crazy was that???)

~ If you’re dusting anything high up, like ceiling fans, fixtures, curtains, blinds, or the ceiling itself, make sure to do that before you do anything down low, like floors or vacuuming.

~ Don’t vacuum until you’ve tended to your carpets or rugs to get rid of odors (that you may not even be aware of!)  Sprinkle baking soda on them, leave it there for ten to twenty minutes, and then just vacuum it up. Voila—that can count as your entire spring cleaning for one day! I know it will for me, even though I’m sure I’ll be Tom Sawyering Mr. X into doing that chore for me.

~ I detest going through my clothing closets! But when I do, (about twice a year,) I always find so many fun items I had forgotten about. I really can’t do any of it the Marie Kondo way, (the de-clutter expert says to chuck every item that doesn’t bring you joy,) because I love just about every item of wardrobe I’ve ever acquired! (My parents were once visiting and my father opened my main closets and let out a bewildered, “What is this? Costumes???”) But when I know in my heart that I’ll never wear it again, and someone else could really benefit from it, it’s much easier to donate to a worthy charity. And as big as my body has grown in recent years, my heart does, as well, when I give to others in need. (Ahh—I know it sounds sort-of sappy, but it’s true. So your soul can benefit from Spring Cleaning, as much as your house does.)

These are just a few tips to help you get started; you’ll discover many more on your own once you really get into it.

If nothing else I wrote here provides the push you need to get started, how about this one—cleaning burns tons of calories!!! Wait—I think I hear all of you pulling out the brooms and stepladders right now! And I’m for sure joining you!