10 Spring Cleaning Tips to Save You Time

Spring is right around the corner. With it comes flowers blooming, the sun shining, birds chirping... and spring cleaning. Oh, sorry to ruin the fantasy. I know as a busy mom, spring cleaning is not exactly a part of my springtime fantasy, but it is a yearly part of my life. Since schedules are tight, and time is even tighter, finding tricks to make the job more efficient are essential. Here are a few spring cleaning tips I've discovered that save me time and make spring cleaning easier.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #1 - Make a checklist of what needs to be done and prioritize. Before beginning, walk through each area of your home and determine what must be completed. The list might include items that need to be cleaned, fixed or replaced. It's also helpful to start the list in the fall or winter months and keep a running tally of projects.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #2 - Don't waste time cleaning around your clutter. Instead, take the extra time to sort and organize what you want to keep, and clear the clutter from your home. It will be time well spent. When cleaning closets and cupboards, think practically and remove items that don't get used. Donate them to charity, or sell the items and use the money earned to make home improvements. Getting extra items out of the way will save you time with year-round cleaning.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #3 - Determine what supplies you need in advance and gather them in a portable container. Save yourself trips back and forth for cleaning items and tools by carrying them with you. Choose a container with a handle for easy transporting, like a plastic tote, basket or bucket. Or try customizing an apron with pouches to keep cleaning rags, sponges, and small tools handy.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #4 - Divide and conquer tasks by breaking them into manageable amounts. Juggling busy schedules and caring for children make it next to impossible to complete spring cleaning all in day - or even a couple days. Half finished projects only lead to frustration, so instead break the job into smaller tasks, like focusing on one or two rooms each day.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #5 - Get your kids involved. The messes that accumulate over the winter months are not made by one individual, so why should they be cleaned by just one? Enlist their help with sorting and putting away items by making it fun with a spring cleaning game for kids.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #6 - Work smarter not harder. Apply cleaning solutions to tough stains and odors, and let them soak while you focus on other areas in the room. This will require less scrubbing - and less time spent - to remove the stains. Some cleaners are dangerous, so be careful to keep them away from children and pets. Using green cleaning techniques or making your own natural disinfectants will help reduce those risks.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #7 - Clean in layers. Cleaning from top to bottom in the room will eliminate the need to clean areas more than once due to cleaners dripping or dust scattering. Remove curtains, linens, and other items to be washed or shaken before dusting or scrubbing. Save vacuuming and mopping floors for last, or you will end up doing them twice.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #8 - Multitask whenever it's possible. When you're a mom with limited time, every minute saved makes a difference. While you have the bed already stripped to wash the bedding, vacuum off the mattress and flip it. Already have the ladder out to clean the higher cupboards? Go ahead and clean the fan while you're up there.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #9 - Stand your ground, and don't move around a lot. Take a hint from professional cleaners, and save your energy. They don't circle the room as they clean. Instead, they focus on one area at a time. For instance, if you are cleaning the bathroom mirror, take time to also scrub the sink and wipe down the cupboard before moving on to a different part of the room.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms #10 - Don't wait until spring to start working on spring cleaning. Take advantage of those cold winter weekends when you're cooped up inside, and start clearing out closets, dressers, and cupboards. If you knock out some of those small tasks ahead of time, spring cleaning will be a breeze.

And speaking of a breeze. Is it springtime yet?

Other articles by this author:
Ten Ways to Maximize Space and Minimize Clutter in a Small Apartment: Organize and Hide Clutter
Creative Ways to Get Kids to Do Chores
Paint Colors and Themes to Create a Relaxing Master Bathroom

Resources:
"Spring Cleaning Tips: Getting Down to Basics", by Spring Cleaning Tips
"Time-Saving Cleaning Tips", by TLC Guides