Spring Cleaning Tips for 2011

It's that time of year again when birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and the sun is starting to shine. Spring also has a connotation of renewal, especially for the home as people partake in some annual spring cleaning. That's right, it's that time of year when you take a look around your home and decide what needs to be thrown out, what needs to be cleaned, and what needs to be rearranged.

Some people look at spring cleaning with joy in their eyes while others feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of the cleaning job at hand. This year, use these tips to make your annual Spring Cleaning efficient and as painless as possible.

Spring Cleaning Tips for 2011 #1: Categorize your tasks and spread them out through an entire month.

Spring cleaning can be very overwhelming, especially if you haven't been keeping up with your house the way you should. Instead of overworking yourself and trying to do everything at once, categorize and spread out your tasks throughout an entire month. For instance, this week you may dedicate yourself to cleaning out the closets and the next week you may want to clean all the windows.

Spring Cleaning Tips for 2011 #2: Make a checklist.

Some people are very visual, and as such need to physically see what it is that they have to do on paper. This makes it easy to organize your cleaning and see how much progress you have made. Take an audit of the house and see exactly what you need to do and how much time it would take. If you need some inspiration Martha Stewart has a list of some spring cleaning basics.

Spring Cleaning Tips for 2011 #3: If you can't do everything, make sure you hit the high points.

Sometimes there just isn't enough time to do everything. Between work, kids, and other duties you may not be able to thoroughly do some spring cleaning. If this is the case, then make sure to tackle the most important aspects of spring cleaning. Things like cleaning the bathroom, cleaning out whatever is behind big furniture, and updating the bedding are just some of the high points of spring cleaning. For a complete list of spring cleaning musts check out Good Housekeeping.

Spring Cleaning Tips for 2011 #3: Set aside 10 minutes a day to clean all year round.

This tip is more of a preventative measure rather than spring cleaning advice. One of the reasons why spring cleaning may become overwhelming is because we let our lives interfere with the basic up keeping of the house. The truth is we should be doing at least some cleaning all year round, that way by the time the annual cleaning overhaul comes around we aren't met with an odyssey. By setting aside just 10 minutes a day to clean you can ensure that your home stays fresh. Good Housekeeping has a list of clean-ups so easy that you can do them after work.

Sources:

Martha Stewart: Spring Cleaning Basics

Good Housekeeping: Spring Cleaning High Points

Good Housekeeping: Easy Clean-Ups