Spring Cleaning: It's Time

Well it's official Spring is here. The days are longer and the air is warmer. Of course this means you can see the dust swirling in your home and the spots on the walls. A perfect time for Spring Cleaning. So for you here is a detailed list on how to get organized for deep Spring Cleaning of your home

Historical Spring Cleaning Information

In generations past spring cleaning meant the time when whole families would come together in a week or two of frenzied ripping the house apart only to put it back together better than new. Linoleum was ripped up and replaced. Winter windows were changed out for summer ones. Walls were scrubbed. And rugs were beaten with relish to name a few things. Much of this was to remove the soot residue from burning coal and wood to keep house warm throughout the winter.

Vintage Article: Vintage Homemaking Spring Cleaning

But it was also to usher in the days of warm weather living. Spring time is a time of renewal for you and your home so here is a nice list of some spring cleaning things to take care of in your home as you welcome the springtime.

1). Change, wash, or dry clean curtains. If you have heavy winter curtains up on your windows for the winter now is a good time to change them out for some lighter or sheer ones. A little embroidery on them is a nice touch or buy some applique and attach it in strategic spots. Have your winter window coverings dry cleaned and store them appropriately for the summer.

2). Have your air conditioner serviced.  Many times people go to turn on their air conditioner at the first sign of hot weather and it doesn't start or it emits some strange noise or smell. Be proactive.  Get a little service check done early on to make sure all is in order. If you use an air conditioner regularly through the summer this early check is a small price to pay to avoid the much larger bill that could arise when trying to call in the middle of the summer.

3). Wash washable rugs. Have your non-washable rugs and carpeting professionally cleaned. Or rent a machine and clean them yourself.

4). Dust and mop floors. Get those baseboards! I know you probably do this all year round but now is a good time to get in those corners and really make those floors and baseboards shine.

5). Clean windows on the outside. If you have older children (teenagers) enlist their help. Inside the home clean window sills and rims of windows where winter's condensation may have caused mildew. Mix up your own solution for milde. A bleach dilution works well and for those that want other than bleach a strong tea tree oil solution might work. Be careful of your pets.

6). Use this time of renewal in purging your home of unwanted clutter and creating manageable storage area for the memories you want to hold on to. A good plan to use is Emilie Barnes Total Mess to Total Rest Plan in More Hours in My Day . In a nutshell spend 15 minutes a day cleaning a room in your home. When done with that room move on to the next etc.

7). Dust. You must get rid of the dust! Dust all the rooms in your home. Pictures and knickknacks. Dust your ceiling fan.  Remove books from bookshelves and dust the shelves (and books). You wouldn't believe the amount of dust that can settle there. Dust ceilings and the tops of door jams. Ick! Just dust. I use microfiber and my daughter follows along with the feather duster. Vacuum when done.

8). Store your winter clothing and pull out the warmer weather gear!  Do this in stages of course until it is sufficiently warm. Have the winter clothing cleaned before storing. Store with moth repellant.

9). Wipe down walls. Know your paint job first and if you have semi-gloss wipe down with a damp sponge otherwise dust them.

10). Vacuum under all furniture.

11). Great time to clean the oven, behind the fridge, under the stove, the pantry, backs of closets, junk drawer...you get the idea.

Tips:

1. Don't try to accomplish all of your spring cleaning tasks in a weekend.

2. Your home will have other cleaning chores you will want to add or some things on this list that you will opt not to do

3. Pick up a free Fillable Spring Cleaning checklist template and our Clean the House ebook when you sign up for our monthly newsletter Organized Homelife.

4. Join the free Vintage Spring Cleaning e-Course list and receive Spring Cleaning checklists and tips in your inbox.

5. Enjoy your fresh spring clean home!

Complete Green Home Spring Cleaning Kits

New Kits Kit0107 Eco Cleaners Healthy Home Cleaning Sample Kit On your mark get set get GREEN get CLEAN The Eco Cleaners Healthy Home Cleaning Sample Kit has got you covered in terms of cleaning house. Whether it s the dishes the countertops the windows the bathroom or any other region of your castle that nee... [Read more] New Kits Kit0108 Ecover Healthy Home Cleaning Kit A clean house should also be a green house. The Ecover Cleaning Kit will have your house spick n span with out leaving behind any toxins or residues. This all encompassing kit by an environmentally responsible company Ecover has a cleaning product... [Read more] New Kits Kit0112 Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena Healthy Home Cleaning Kit Behold the home cleaning kit of fairy tales. You ll feel like magic is at work when you clean with Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena Healthy Home Cleaning Kit. This high performing kit keeps you equipped with cleaners for windows toilets hard surfaces sho... [Read more] New Kits Kit0105 Better Life Healthy Home Cleaning Kit Like a full arsenal of maids at your disposal the Better Life Home Cleaning Kit has it all. Whether it is floors windows hard surfaces wood cabinets kitchens bathrooms or even the dreaded garage this kit of Better Life cleaners will have you fully... [Read more]

Yearly Cleaning Calendar Ever Wonder How Often You Should Be Cleaning Certain Areas In Your House? Need A More Manageable Cleaning Schedule? We've all heard them, tips about how and what to use to clean your house. Your grandmother suggests adding an aspirin to your load of whites to keep underarm stains at bay, your mom keeps ginger ale on hand to tackle red wine stains and your best friend dusts with a dryer sheet. But when was the last time you discussed or even thought about how often you should be cleaning items and areas in your home? When you think about all of the rooms in your home, all of the furniture and fixtures that need to be dusted, all of the laundry piling up in the laundry room you can't help but feel overwhelmed! This cleaning calendar is here to help! We've taken the guesswork out of your cleaning schedule. We have made a list of all of the items and areas in your house that need to be cleaned, how often you should be cleaning them (daily, monthly, quarterly, etc) and then we distributed them in a yearly calendar so that the tasks are equally dispersed and no one month is overwhelming. The best part of this schedule is that you can jump in and start at any time – you don't have to begin in January. Whenever you decide to get control of your home, pick-up the book and get started in the current month. You'll be on the road to a more manageable cleaning schedule!