Things we dread: Spring Cleaning
Let’s be honest. Who here really enjoys spring cleaning?
I’ll be the first to confess, I hate it. Don’t get me wrong — I love a clean home and I’m pretty good about keeping up with my daily and weekly cleaning routine.
However, I do not like the major cleaning chores that most folks tackle once or twice a year. I need some motivation to give my home a deep scrubbing. Here are several ways I get motivated and get to cleaning:
1. Use a checklist
There are plenty of checklists you can download on the Internet. One of my favorites is Real Simple magazine’s article for making spring cleaning, well, simple! In addition to explaining the simplest way to tackle these chores, the article includes recommendations for inexpensive tools to help you clean up.
2. Listen to music
Music can help get your blood pumping and motivate you to get moving. Listening to great tunes can help pass the time while you’re scrubbing down the cabinets. PopSugar has complied a list of upbeat tunes you can blast in the background while you’re scrubbing the grout in your shower.
3. Ask a friend to help
Ask a friend to help you clean and promise to do the same in return. You will keep each other motivated. Better yet, hire a professional organizer to help you. I did this once and it was a fantastic, worthwhile experience. The guidance, motivation and additional set of hands helped me conquer the clutter and organize my home office.
4. Clean by zones
According to The FlyLady, the idea that spring cleaning has to be done all at once is for the birds! She encourages a moderate approach with baby steps. Start out by breaking your home into zones. Then each week spend 15 minutes a day deep cleaning a different zone. After about three months, you will have worked your way through your spring cleaning checklist.
5. Plan a get-together
Few things are more motivating to tidy up then knowing you’ve got company coming over. Plan a get-together for your friends and family for the day after you finish cleaning. My husband and I use this method a lot. We’ll plan a dinner party, then spend the days and weeks beforehand tackling major cleaning chores.
6. Treat yourself when you’re done
Find out how much it would cost to pay a professional cleaning company to deep clean your home, then pay yourself all or part of what you would have spent. Use the money to reward yourself with a special treat when you’re done. You’ve earned it!
