It is that time of year when the days last a little longer and are full of sunshine. The mornings arrive with birds singing their hearts out and windows can be opened to the fresh air. It is also a time to come out of our own cocoons that we have created during the winter. Along with the signs of spring, comes the urge to jump into cleaning and freshening mode.
It is always a challenge to decide when to start throwing all the winter coats, hats and gloves into the wash for their final spin before packing them away for the season, particularly when Mother Nature has been so unpredictable this year. But, the first day of spring has arrived so I think it is safe to at least begin the cleaning process. Maybe you can still keep them accessible just in case Mother Nature decides to throw one more cold snap at us just for kicks!
Here are a few more tips to help get your house clean and refreshed while all of that new energy comes into our lives with the spring weather.
- Gather all the throw blankets and pillows and wash them. Put away the extra blankets until next season and only keep one or two available for the cool spring evenings that will surely stick around. Tip: add a couple of drops of essential oil to a cloth before throwing items into the dryer and everything will smell fresh without the toxic chemicals.
- Strip the beds down including the mattress protector and pillows and wash everything in hot water to kill dust mites. Store away the extra layers of blankets that may have been added over the winter. It feels so nice climbing into bed when everything has been freshly laundered.
- Give your baseboards a quick wipe down. Simply wrap a damp terrycloth around a mop head or broom and wipe away the accumulation of a season, or two or three, worth of dust and germs. It’s amazing how much gets stuck to those baseboards.
- Now, look up. This time wrap a dry terrycloth around your broom and wander around the house brushing away little cobwebs from the ceilings.
- When vacuuming, go a little deeper! Move furniture out of the way to get all those dust bunnies that have been procreating all winter. Remove cushions from chairs and couches and be prepared for shock and horror at what has managed to accumulate over the season! You may even find a little money- finders keepers!
Don’t forget to enlist the help of the little people in your home(if you still have them around). Kids are capable of stripping their beds, gathering blankets from the family room and even wiping baseboards. Make it a competition to add a little more fun. Then go outside and enjoy the spring weather together!
Maria White is a professional organizer with ENUFF WITH THE STUFF in the Ashburn, VA area.
