I know. The words “spring cleaning” can make some of us groan. We’d rather be outside on these bright, beautiful days taking a walk or riding a bike rather than even thinking of cleaning and organizing.

But on the other hand, I find that if I just start, before I know it, my house has shed the heavy winter items, and my closets look brand new!

I have found that taking it in short spurts is an excellent pathway to getting your house fresh from the winter doldrums. Here are some ideas that may help:

Action Plan

1. First, make a list of what you need/want to get done in the house and yard. Making a priority list is a huge help. One example: this is the time of year I use a good wax for my wood furniture that can dry out during the winter.
   
   
2. Next, start plotting on your calendar when you can find the time to get them done and when to research the workmen you may need to hire. I just got some of my rooms painted, and it took time to interview and find the right painter.
   
   
3. Make a list of future purchases or projects you want. This is the time of year when I start to see what needs to be fixed or bought. One thing my husband does that helps me so much with these needs is that every time I say, “I need more shelves” or “I need a new washing machine,” he says, “Just put it on the list!”  Now, this doesn’t mean I’ll get it!  But it’s a communication tool between us.  I know he has really heard me. I get to put my thoughts on a list, and whenever we can make a purchase, we look at the list to see what we want/need.
   
   
4. Start clearing out clutter. 40% of your weekly cleaning is picking up clutter.  If you can get in the habit of picking up clutter daily, your life will become much easier.  The secret?  Have a place for everything. There are three ways to organize: either with shelving, bins, or hooks. Spring is a great time to look at each room in your home and see how to reduce clutter and organize. Bright color bins for your kid’s toys? Hooks for your bathroom towels and robes? Shelves for your teens’ books and displays?
   
   
5. Work out a cleaning schedule for your spring cleaning. Clean each bedroom from top to bottom. This is when I strip my bed and wash everything, including the mattress cover. I also take off the heavy blankets and replace them with summer ones. I check and see if the windows need washing, if the front door needs a cleaning or a coat of sealer, and how many plants to purchase for the yard; I switch out my closet from winter clothes to summer, clean out the kitchen pantry/refrigerator, and check to see what repairs we need to make.  I know that sometimes the list is exhausting, but I have found that if I make a list and do a little at a time, I can complete it without getting overwhelmed.
   
   
6. Get your family involved. Your teenagers can strip their beds and clean their bathrooms. They can help you dig up the ground for your plants and help with spreading mulch or pine needles. The whole family can help with any cleaning or clearing out. And all your children aged five and up can clean out their closets alone. In fact, I wouldn’t buy new clothes for them until my children had pulled out the clothes they had outgrown and made a list of what they needed.  It’s a great training tool for when they are on their own. FACT! One of the best ways to build self-confidence in a child is to give them chores as young as age two!
   
   
7. Look over your garage, attic, basement, or closets and access if you have too much clutter. Your stuff will weigh you down!  Now is the time to get it sorted and out of the house. Too many people in your community could use those clothes or household items you don’t want anymore. Remember, you can sell, give, or throw away the items you no longer want. When you are finished, you will feel like heavyweights have been taken off your shoulders.
   
   
8. And look over your laundry room. Are there piles of clothes that have been there for months? Could you get rid of them? Set up a competition with yourself so you get a load of clothes out of the hamper every time you go there. This is how I have done laundry all my life, and it works.  My goal is a clean and empty laundry room. PS. That will never happen for those of you with multiple children, but at least try to keep it up! LOL
   
   
9. Look over your bathrooms. Perhaps now is the time to clean them from top to bottom, including the shower curtain, the cabinets and drawers, and the floor rugs. Check your towels and get rid of those whose life is over, and if your budget allows, buy new ones. We have lived in this house for 25 years, and one of my bathrooms really needed a new shower rod and curtain and so I put it on the list to do.
   
   
10. Open all your kitchen cabinets and see which ones need clearing out and sorting. For some reason, “Tupperware” multiplies! I try to reduce and sort/stack these.
    

Emotional Check-up

I have found this statement true: “Order is heaven’s first law” by the poet Alexander Pope.  There is a relationship between getting clutter mastered and happiness.

In a 2009 study, researchers found something fascinating:

When women live in cluttered spaces, their bodies produce more cortisol – which is a stress hormone – throughout the day compared to women in organized spaces! Simply put, when our visual space is overwhelmed with clutter, our brain stays in constant low-grade stress, even when we are not thinking about it!

This might motivate you and your family to get your home free of clutter and as organized as possible.

Manna from Heaven

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10

Daily life is hard and, at times, tedious. One thing that helps me is to remember this verse. As I focus on the Lord and know that He is my life, He gives me joy and the strength to continue.

Remember that families that work and play together are families that enjoy just being together. This may be hard for those of you with teens but keep trying. Our families are a special blessing from the Lord. Teenagers need to be taught that they are a part of the family, and so they need to contribute to it. What a wonderful way to give them joy!