Refresh and Renew

Spring officially came this past week and it has me thinking of taking some time do my Spring Cleaning. It's sometimes hard to fit it in and hard to accomplish by oneself, but it's a great opportunity to make your home feel fresh and renewed for the upcoming season. The changing of the seasons usually prompts cleaning and rearranging or redecorating of the home in most cultures. The Japanese do their "big Cleaning," Oosouji, in December in preparation for the New Year. The Chinese New Year prompts a whole host of cleaning, painting and redecorating rituals to bring about good luck in the coming year. Nowruz falls on the Spring Equinox and people still honor the tradition of Khaneh-Tekani, which literally means "shaking house." So no matter what you want to call it, now is the time, I suggest, for it to be performed. It's a great way to bond with the family and create a yearly tradition of responsibility to pass on to the next generation. 

Here's a list of cleaning duties you can do over a short amount of time or in a manner or a week or two: 

1. Clean and organize closets; sort through clothes and shoes. Donate or sell anything you no longer need. Use storage containers and organizers to maximize space and keep things tidy. Goodwill or other donation sites are out there to take your generous donations.

2. Declutter each room; get rid of anything you no longer need, use or want. Take down seasonal decorations and put up new ones. Again, have bins for items you wish to donate, trash, sell or store/recycle. Sometimes things just need thrown away, so don't feel guilty if that is necessary.

3. Deep Clean Floors: Sweep floors and mop with your favorite cleaner. Some people love Fabuloso because the scent hangs around for some time. I prefer something more natural. I recommend having carpets cleaned at this time. Most carpet stain warranties require a yearly deep clean with a professional to guarantee your purchase, so keep your receipts.

4. After cleaning all the floors, it's time to dust. Get all the baseboards, trim, ceiling fans, light fixtures and furniture. Use a fresh microfiber cloth, if you can afford it, get some Norwex Microfiber because their fibers are 1/200th the size of a human hair.

5. Wash windows and Blinds: Clean windows with a solution of water and vinegar and use a window cleaning wand with a squeegee and microfiber for the final clean up. I love the Unger products for window cleaning. They even make an 8" wide window cleaner for small windows.

6. Clean appliances: Use hot water to steam out the microwave and wipe down with clean microfiber. Clean the inside and outside of the oven and other appliances. I like to remove items from the cabinets at this time and wipe and dry the shelving as well. Crumbs will attract pests, so this is important to do in the Spring.

7. Clean the bathrooms: The toilet hides a lot of odors, so take a thin bottle brush and reach to the back and bottom of the tank where mildew hangs out. Get into all the nooks and crannies of the bathroom. I'm on the floor on my hands and knees getting into all the corners. Tile and grout need deep cleaned at this time. I like to use the Pink Stuff and elbow grease.

8. Clean bedding and curtains: Though I clean bedding every 10 days or so, now is the time to also focus on the mattress pad and allergy protectors to get rid of those dust mites. I also have some blankets that need dry cleaning, so this is the time to do it and then store them until the winter returns. Curtains hold onto odors and cobwebs, so read the washing instructions and get those done as well.

9. Clean outdoor areas: Sweep and power wash patios, decks and outdoor furniture. Clean gutters and downspouts. The power washing job is one of the most satisfying for me. I pick a nice warm day, throw on some shorts to get some sun and get to work. The difference in the before and after is worth the effort.

10. Garages and sheds: Same thing as the closets, declutter and decide on what needs to stay, go or donate. Get new shelving units and organization tools to make it easier to perform home repair tasks throughout the year. The big box stores have a few different systems out there, but peg boards are a cheap option that is classic. You can tons of hangers and hooks for less than $20. It's a good time to take your duplicate tools and create an indoor tool bag for those quick jobs. The Husky Tool bags are an option for your indoor tools.

11. Don't forget your laundry machine, dryer maintenance and HVAC filter changes as well.

There are other maintenance items to be performed on your household systems, but you may need a professional; for instance, heating and air units or water filtration. 

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