Discussion
Get Organized for Spring Cleaning 03/05/09 by
Daylight savings is this weekend, and with the temperatures rising into the 50s, there's bound to be a bout of Spring Fever hitting Arlingtonians.With Spring Fever often comes thoughts about spring cleaning. Time to open up the windows, air out the house, and tackle some of those cleaning and organizing projects around the home.
If you're gearing up for some work, here are some ideas to get an organized plan of attack together and get everyone in the family involved:
- With a notebook in hand, take a tour around your house. Identify spots that need special cleaning attention (maybe a rug to steam-clean or some draperies to launder). Also find things that need repair or updating (maybe a fresh coat of paint on a door or some WD40 and tightened hardware on the kitchen cabinets). Make a list and then prioritize the items. Taking them on one at a time can make everything less overwhelming, and you're less likely to overlook something important.
- Assign tasks to family members and involve children in those that are age-appropriate. Get creative with rewards; maybe a family night at the movies or a dinner out somewhere special.
- Take stock of your cleaning supplies. This is a great opportunity to transition to more environmentally-friendly products, too. There are numerous resources online about which cleaning products are safer for your families yet still effective at cleaning.
I'm always available to answer your organizing questions and challenges, so ask away!
Happy Spring!
Only registered users can comment in discussion
Congrats to all who got started this weekend, and also to the future parents-to-be. Big life changes often bring about a need to get organized, so it's great to hear that the 'nesting' instinct works!
Spring cleaning was definitely under way in our house today...and the reward program worked wonders! It's amazing how helpful my husband was after I bribed him with licking the bowl when I was making a chocolate cake!
Thanks so much for the great tips. On top of my normal spring cleaning bug, this year I am nesting thanks to the upcoming stork delivery. Anything that keeps me organized is a great tip!
Lynn, donation is a great way to give. Every year at Christmas, I make the kids give up their old toys before they get new ones. You know, the things they wanted and never played with.
It's funny how we are held hostage indoors all winter and, at the first sign of spring we start cleaning. I have that felling today as well, I just think it's time to clean. Thanks for the tips, I will keep them in mind.
I love spring cleaning. It's such a renewing feeling as we go into spring. A great idea for us good people of Arlington is to think of others while we are spring cleaning. As we are all gathering items we no longer need, such as clothing, toys, and usable home furnishings, it would be wonderful to pay it forward and donate these to others that can use them or donate them to Goodwill or even a shelter. Our junk can be someone else's treasures and in these tough economic times that many of us face, giving away what we no longer need can be very helpful to others in our community.