It’s that time of year when having a nice and fresh home is almost expected. “Spring Cleaning” isn’t a saying for no reason. The idea of having a clean house is much easier said than done. While I love to think about my house being fresh and smelling of clean linen and flowers just out of the garden, it takes a lot more work to get there than imagination. Here are some of my basic tips I’ve found that help get the job done.
1. Recruit a Buddy. Whether it’s a significant other, sibling, parent, or just simply a really good friend, it’s always easier to get to cleaning when you have someone to keep you company. Choose to either split the house up and conquer it individually, or buddy up and move room by room – it makes the process a lot more fun and less stressful when you aren’t talking to a wall. After you’re done, be sure to remember to thank your buddy with a nice dinner or a little surprise.
2. Make a Plan. Decide what you want to tackle first. Rate areas in your house from most dreaded to easiest. Then decide if you want to get the worst out of the way, or work up to it. For me, it’s easier if I start with the hardest. If I clean everything but my desk area first, I’ll leave it and say I did a lot already, and I’ll get to the desk later. Realistically, it makes more sense for me to get the hardest part out of the way first, then do the easiest stuff as I get tired of cleaning.
3. Have a Distraction. This probably sounds counterproductive, but what I mean is to have something else going on in your house that isn’t cleaning. Whether it’s music, a t.v. show, movie, or podcast, have some sort of noise to take your mind off of cleaning. Personally, I prefer music. If I put on a movie, I’ll be on the couch watching it (it’s happened one too many times). Music energizes me and always makes cleaning more exciting than it really is. Whatever your distraction may be, it helps pass the time, and makes cleaning seem a little less like a chore.
4. Use Products That Excite You. It sounds silly, but take it seriously. If you use generic, basic smelling, cleaning products, you probably won’t be excited about using them. Before you start cleaning, take a trip to buy some new, spring smelling products. Anytime I get something new, I can’t wait to try them out, no matter how boring they may actually be. If you get products that are good smelling and visually appealing, there’s a good chance you’ll be somewhat secretly excited about using them.
5. Begin With The End Result In Mind. Before you begin, picture what your home will look like when it’s nice and clean. Think about how good it will be to have a fresh and tidy place, and how proud you’ll be to host dinner parties and show it off. Picture rewarding yourself at the end of the job – whether it’s sitting on the couch watching a movie, or taking a relaxing bubble bath in your clean tub, it’s sure to help give you something rewarding to work for and make the job a little bit easier.
*top image via here