Time for Spring Cleaning

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For every chore there is a time..

A time to sweep and a time to mop,

A time to wash and a time to dry,

A time to dust, and a time to vacuum,

A time to declutter and a time to reorganize.

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Spring is coming, and spring just seems to be a time for deep cleaning. The sun shines a little bit warmer, the breeze blows a little bit fresher. Many women will be pulling out their scrub brushes and rubber gloves, rolling up their sleeves, and scrubbing their house from their baseboards to their ceiling fans.

Do you Spring Clean? Do you do it all at once or spread it out over a whole week? In the past, I’ve had a tendency to overwork myself, working hard for so many days in a row that I run out of steam before I finish – not to mention that I spend several days to recover. I don’t think there’s a problem with Spring Cleaning, but I do think it’s important to remember this, too:

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There is a time to work, and there is a time to rest.

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It seems to me it is much wiser to pace oneself and take a rest when needed rather than pushing too hard and collapsing in a heap. Right?

This is also true on a smaller, daily scale. There is a continual cycle to housework, a time for things to be done, and if we wisely work to do our chores throughout the day when they need to be done, we won’t find ourselves sprinting to catch up at the end of the day. If we work to stay on top of today’s chores today, we won’t be playing catch up with them tomorrow. If we stay on top of things as best we can each day, we won’t feel overwhelmed and burdened by the weight of The Undone. Likewise, if we’re not trying to clean and purge and catch up on *everything* with our Spring Cleaning, we won’t be overcome by our To Do Lists, either. It’s an ongoing, continuous cycle.

This spring, I challenge you to think about a time and place for each chore, find the place that it naturally fits into the hum and rhythm of your day. If your hum and rhythm is more like a clatter of chaotic noise, I’ve been there! First focus on finding a rhythm, a steady beat, with some simple routine. Hum and harmony will come with practice, and everyone’s house plays a different song. But life isn’t all about chores, either.

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There is a time for housework and a time for play,

There is a time for chores and a time for hugs and kisses,

There is a time for discipline and a time for fun,

There is a time for hard work, and a time for family.

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The other wonderful thing about spring coming is the wonderful weather it brings with it, and all of the good opportunities it carries to spend quality time with your family. Don’t spend so much time Spring Cleaning that you can’t run out in the yard with your kids and track a little bit of mud in later. =)

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Spring Cleaning Tips:

• Focus on one room at a time, maybe take one room a day.
• Clean everything you *can’t* see – on top of the fridge, under the stove, etc.
• Wash all of your window treatments, rugs, etc. (Even if you have recently, now you know they’ve all been done at once.)
• PURGE. Go through cupboards, dressers, etc, and lighten your load.
• Look for needed repairs, etc, as you go and make a list.
• Work from top down, start with ceiling fans and work down to baseboards and shampooing carpets.
• Check batteries in smoke detectors, test your a/c, check your filters, etc.