Spring Cleaning & a Free Gift!!

Call me crazy, but I love "Spring Cleaning"!  I love to open the windows and let the warm air in.  I love to relax in my squeaky clean home and "feel the clean"!

There are two ways to accomplish your spring cleaning:

1. You can start with a certain job, say, woodwork or windows, and then do all of them through out the entire house.  Then, move on to the next job.  Make sure you have a list so that you can be sure you've done every job in every room.
2. You can start in a room and do everything there is to do in that room.  Make sure you have a list so that you can be sure you get everything done in that room.

My favorite method is the second.  I like to start in a certain room, usually the hardest, and not leave it until it's clean.  I like this method best because I don't have to spend hours doing all the windows and then hours doing all the walls throughout the whole house.

If you are like me, you do Winter Cleaning.  Winter cleaning is a great way to spend the cold winter hours when you have nothing to do.  It saves you time when Spring cleaning time rolls around.  This way you can spend more of your time out side or in the garage working and enjoying the warmth.  

Some things to remember when writing your Cleaning List:

1. Walls, ceilings, and don't forget the corners
2. Door knobs, vents and wood work
3. Windows and window sills & blinds
4. Curtains, and linens such as bed spreads, and table cloths or shower curtains - best to throw these things in the washing machine while you're cleaning the room.
5. Vacuum behind, under and inside furniture.  - BPA free plastic mattresses protectors are GREAT for keeping allergens, bugs, dust mites, germs and other things such as urine and vomit OUT of your mattresses.  It's nice to have one less thing to worry about - especially when you have as many mattresses as we do!  :)
6. Dust all furniture, picture frames and trinkets - one reason I don't have very many trinkets!
7. Sort out and organize all drawers, closets and book shelves - dust or vacuum them out, sort out the contents, organize and return only the things that are needed to their spots.  Things that are not needed should be thrown or given away.  
8. Pillows and rugs should be cleaned as best you can.  Mine are all homemade.  I simply put them in the washing machine, or use my Rainbow Vacuum to clean them.  Then I hang them on the line to kill any germs that may be hiding in them. 
9. Don't forget your closets.  If you do winter cleaning, you may not have as much to do in this area, but chances are there will still be organizing, dusting and a bit of sorting to do.  Don't forget to vacuum the bottom of the closet, dust any shelves and wipe down the walls.  
10. Floors ~ shampoo your carpets, use a steamer to clean around the base of your toilets, in the corners and the linoleum floors.  Be careful not to use it on any floors that could be damaged.
11. Kitchen cabinets should be cleaned out, organized, sanitized with vinegar and lemon water, and only the things that are needed should be returned.  If you don't need something, you're better off throwing it away. 
12. Don't forget the garage and outside of the house!  Organize, dust, sweep out the garage.  Once again, if you don't need something, get rid of it.  You'll have less to keep up with and clean.

My favorite things to keep my house clean:

1. Rainbow vacuum
2. Steamer
3. Plastic mattress covers - be sure they're BPA free!
4. Trash bags!  If you don't need, it want it or use it - throw it out!!!  
5. Homemade, natural cleaning Supplies

My FREE gift to you:

This is a .png file of my cleaning schedule.  My husband was kind enough to make it for me last December.  You can print it off and put it on your fridge, or you can do what I do, pin it to the inside of a cabinet door so you don't have to see it all the time.  :)

It may not be best for you, but it helps me to keep the house clean and organized.  You can take my list and help it to fit your life.  Add a few things, rearrange a few things - whatever you have to do to make it work for you.

Plan your work and work your plan!

This post is linked to:
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

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