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Spring Cleaning: Turning a Dreaded Event into Tolerable Fun

With the return of our brief Canadian springtime comes the yearly event that makes many of us want to run and hide. Spring Cleaning: a day that only the most productive of us can appreciate.

However, there’s no reason this chore-filled day has to be treated like a total chore. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.

Finding the Motivation

When to Start

You’ll have to accept the fact that the weekend (or any day you don’t have to work) is the best time for spring cleaning.  A rainy Saturday creates the perfect atmosphere for getting down to business – you won’t feel nearly as bad that you can’t go outside and enjoy your day off.  Of course, sacrificing part of your hard-earned weekend shouldn’t be something you have to do alone.

Divide and Conquer

Doling out the Work

Get the family involved by planning out what they need to do. Catching your family off guard with ways they should help won’t be very effective (although this can limit their ability to make themselves scarce.) Make it clear who’s in charge of what area. Working in pairs is a good way to make major projects seem less intimidating (like tackling the garage.)

Make the Kids Help

Inevitably, the kids are one of the main reasons you have to clean the house in the first place. Tricking your kids into helping will certainly speed up the process. Be creative – make a contest out of who can clean the most thoroughly.

Opening Up a Room

Clear off the Counter Tops

Whether it’s the bathroom sink or the kitchen counter, there’s probably clutter that doesn’t belong. Wiping down these surfaces and putting stuff in its proper place can provide a feeling of temporary spaciousness.

Don’t Be Afraid to Let it Go

It might be tempting to hold onto that ten-year-old magazine. But don’t be a baby about it: if you never use it, get rid of it.

Donate Used Clothes

Go through your closets and see what you actually like. Excess clothing shouldn’t take up your closet space. You’ll feel better knowing your closets are cleaner and your neglected clothes will go to good use.  And if you live in The Glebe community, you might just want to set them aside for The Great Glebe Garage sale in May.

Have a spring cleaning story you’d like to share? Tell us.

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