Spring Cleaning: A Plan of Action!

Spring cleaning, Ah yes, we all strive to have that spring clean fever! I am actually the "Queen of Mess" but I do have a few cleaning tricks for that large job of "Spring Cleaning".

1. Gather a few large boxes, have your kids label them "yard sale". Start rounding up items that are just adding clutter to your home and throw them into the box, never looking back!

2. The purpose of the yard sale box is to get you motivated in cleaning. Once motivated, start by doing one room a day. After you have thrown all the items you no longer wish to keep, strip down your bed, and wash all sheets, pillow cases and comforters. Once you have your bed made, the rest falls into place nicely.

3. For kitchens, remove everything from your counters and cupboards first. Once the kitchen looks empty, you will start to feel unstoppable! Wipe down counters, mop floors, use a little lemon mixed in with vinegar to get that squeaky clean feel and smell. Then organize all your appliances and utensils back into their rightful spots.

It is such a nice feeling once your house looks and smells clean, especially after a long winter of dust, cob webs and tracked in dirt. Using a pail of water and vinegar mixed with lemon juice really works nicely on glass, mirrors and tile. I learned this from bartending. We would clean the bar floors with this method.

Kids love yard sales and by getting them involved you are getting the clutter removed without all the back-talk! Another idea is to teach them the importance of giving by requesting that they donate their unwanted toys to the needy or homeless.

Once you get past all that terrible green plastic grass from easter and that musty smell from tracked in snow or rain, it is all downhill on your mission to spring clean.