Spring cleaning can be a very exciting time for the whole family, but it does not come without the normal headaches and hassle. Being a busy mum can make spring cleaning even more difficult because you might not have a lot of time to get things done. If you are a busy mum who is going to be spring cleaning this year, here are some tips you should keep in mind.
- The first thing you want to do is make a list of all the things you want to get done during your spring cleaning. Making a list of the items you want or need to do will help you manage your time better and also set reasonable expectations. Making a list is important because it allows you the opportunity to see what you are up against and gives you a chance to prioritize the items on your spring cleaning list. Since being a mum keeps you really busy, it is important to have a list and be able to stick to it so you do not waste your time. The list will also allow you to cross spring cleaning items off once you get them done which will give you pride and encouragement to continue your efforts.
- You also want to make sure you vacuum when you are spring cleaning, which is a fairly quick and easy job to do. Vacuuming your house is essential and can actually make your house appear cleaner than it really is, even if you have not had time to get to anything else on the list. Whether you have a large house or a small house, you can vacuum in less than ten minutes usually which is important if you are busy. Vacuuming is also essential to eliminate pet hair or dander and can make your home cleaner, which will help with allergens. Regardless of how much spring cleaning you actually get to you should always take a few minutes to vacuum because it will really make your house look a lot better.
- Being a busy mum might also mean you do not have a lot of time, which is why you should divide spring cleaning up over a week. If you do not have a lot of time during the day or evening, give yourself a set amount of time you want to spend cleaning. Spring cleaning can be hectic if you do it all in one day, so give yourself ample time to get everything done. Look over your list and see what all you have to do and then figure out how long you want to spend each day accomplishing each task. You might figure that 20 minutes a day spent spring cleaning will have everything done within a week or it might only take 10 minutes a day. You can divide the cleaning up into minutes a day or you can divide it up by room for example. Dividing the tasks into a daily chore will really help as a busy mother and it will also make you feel less overwhelmed about all of the spring cleaning.
- It is also important to have all of your cleaning supplies with you beforehand if you plan on spring cleaning. As a busy mum, you know that running errands or going out to get supplies right in the middle of a project is always a hassle. Before you start your spring cleaning you should look over the supplies you have and make a list of all the supplies you need or are low on. This list can include items such as bleach, rags, furniture duster, vacuum bags or anything else you normally use while you clean. You should probably do this a week before you plan on starting your spring cleaning so that you have ample amount of time to get to the store and buy all your needed supplies. It makes it so much easier when it comes time to clean when you know you have everything you need right there under the sink. You should also take the time to lay these products out the night before you plan on cleaning so that they are right there waiting on you in the morning.
- If you have children who are in school this is the perfect time to get your spring cleaning done if you are a stay-at-home parent. It is always hard to get the cleaning done while the children are home so plan on spring cleaning while they are at school or daycare. Get up early with them and see them off to school, and then get down to business. Wear comfortable clothes that you do not mind getting bleach on or getting dirty and wear comfortable shoes also. Getting up with your child and getting your spring cleaning started as soon as they leave for school really will cut down on the hassle and mess that a child could bring. This also allows you plenty of time to clean their room and dust or do other cleaning in their room before they get home and play.
- You could also get your child involved which is a great way to help you out if you are really busy. Tell your child your spring cleaning plans and then allow them to help you out in some way. If you want to clean their room you could have them put out some old clothes or toys they do not want anymore, which can help cut down on your tasks. Tell your child to put old clothes in one bag and old toys in another bag, which you could then take to the local Salvation Army. Getting your child involved when it comes to cleaning their room will teach them about helping others and can also teach them some responsibility. This is great for a child of any age because even a teenager has toys or clothes they do not want anymore that someone else in need could use.
- Spring cleaning never comes without unexpected hassle or problems, so take note of any damages you find or repairs that need to be done. When you clean or move items in your house, you probably will notice a hole in the wall here or a pipe leaking there. Take a notebook and a pen with you through each room you clean and write down all problems you have encountered. This might seem like a daunting task but in reality it will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Most problems you will run into along the way probably are not major, but should be noted for another time. You can use this list as a guide on other projects that you should do around your house once spring cleaning is done. Now if you see a leaking pipe or broken pipe while you are spring cleaning, this is something you should take more serious and stop what you are doing to find a remedy for it. Whether that remedy is giving the information to your husband and letting him deal with it or whether it involves you calling a plumber, these are things that should be looked at. Making this type of list and knowing what problems are in your house will really go a long way in saving you a lot of hassle later on. This list of possible repairs will also help you prioritize upcoming projects and can help you plan for a better time to repair them.
- During spring cleaning you should also be moving furniture to clean under them, which can actually take a lot of time. If you are a busy mother the best way to handle this is to move everything in that area the night before. You can have your children or husband help you move heavy items like the couch or entertainment stand the night before, which will really cut down on your cleaning time. It is important that you do this the night before for each room because then you can just get up and get right to work in the morning. It also helps because it gives you an opportunity to inspect behind these items so you know what needs to be done such as washing a baseboard or repairing a broken piece on the couch leg. Getting these heavy items out of the way the night before you tackle that room will help you get a better handle on the morning tasks and can also make you feel a little calmer about the whole cleaning situation.
- It is also a good idea to start in one corner of each room and work clockwise going from top to bottom. This is important because you want to make things as easy as possible if you are busy, which means having a specific order to tackle the tasks at hand. Make sure you start cleaning from the top, such as washing the ceiling or walls and working down to the floor. If you clean from the bottom to the top then you will just be getting dirt or pet hair all over the areas you have already cleaned, which will be more time consuming. Make sure you go from one corner to the other in the clockwise fashion because this helps you figure out where you started and stopped at. Cleaning each room like this will help you cut your overall cleaning time and can give you a sense of direction. You should also have a bag in the middle of the room for trash and other objects so that you do not have to run something to trash can every minute.
- When you are spring cleaning it is also important to make sure you find room for everything, even if that means the trashcan. Spring cleaning will ultimately mean you find something you did not know you had, but you can not just put it back and call it cleaning. When you find items you did not know you had, you need to figure out what to do with it, even if you need to throw it into the trash or give it away. Do not just put everything back because this will only mean you will be cleaning it again in a few months. Things you find that you do not need should either be given to a charity or thrown away, it really helps get rid of the clutter in your life. Being a busy mother means you do not have a lot of time or room for these items that have taken up space in your house. If you find an old vacuum cleaner for example hidden in the garage, if it works you could sit it outside and put free on it or you could give it to someone you know that needs one. Getting rid of items you do not need will really help spring cleaning for the next year and can make your life a little less of a hassle. If you are too busy to find a home for your unused items, then just place them in the trash and call it a day. The good thing about putting items outside for the trash is that someone will usually drive by and pick them up, regardless of whether they work or not.
