It's Time To Spring Clean!
MARY SCHARFE - REALTOR®
You’ve put away the Christmas tree and your new year’s resolutions have faded. Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to consider Spring Cleaning. I like to “Spring Clean” in the house in February. It’s still dark early and cold enough out to make this a good indoor project. Once Spring hits, I’ll be outside in the gardens tending to the flower beds.
Spring Cleaning is a good idea for both your mental health and your physical health. You’ll get rid of the dust and dirt that has collected and settled while you’ve been trapped in the house over the winter months. And, being clean and organized settles the brain a bit. We function better in a tidy home.
Maybe you are Spring Cleaning to clean and tidy the house for yourself. Or, maybe you are thinking of listing in the Spring market. Either way, it can be a daunting task. I am a “list” person. You can find some great cleaning lists online. Check out TikTok, YouTube, or Pinterest. You can find lists by room, or lists with step-by-step cleaning of the whole house over the year. There are weekly lists, monthly lists, and seasonal cleaning lists.
And, unless your mom is coming to stay with you, these lists are guides. There’s no right or wrong to this. Spring Cleaning will be the cleaning you do once a year.
In the Spring, I like to move out the appliances to clean underneath (and to find lost cat toys.) Some cleaning is for safety. It’s a good idea to clean the laundry dryer duct annually, although I think we’re supposed to do that in the fall before winter sets in. Remember, no rules! (There are some cool tools to buy for cleaning the dryer vent.)
Don’t forget to hire help when you can. I like to have someone clean the windows at my house. I mean, they are spectacularly large with amazing views when they are clean. But it entails dragging around a big ladder. Easier to hire!
Pace yourself when cleaning. It’s a never-ending chore. And ask for everyone in the home to participate. With your list as a guide, be sure to set aside the appropriate time so you have it on the calendar and so you don’t feel rushed. Remember, Spring Cleaning early in February is a great idea so that when Spring rolls around you can be outside!
