...And How You Can Too!
Spring Cleaning doesn't have to be overwhelming. And it doesn't need to be done in the Spring. Why not ditch the spring cleaning and get outside to enjoy the Spring?
First of all, let me be honest and admit that title is a little misleading. I didn't really quit spring cleaning. Because I've never been one to do it in the first place. In reality, I just quit feeling bad about not doing it.
Whew. I feel better now, coming clean with you like that. Whoa, bad pun there. Moving on...
Why We Can Quit Spring Cleaning:
This is the time of year when cute spring cleaning infographics and fun printable charts start popping up all over Pinterest and the rest of the internet.
All the home magazines run articles on it, and promise to make it easy and fun. And every Mommy Blogger worth her salt has a tip or twenty to help you out.
It's enough to almost inspire me to do it.
But then I remember that it's much more fun to imagine it being done, than to actually turn off the computer and hunt down my yellow rubber gloves.
So this year, not only am I not spring cleaning, but I'm on a mission to get you to not clean with me!
A Few Questions First
“But Meredith,” you say, “won't my house be a pig sty? And won't my family live in danger of germs? And what if I want to have friends over? Will I have to start the visit with the obligatory 'Sorry it's such a mess'?”
Let's start with that first pig sty question. I'll answer it with another question: Is your house a pig sty now? If it is, then yes, you might want to do something about that. But only If it bothers you.
If not, then just keep doing what you're doing. Your house will not fall down the first day of summer if you have missed the spring cleaning deadline.
Second question, and an important one, about germs. Now, I'm not a doctor, but I'm pretty sure germs are already everywhere, and don't wait for spring to make their debut.
I think it's much more important to wipe your counter-tops right after cutting raw chicken in the evening, than it is to set aside a week once a year to pull down your drapes and launder them.
So again, just keep doing what you're doing. (And if you don't already wipe your counter-tops after cutting chicken, now is a good time to start.)
Finally, aren't we all a little tired of stepping into our friends' perfect houses, and hearing them apologize for their imperfections?
What, you don't have it all together enough to have a clean house, well-behaved children, and perfect hair?
Well then, I like you all the better for being like me.
So, now that that's settled, I promised to show you how you could quit spring cleaning.
Born to Clean That Way
But first, let me tell you about my friend who loves to clean. She mops her floors when she needs a little pick-me-up. Her idea of a lovely afternoon is when her baby takes a long enough nap for her to dust her whole house.
If you're like my dear friend in this way, then to you I say, “You go, girl!”
And I mean that literally, because if you stick around to read the next part, you will probably not get anything out of it, except less inclination to drop by my house sometime.
How to Quit Spring Cleaning
Simply put, I avoid spring cleaning by putting it off. Yes, I do occasionally launder my drapes, but not all at one time, and not while I'm trying to do everything else.
See, I love my house, and I love my family. And when I try to take on mammoth cleaning projects, I get irritated with my beloved family and home, and really want to say bad words.
It's better for everyone if I just sneak in a little extra cleaning task when I'm not paying enough attention to be bugged by it.
So while a typical day on someone else's spring cleaning checklist might look something like this:
- Vacuum Dryer Vents
- Sweep and Mop behind Fridge and Oven
- Dust Fan Blades
- Wipe Baseboards Throughout House
Mine looks more like this:
“Hmm, (as I'm dropping a load of laundry into the washer) I seem to remember it was taking my clothes longer to dry last time. Wonder when was the last time I cleaned the dryer vent?”
Quick check. “Eeewww. Apparently a long time. Where's that vacuum cleaner attachment?”
And then a few weeks later:
“Is that a spider web up there in that corner? Guess if I have to get the extension duster out anyway, I should go ahead and do the fan blades”
See? It's like stealth cleaning! Boom, you're done before you even had a chance to groan at your checklist.
Anti-Spring Cleaning Checklist
Now, for those of you who really like the checklist, I'm including your very own printable Anti-Spring-Cleaning Calendar. (See downloading instructions below.)
It features cleaning tasks grouped by when it makes the most sense (to me) to do them. And I've tried to group things together that use similar tools, so you don't have dig through all your stuff every time.
Bonus: There are no tasks in June, July, and December. I find there's too much going on during those months to be worried about extra cleaning duties.
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Less to Clean
But wait, there's more! I'm going to let you in on another secret. This is big. (Picture me leaning in conspiratorially.) If you want to do even less cleaning, do yourself a favor, and get organized.
Having less stuff means less stuff to clean.
So, while I don't spring clean, I do LOVE a good spring organizing. It feels so good to shed that winter coat of stuff that's accumulated over the last year.
And all the stores have great sales on their organizing stuff, like bins and baskets. They're so cute, it makes you want to get organized, just to have an excuse to use them. (I don't know why this tactic works for me with fun baskets, but not with cute designer brooms and dust pans.)
So stay tuned for some of my favorite organizing secrets, or sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss a post.
One last note on house cleaning:
If you're looking for how to get your home clean fast, like when your mother-in-law calls en route to the house, check out my post on how to clean your home fast between AirBNB guests.
It'll save you loads of time, for those days when you have to do actual cleaning. But in the meantime, enjoy not spring cleaning!
Anita says
What? You're supposed to dust baseboards? Who made that rule?? (Great picture, btw. Who's your photographer?)
Meredith says
Thanks! 🙂 I don't know who makes these rules! Probably the same people who make up holidays so that you have to buy a bunch of cards and flowers for no other apparent reason!
Maria Zioga says
If I was close to you now I would have hugged and kissed you! I never spring clean.. I just clean regularly and wipe my kitchen counter a few times a day!
Meredith says
Nice to find a kindred spirit! I was kind of afraid people would be grossed out by my confession, so I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who hates spring cleaning.
Paul Graham says
For me cleaning is a bit like eating.. A moderate amount every day is healthy while too much or too little are not. We never worry if others eat more than us or less and unless you are a bear and hibernate for the winter it doesn't make much sense to starve all winter then stuff yourself in the spring. I think the concept goes back to when most people burned open fires for the winter and then had to deal with all the smoky grime once the weather improved. Those who still obsess could ; Try Central Heating ! Move somewhere permanently hot ! Stay somewhere permanently cold ! Turn The Lights Off ! Or better yet, have a blog and keep a sense of perspective
Meredith says
I love the eating analogy, Paul. And I've always wondered why we wash our walls, but it makes sense when you think about what a coating they would get from wood smoke. I like your attitude!
Susan Cooper/findingourwaynow.com says
I am now forced to clean more because of my pending move and house consolidation... sigh. Don't get me wrong, I clean fairly regularly just not at this level. So I so get all that you said especially the family irritating me while I'm trying to get it done. I love your created checklist. It will come in very handy for me right now. 🙂
Meredith says
I know, I always think I'm a pretty decent housekeeper, until I go to clean out a closet and find all the nooks and crannies that haven't ever seen the feather of a duster. Hang in there, and think how good you'll feel when it's all done!
A.K.Andrew @artyyah says
Life's too short to spend endless time on cleaning that don't always need. But then I'm not the neat freak in the family. I love having a clean house, that's for sure, but sometimes creativity is more important to me.
Meredith says
I'm with you, A.K.!
Leora says
You are making me think of what needs to get cleaned ... not my usual focus. Usually, it's what should I work on next and what should I make my family for dinner. I force myself to clean a few times a week ... I often do clean up early in the morning while waiting for my daughter to get ready for school. Whatever gets done, gets done ...
Meredith says
I agree. There's enough in our everyday life to keep us busy all the time, not to mention deep cleaning. Better to spend time with your family than obsess over how your house looks!
Laurie S Hurley says
I love doing laundry - there I said it! Love it. I hate ironing and I don't sew - ever. Cleaning for me is cathartic! The Virgo in me can't go to bed with a dirty house. Hmm... wonder what that says about me. Love your blog - some good laughs!
Meredith says
Thanks Laurie! I've often wished I couldn't go to bed without a clean house, but alas, I sleep just fine, knowing there are dishes to be washed in the morning. I do love laundry though...maybe because when it's done you know it's done, at least for a few days.
jbutler1914 says
That anti spring cleaning list is great. I may have to use that for my cleaning schedule.
Meredith says
Glad to help!
ballnchainz says
I was never one for spring cleaning. I am a firm believer in doing a little bit at a time so that you never have to do a massive cleanup. I'm lazy and would rather do a little a few times a week than to hold of until the weekend and do it all in one day. Great post!!!
Meredith says
Thanks... So nice to know I'm not alone!
Donna Janke says
I don't do a big spring cleaning, although it would be lovely to start a new season with the entire house refreshed. I spread things throughout the year.
Meredith says
I know, I always wonder if I'm missing out on that sigh of relief that must come with an entire house cleaning. Oh well, I'll probably never know what that feels like!
Jacqueline Gum (Jacquie) says
Uh...I must have been living under a rock these many years. Are you supposed to clean in the Spring???? What makes Spring so special...don't Winter, Summer and Fall have hurt feelings because some task isn't assigned to them? GREAT post! You've alleviated a lot of guilt or affirmed some deeply held beliefs!
Meredith Wouters says
Thanks! Seems like there's a "where's the justice?" idea in there somewhere! 😉
Mina Joshi (@GiveMeSomeSpice) says
Working full time - I hardly get time to clean the house. I make sure all the bathrooms and toilets are spick and span and keep the sitting room looking good. The kitchen is usually a work of art as I am always trying out recipes in my spare time.....And no one is allowed in my bedrooms so......looks like I have a very clean (Shush!) house.
Meredith says
Spick and span toilets? And a clean sitting room? What more could you ask for?!? 🙂
Jeri Walker-Bickett (@JeriWB) says
I clean in streaks throughout the year. In the spring, I get the itch to yard work much more than I do stuff inside. My mom used to clean impulsively in the spring. We're talking get out the buckets of ammonia water and scrub walls. UGH.
Meredith says
Ammonia - ugh is right! Seems like it's healthier (and smells better) not to clean at all! I'm with you. I'd much rather be working on the outside than inside this time of year.
Haley Gray says
What, precisely is this spring cleaning thing you speak of? I mean, really? why would I ever want to do it? I clean when I'm procrastinating. Cleaning is honestly one of the best forms of procrastination!
Meredith says
I love it! Cleaning as procrastination. I might enjoy cleaning more if I thought it was getting me out of something else!
Debra Yearwood says
Several years ago my husband gave me a fridge magnet that read, "Boring women have immaculate houses" these are words I live by. I have admired the clean homes of many of my friends but they are not my friends because they have clean homes. Like you when I come across the spider web or the mildly dysfunctional appliance I investigate and fix. The idea of setting aside a weekend to do nothing but clean sounds like an awful way to spend my free time.
Meredith says
I need that fridge magnet! And the search is on...
jennifermccullough says
Meredith, I thought you were going to tell me that I never had to clean at all! Dang it! But, you're right... breaking it down and doing it one task at a time on a rotation is better than turning the house upside down and shaking it out once a year. My back can't take that anymore. Now if I could just get my toddler to help. 🙂
Meredith says
Yes, that's even better - getting your toddler to help! Although we all know that when toddlers "help" us do anything, it makes it ten times harder. 🙂
becc03 says
Paul said it so well....moderation. There is no need to go all nuts all over your house if you keep up to date with the basics and add a little extra each week. I am lucky to have cleaners as well who also implement this technique. Between the two of us, there is not much of a need for a full on spring clean.
Meredith says
I think that's the best scenario, when there's never a need for a toss-the-whole-house spring clean!
Perfection Pending says
I've never been a spring cleaner either! But, I am on a mission to de-clutter and organize right now, which will automatically make me feel like my house is cleaner. I hope. Great post!
Meredith says
Thanks! I love de-cluttering and organizing. I think it's important to have a clean house for health's sake, but I think clutter is actually the source of most negative feelings about my house. Like you said, it just feels cleaner when it's organized.
Liz Solomon says
I'm not a spring cleaner either. I do usually end up cleaning the windows and such when we start opening them. My cleaning strategy is generally to do what needs to be done when I find it (if I have time right then) or write it down to do when I do. But a lot of times I'll vacuum Mondays, clean the bathrooms Tuesdays, and wash sheets Sundays. Other days are for laundry and mopping as needed (I do have two kids, a husband, and two dogs).
Meredith says
Me too! That reminds me...I better throw in a load of laundry before I get sucked into my computer! 🙂
Rena McDaniel says
A woman after my own heart! I have a better idea marry an OCD man like I did! This was just so well-written and funny with good tips thrown in along the way!
Meredith says
Thanks! I do sometimes think if my husband was a little more OCD that I'd have to keep the house cleaner. But I'm sure glad he's not! 🙂
normaleverydaylife says
This is great and I love your humor!
Meredith says
Thank you!
Life With Lorelai says
I love the idea of doing a little at a time all year round rather than one massive exhausting project. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty - we hope to see you again next week. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Meredith says
Thanks Lorelai! I'm already looking forward to the next party!