This year, I decided not to let my spring cleaning plans create contempt within my family. All the previous years where I made everyone miserable, fostering feelings of mutual dread as our favorite relaxation activities were punted out of sight in favor of scrubbing, purging and organizing for an entire weekend? Gone.
This year, I have broken up our spring tasks list into manageable four-hour chunks that could be tacked on to our normal weekend tasks. You can do this too, and here are three easy steps to get you going.
Step 1
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Decide what thing is absolutely bothering you the most. Unable to put away clean laundry because a child’s outgrown clothes are taking up too much space in her drawers? Taking care of this first is a high leverage activity, unlocking power deep within!
Step 2
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Make a list. Put your step one on it. Anything else keeping you from experiencing your highest achievable peace goes after that. Next to that list, jot down some supplies you might need. Check around to see if you already have those items before you make a purchase. Checking a cheap second-hand furniture store is a cost-saver for shelving and other organizing materials--especially kitchen stuff.
Step 3
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Delegate. If you share living space with others who can be empowered to own certain tasks, that’s a huge win, even if they are not done to the ideal standard. This is also helpful when it comes to children who can often part with things more easily. It takes the guesswork out of donating furniture and clearing old toy decisions to have their input with a quick thumbs up or down.
Step 4
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Check your local Habitat for Humanity Website to find a ReStore near you, and prepare your gently loved ítems for a new life. Here in the Triangle, we have ten stores in neighborhoods across the area that support our mission of building affordable housing!
My shining moments this year, on top of the purging of any excess that renews my soul, were spice shelving and oven cleaning. It was like a new world of joy opened to me. I also made my own mildew removal recipe, catapulting me into new realms of domestic greatness!
What spring cleaning projects are calling your name this year?