Thursday, April 4, 2013

Spring Cleaning Tips for the Busy Family: Part #1


Spring is upon us and I’m becoming increasingly aware of the large Spring cleaning list that needs to be
tackled. If you are like my family, it is sometimes hard to even find time to complete the regular chores around the house, but having a “Spring Cleaning Event” can help to keep things clean and organized on an ongoing basis and free up more time for summer time fun and clear out all of the dust and clutter!  I've come up with a small list of things that might help the busy family get in some much needed spring cleaning.


First things first and Safety is first. Most likely you've got your little ones running around while you are getting all of this cleaning and organization done. Accomplishing some of these tasks requires household cleaners.  Many household cleaners we use around the house can not only be harmful but also expensive. Studies have been done and they show that many of the cheaper brand cleaners work just as well as the name brand and better yet, some of the homemade cleaners work even better. These homemade cleaners are things that can be made with ingredients you probably already have around the house. Here are a couple of my favorite that are a little less harsh and a lot less expensive! *note these cleaners are still harmful for children, but put off less fumes.

Disinfectant Spray: This spray can be used on most surfaces (except wood) and works as a great disinfectant and glass cleaner that won’t leave streaks or spots. .  Mix the following ingredients and place in a clearly labeled spray bottle (you can get these at the dollar store). You’ll have an entire gallon of this cleaner for only a few dollars.
Ingredients:
1 gallon of distilled water (pour about 3 cups off of the top)
2 Cups Rubbing Alcohol
½ Cup Ammonia
1 tsp. Dish soap

Floor Cleaner: This is a tough cleaner that can be used on tile or linoleum floors. This is also a good cleaner for outdoor furniture.
Ingredients:
1 gallon water
1 Cup Ammonia
½ Cup Vinegar

Child Toy Sanitizer:  Using this as a spray or soaking toys in a sink or bucket of this mixture will clean and sanitize them. Make sure to rinse all toys with clean water and let air dry after sanitizing.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. bleach
1 Gallon Water

* NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH! Mixing these chemicals creates a harmful gas that can be fatal and make sure to clearly label homemade cleaners.
While cleaning, make sure to keep little ones away from cleaners and water buckets by keeping them high and out of reach. Also, make sure to open up doors and windows as not to get too many fumes in the air.



Be prepared!  Having a plan and be prepared for the work ahead can help things to go much smoother and quicker. First make a list of everything you need to accomplish and a second list of anything you need to purchase ahead of time such as cleaning products, buckets, organization bins, etc.  Here is an checklist template I've put together to save you a bit more time in your planning!
 If you are limited on time and you don’t have enough time to get to everything, make sure to prioritize your list to get the most important and biggest projects done first. Make sure to put dusting, vacuuming and laundering at the top of the list. These things will be most helpful in removing dust and dander and making the biggest difference in your Spring cleaning. Purging of items will also make a big difference. Being prepared for this can help the process go quickly. Start with areas that need to be decluttered most, like closets and drawers. Have your purging boxes prepared ahead of time as well so that this can go quickly. Create boxes clearly marked storage or donate and fill them as you go.     
     
Keep a notebook with you as well to keep track of anything you come across you may need to replace or fix. You can then focus on these items at a later time and continue on with your spring cleaning list.  Starting in the corner of a room and working clockwise and from top to bottom can also be a time saver. Another good way tackle a room is to clean yourself out of a room. This means that you work from the furthest point from the door and work yourself out of the room. This way you can move everything you want to remove from the room out of the door and you aren’t continuously moving around it as you try to clean.  You are also not creating a larger mess where you have just cleaned.          

Create a relaxed timeline to accomplish your spring cleaning. If don’t have the time to commit to an entire day of cleaning, spread it out over a week. Create time for 20 to 30 minutes a day to accomplish smaller tasks. This will help you to feel less overwhelmed about the HUGE chore of a Spring Clean. Also, having smaller goals to accomplish daily will keep you motivated and you are more likely to finish the entire project.  I use this method to stay on top of our weekly housekeeping. Twenty minutes before bed is dedicated to just one or two chores that is designated to a specific day of the week. Here is an example schedule I use to stay on top of our housekeeping without having to carve out an entire day on my weekend to clean house.

What are your Spring Cleaning must do items?

Check back next week for ideas on how to turn Spring cleaning into a family activity and get your kids involved in the Spring cleaning fun!

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