I wrote this piece for our community magazine but they had many other pieces, including another of mine, to fit into the issue. Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I will use it today. I want you to know that my halo isn't really on all that tight - I've not yet tackled many of the chores (well, hardly any!). But I do talk a great Martha Stewart-ish line. It's an instance of do as I say, not as I do.
Spring has sprung
And grass is green.
I guess it’s time
I finally clean.
Air
Out, Clean and Inspect
Spring cleaning time is upon us. Now that the
temperatures are mild and the windows wide open, it’s time to handle jobs like
touch-up painting, laundering slipcovers, bedspreads, and curtains, and doing a
cleaning cycle with white vinegar in your clothes and dish washers. The dryer
hose could be de-linted too. It’s time to clean out the grill and make sure
that it and all the outdoor furniture are ready for warm weather living.
Our homes have been closed up for months. Now
is the time to remove all the dust and grease and greasy dust that has built up
on knickknacks, books, and pictures throughout the house, and on anything
sitting or hanging in the open in the kitchen. By now you know the right way to
clean them, so do it.
If you didn’t get to it in March, the start
of May is a good time to check the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke
detectors, and in your flashlights, and to check your fire extinguishers. The
days when our clocks Spring Ahead and Fall Back have become the days we’re now
told to remember to do these checks, but the beginning of this month will do as
well. It might also be a good time, before the summer rush, to have your air
conditioning system checked and serviced. This goes for your irrigation system
too.
Control
the Chaos
Many of these May jobs can be put on a list
and done bit by bit. In between times, or if you finish early, it might be time
for some creative culling.
Is your garage is in a state of barely
controlled chaos? This is a good time to back out the car, pull everything away
from the walls, get some storage shelves and containers if you need them, and
begin to get a handle on your stuff. As you investigate each item and the
contents of every box, ask yourself these questions:
When
was the last time I used this?
Does
it still work?
Do I
really need this? Do I really need this many?
Does
it have sentimental value? Would the kids like to have it?
Can
I cut down on all these holiday decorations?
Can
I donate it somewhere? Can I sell it?
If I
toss it now could I replace it for under $5 or borrow it if I need to?
When
was the last time I used this? (Yes, again!)
Do the tried and true three-part triage on
your stuff:
Stuff you really need to keep
Stuff you can donate or sell
Stuff you should toss
If you have things that you’d really like to
have gone but are immensely or even mildly sentimental, take a few pictures of
them and keep the pictures instead of the stuff. Just think of all the space
you’ll save and the future headaches you’ll avoid when you get rid of all that
memory clutter.
This is a good time of year to do some
clothes closet cleaning, and kitchen closet culling too. The list of questions
and the method of disposal is exactly the same as for the stuff in the garage. And,
if you still have May time on your hands, clean out your files. Still have your
tax records for the last umpteen years? Look up a good records retention
schedule and lighten your paper burden.
Think
Outside of the Box
It’s rare for or homeowners to dust off their hands and say,
“There! Our home is complete!” There’s always something that can be done to
make our spaces better, more efficient, more comfortable or just more visually
appealing. With that in mind, you might want to take a look around and see how
you can rearrange things.
Instead of all those framed family photos
sitting around on every surface, think about arranging them on a photo wall.
Use the frames as they are, or invest in coordinated frames from Hobby Lobby or
Michael’s. If not this, perhaps you’d want to make a special album of all these
special photos. Just think of all the dusting time you’ll save.
Do other little things to change the
household scenery: trade the toss pillows in the bedroom with those in the
living room, put your Grandmother’s afghan over the arm of an easy chair, or
curate and cull the knickknacks. Check your cabinets for stored items that
might be decorative. Bring out a pretty pitcher, bowl, or tea cup, even a great
sports trophy, to put on a table top or prominent shelf. Buy something that
won’t break the bank but will change the scenery: perhaps a new set of towels
or sheets, a small framed artwork or pottery piece from one of the Sun City craft
groups, perhaps some fresh flowers to brighten your rooms.
You probably won’t need to do every job
mentioned here, but be honest with yourself and really do a thorough job on
what you do have to do. It’s going to be a busy month, what with all the other
things going on in your life and in the world, but you will be pleased with
your progress. By Memorial Day you should be able to sit back, enjoy the fruits
of your labor, and have a wonderful summer.
