Time for Spring Cleaning!

Ever wondered where spring cleaning came from? Me too. So I did some research. No one is really sure, but one theory is that it came from the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring. Iranians practice "khooneh takouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year. They thoroughly clean everything.

Another theory is that it comes from the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleaning in time for Passover, which is also celebrated in spring. And another idea dates back to 19th century America. The month of March was the best time for dusting (the vacuum cleaner had not yet been invented) because it was warm enough to open all the windows and doors, but not too warm for bug problems. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_cleaning)

For me it's like a new beginning. The warm weather and knowing that summer will be here soon gives me a burst of energy. I may be crazy, but I love spring cleaning. Whatever your reason, here are some tips to make it easier for you.

The first step to spring cleaning is to have a goal in mind. Know exactly what you want to accomplish. It may be helpful to make a list. Then make sure you have all the cleaning supplies you will need.

Always clean from top to bottom because any dirt or dust will fall. Doing this will also ensure you will not overlook ceilings, door frames, ledges or walls.

Clean one room at a time working in a circle. By doing this, it is less likely that you will miss anything that needs to be done. And if you get distracted and have to step away it will be much easier to pick up where you left off.

If something is not dirty, don't clean it! If there is one fingerprint on a glass table, just clean the fingerprint. It is very easy to want to clean the whole thing, but by only cleaning the dirty parts, you are saving yourself lots of time (an extra minute here or there really does add up)!

Most importantly, be organized! Being organized will speed up the cleaning and make it less stressful on you.

Good luck with your cleaning! Hope these tips save you some time and sanity.

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