Spring cleaning doesn’t just make your home look nice — it can make you feel better too. A cluttered, messy environment can weigh on your mind, making it harder to focus, relax and even sleep. On the other hand, a clean and organized space can boost your mood, lower stress, and help you feel more in control. But finding the time to clean and organize your space can be a challenge. And it can feel overwhelming. Our friends at Harmony Clean provided these spring-cleaning tips to help you maintain your home and keep it clean without devoting all of your time and energy to it.
- Daily quick wins: Make your bed, wipe down the counters, and do a five-minute workout to pick up dirt.
- Break your house into zones: Make a list of all the rooms in your house (combine rooms that can go together). Set a timer for 30 minutes – or whatever amount of time you have – and clean/organize what you can in that time. Check off rooms as you complete them.
- Basket Method: Get a basket for each of your children. (They can decorate the basket.) Before bed, they can use this basket to pick up and neatly store their toys, stuffed animals, etc.
- Chore Chart: You don’t have to clean by yourself. Create a chart for your children that outlines their chores – taking out the trash, helping with dishes, laundry, etc. – and mark down each day they complete their chores. At the end of the week or month, if they have done their chores, they can earn a small reward.
- Grand List: Make a list of tasks that take longer than 30 minutes and spread them out over a month. For example, if you want to organize family photos, set aside a small amount of time three times a week for four weeks to complete the task.
- Celebrate what you accomplish: It’s important to celebrate your achievements! Be proud of what you’ve accomplished – big or small.
The overall key to spring cleaning your home is to break big tasks into smaller, manageable ones. Some tasks will take just a few minutes while others will take more time. The result will not only be a fresh, clean space, but you will also feel happier and more relaxed and focused. Spring cleaning is an act of self-care that has far-reaching benefits.