5 Tips for Spring Cleaning with the Family
Few of us actually welcome the prospect of spring cleaning, but there’s no putting off this unavoidable annual chore. Luckily, you can always rely on your spouse and kids to share the load. Here are five handy tips to make spring cleaning fun and less painful for your family.
Allocate a day or a weekend to your cleaning project and make sure none of your family members have other engagements or responsibilities during this period. Check everyone’s schedule before fixing a day and encourage everyone to do their bit. Let them know you’ll accept no excuses for staying away from this family event. But before you get everyone to commit on several hours of cleaning, take a quick walk around the house and make a list of what needs to be cleaned and what needs to be thrown away. This will save a lot of time, ensuring that everything gets done.
Having to run to the store for your favorite kitchen cleaner can waste a lot of time and ruin the whole exercise. Make sure you have the mops, brooms, squeegees, cleaning fluids and soaps lined up before D-Day. Try and keep cleaning supplies to a minimum – for instance, you could try having one all-purpose cleaner to take care of different spaces and tasks –you’d be surprised how much can be achieved with just one of those super fluids. Remember, spring cleaning is meant to get rid of clutter, not add to it!
Ask everyone to bring their favorite music to the clean-up marathon and let them take turns playing those upbeat tracks. If your kids are too young to make a meaningful contribution to the process, get them to wear fluffy (but clean) slippers and dance around the house. Icing on the cake - award a prize for best “cleaning” music and dancer and you’ll have a sparkling house in no time!
Young children cannot be expected to participate in heavy cleaning, but you can always involve them in lighter chores that are nonetheless important. This includes sorting things, wiping down surfaces, light dusting and organizing their toys, clothes and books. If your kids are way too young, you might want to have a friend or relative over to take care of them while you get on with the job.
Working with a bunch of hungry and cranky cleaners can never be fun, so make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks and drinks before you even get started. Take short breaks for meals followed by a delicious dinner that everyone can look forward to. Having regular and pre-determined snack breaks can keep everyone busy and motivated.
Use these tips to turn spring cleaning into an annual family ritual you can renew each year.
