Spring is finally here, and all across Philly, people are breaking out their grills, spending time in local parks, and taking advantage of the new bike share program. The new, sunnier season also means it’s time for spring cleaning across the city. Whether you have a tiny studio apartment or live in a large rowhouse, giving your space a thorough cleaning will not only remove the last vestiges of winter, it will also help you get organized and spruce up your space.
Why Clean in Spring?
Some people, such as Cynthia Ewer at Organized Home, argue that spring cleaning should be a thing of the past. The tradition dates back to a time when people lived in homes that relied on candles for lighting and used coal powered furnaces or sooty fireplaces for heaters. Back then, a deep cleaning in the spring was a must, to get rid of all the dust, smoke particles, and other debris that collected in a sealed off home over the winter.
While Philly homes do have electricity these days, as well as HVAC systems and cleaner ways of heating, and while many people do run the vacuum or sweep up occasionally all year round, the spring cleaning tradition sticks around. Deep cleaning your home in spring is a great way to mark the changing season and to give your space a touch-up. It lets you reevaluate what you own and get rid of the things you no longer need. It’s a time for getting to those forgotten nooks and crannies, too. Just as you might deep condition your hair or wear a deep cleansing facial mask from time to time, even though you condition your hair or cleanse your face regularly, so your home can benefit from a thorough cleaning every year.
How Much Time Do You Need?
You can plan your home’s cleaning to meet your needs and fit into your schedule. It’s possible to do a marathon, one day only deep cleaning session. You can also divide your cleaning project into four weekend days. For example, focus on the bedrooms the first day, the living room and other common areas the second day, the bathrooms the third day, and the kitchen on the fourth day. If you not only want to deep clean, but also tackle some household projects, such as repainting the hallway walls or starting your garden, you can work those projects into your cleaning schedule, too.
What’s Your Action Plan?
No matter which room you’re in, it’s a good idea to start high and work your way down. You can use a Swiffer or other type of microfiber cloth to get dust off of the walls and to knock down any cobwebs near the ceiling. Once you’ve got the walls clean, focus on the windows, then move on to dusting or wiping clean any surfaces, such as bookshelves, tabletops, and your television.
Strip any linens off of the beds and send to the laundry. Don’t forget to clean the curtains or blinds, too. You can either vacuum them or take the curtains off of the rods and send them out to be dry cleaned or laundered. Finish each room by vacuuming the carpets or mopping or sweeping hardwood or tile floors.
Think of spring cleaning as a chance to press the reset button on your home. Whether you spend an entire month deep cleaning or just a day or two, at the end of it, you’ll have a space that you’ll be proud to show off to guests and visitors.
Image Source: Flickr/nosha
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