Spring Cleaning Help

I am on again off again with Fly Lady. The thing I like about it is that you can just pick up where you left off – it has never been overwhelming to me, most things are broken down into 15 minute tasks. I bookmarked the page called Current Fly Zone she rotates areas of your house and gives basic cleaning and deep cleaning tasks for each of them. There is a lot of helpful info on the site if you look around – and it is all free, no need to buy another book

I have nothing but advice.  I am an organizer freek!  So when we are done with school for the year (our main schooling we school year round) I set aside 1 week.  I plan out which rooms and what order to be done.  So for me it’s usually this from least needed to most.  Why because the most needed is usually were everything needs to be like the kitchen and office.

So I start top to bottom with kids rooms, trying clothes on, cleaning dressers, etc.  Also, they can do a lot themselves because it’s theres.  Then on to something like bathrooms, also a good one for kids. Empty drawers and wash out, restock, etc.  Then maybe toys, into the 3 piles: donations, junk and keep.  Then we start tackling the bigger rooms usually main family rooms (which is mostly dusting where we don’t dust weekly).  then on to the kitchen and yes we empty out everything.  The kids are great buckets in hand and take it out, wipe it and put it back.  I am the arranger in this so that I only keep what we’ve used and throw everything else.  Then usually last is the office and that’s my ground other than the book shelves. 

What else helps I have 7 (12 to 6mo) and I might send a big one out with a little one for a hr and then switch it up.  We might do some during nap time.  But anyone can use a wet washclothe around here!

Hope these idea’s help.  Wish I could come help I would have it spick and span and then your dh like mine will go, “hey hun what happened to >…..”.  Opps I threw it away!  LOL Misty

Sue, as far as what to clean first, my general rule is to clean from top to bottom. So, start with ceiling fans and light fixtures, and work your way down to door trim, corners, windows. Then window sills, high furniture, low furniture, baseboards, and floors last.

Something else a lot of people don’t think about is your bedding. I’m not talking about sheets. I like to throw all our pillows in the dryer with a dryer sheet twice a year to kill allergens, mites, and to fluff them up and make them smell good. If you have duvet covers and washable duvets, wash them. If not, take them to the cleaners. It’s once a year, so worth the expense. Also, use the vacuum hose on your mattresses, all over the top and around the sides. If you can, flip the mattress and do the other side.

Happy cleaning!

Lindsey