The tradition of thoroughly cleaning the home in the springtime has been around for centuries due to its many benefits.
It’s that time of year. As winter slowly gives in to spring, there comes the time for our annual spring cleaning.
What is spring cleaning?
Spring cleaning is a practice rooted across centuries and cultures. From ancient Jewish traditions to Chinese Little New Year celebrations, they all involve some sort of a cleaning ritual that gets rid of negative spirits and dirt, sweeping out the old for the good things to enter into your household. In modern times, spring cleaning is practiced to remove the accumulation of dust and dirt gathered during winter and just give our homes a deep clean and a fresh start- just in time for spring. After all, spring is the time when nature awakens from its deep sleep and everything is reborn. Spring cleaning enables our homes to do the same.
Why is it important
These age-old purposes of spring cleaning are even more important today as our homes’ indoor air quality is not usually the greatest. Conventional cleaning products contain harmful chemicals, like our furniture, paint, and many other objects in our surroundings. They expose us to toxins and impact the air we breathe. Even conventional candles are air pollutants. In short, our homes could use a good “airing out” every once in a while and spring is the perfect time to do it.
Besides airing out the home, scrubbing, and polishing, spring cleaning has also come to represent a collective movement to organize and tidy up the home to improve the mindset and mental well-being, along with a ton of health benefits.
It reduces allergens
A deep clean and de-cluttering tend to reduce dust and allergens in your home thus promoting cleaner air that supports a healthy immune system. Adding natural air purifiers can further enhance your indoor air quality and protect you from the consequences of poor air quality.
It is a great stress-management activity
A cluttered home often makes us anxious. Besides the beneficial impact that de-cluttering has on the mind, the act of cleaning is therapeutic to many and even thought of as a mindfulness activity.
It leads to increased focus & productivity
De-cluttering the space around you also de-clutters the brain. A clear mind makes us more productive.
It saves time
Tidying up can save you significant time looking for items lost in a pile of clutter.
It saves money
By maintaining our appliances, they tend to last longer. A house that is well maintained has a longer lifespan despite the wear and tear. Besides saving you money from replacements, regular maintenance also saves you money on your TXU Energy bill. Clogged devices such as an AC with dirty filters have to work twice as hard to get the job done.
It improves mood
A clean and well-organized home can actually get the endorphins going, making us feel happier. It can also raise our energy levels.
It results in a healthier lifestyle
Cleaning your environment often leads to cleaning up other areas of your life. A clean home supports a healthy diet and good sleep habits. Whenever we devote time to cleaning our homes, we are actually prioritizing our health and well-being.
Spring Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts
Deep cleaning and tidying up, in general, are a source of relaxation and even fun for some with an inner Cinderella, whereas they represent a burden for others. Some cleaning projects are best done seasonally, whereas others should be done more regularly such as vacuuming, dusting, etc. Falling behind on weekly cleaning means your seasonal spring-cleaning to-do list will be much longer.
Don’t try to do it all at once
The biggest mistake is to try and do it all in one weekend and try and do too much.
Prioritize based on what bothers you the most. Do one room at a time and don’t stop until it’s spotless, head to toe.
Don’t leave it to chance
Make time for cleaning on a weekly basis and assign special dates for spring cleaning. You don’t have to do it all in one go but you need to make time for it in your schedule.
Be thorough
Focusing on every single corner and moving furniture and tiny objects might be tedious, but that’s the difference between truly deep cleaning and straightening up. Work your way down as floors are the last thing on the list.
Ask for help
No one said that cleaning is easy. When it seems overwhelming, ask your household members to help or hire a professional. Doing it alongside someone even makes it more fun. Not to mention the fact that if you are not living alone, you didn’t even create all that mess alone so why should you clean it all yourself?
Takeaway
Look at spring cleaning as a chance to update your home, make it brighter, and refresh it.
Nobody said you can’t treat yourself with a piece of décor after it’s done as odds are you’ll get rid of a lot of unnecessary things that were only adding to the clutter without bringing you any joy or being of use. Deep cleaning will take a while and it will be energy-consuming. But as long as you keep the end goal in sight as you visualize how tidying up will improve your lifestyle, you’ll get it done.
