A ‘big clean’ of my house; time for the spring clean
As I mentioned in the last post, we ended 2020 with a list. (Of course, we did! We are all about lists here!) It was a list of the 5 things that were going to get a ‘big clean’ in 2021.
If you haven’t seen the post on cleaning your finances – you can find it here – there is a free budget printable and a link to get yourself some free shares, so go check it out.
Now that I have finished work I can get on with what may prove to be the hardest job on my list.
Giving my house the ‘Big Clean’ treatment and get started on my spring clean.
As a bonus enjoy this read about the history behind the spring clean and why we do it.
Where to start?
If you have spent more than five minutes on this site you know exactly what I am going to say now…you start with a list!
You are going to need to consider the jobs that are to be done, the supplies you are going to need, where you are going to put the items you are getting rid of…the list goes on.
But to get any job done, all you need to do is start. So let’s start by working out what needs doing, in what order, and how long we are willing to give to the tasks.
A task list
Your first task is to create a task list.
This will be a brain dump of everything you can think of that needs doing in your home. From a leaky tap to taking the bins out, to a total redecoration of your living room.
Any and all jobs – even ones you know won’t be happening for a while – go on the list.
Once you have this list, you are going to sort your tasks.
How you do this is up to you but here are the 3 easiest ways:
Sort by room
From your list of jobs, sort them all by the room involved.
You may have a list of ‘kitchen tasks’ ranging from ’empty the junk drawer’ to ‘put the dishes away’. Anything based on the activities in the room in question goes on that list.
In my case, I have 9 lists.
I don’t have 9 rooms, but I am counting the downstairs and the upstairs hallways as seperate jobs, so I don’t need to keep stomping up and down the stairs!
You may have a really big airing cupboard or garden tasks that you want to create a separate list for.
Keep hold of your notes and apply the next 2 methods to create the ultimate cleaning list!
Sort by time
This method can be used in conjunction with the above ‘sort by room’.
You need to assign each task a time. This could be something as simple as ‘it will take me half an hour’.
If the task is a hardcore one, like retiling the bathroom then you can estimate when you think you will get it done. You could write down a potential date, no matter how far into the future.
A similar point for seasonal tasks could be made.
You can put off sorting out your Christmas decorations until later in the year, whereas if you want to pack away your winter clothes and pull out your spring/summer dresses, you will want to do that sooner.
If you are making your lists on your phone, or computer rather than on a piece of paper you could now shuffle them into order, placing the quickest to do on top, while the more long-term or seasonal tasks can be moved further down.
Remember the cardinal rule of task list writing!
If it is going to take less than 2 minutes to do – make the bed, put the bins out, pick the towels up from the bathroom floor – just do it. Don’t even add it to your list. Get it done.
Sort by ease
Marie kondo knows what I mean by this one!
That’s why she starts you off on clothes and makes you put off sorting through your personal memorabilia until the end. Some jobs are just easier than others.
Ease can come in the form of time taken or effort.
I have a confession to make; I do not iron. It is a form of torture for me. So while it wouldn’t take long to actually do, the mental stress and effort involved are not worth it to me. We just buy clothes that don’t need to be ironed.
I am so glad that the kids are now at an age where none of them wears shirts or blouses to school anymore!
Also, consider the tools and equipment the task will need.
Steaming your bathroom tiles is a relatively easy job, but do you have a steamer? Will you have to borrow one? Do you have one, but it is in a cupboard, at the back and you can’t quite get to it yet? Consider all elements of the task when assigning its ‘ease’.
The ease and time methods often overlap, but figuring out both can often be the extra element that helps when deciding what order to do your jobs in.
When it comes to time and effort is it worth paying someone to do a task for you?
We currently have a stylish yellow skip on our front drive as I was spending whole weekends filling my car with rubbish to take to the local tip. It cost more in initial outlay, but it has saved me a lot of time…and petrol!
All the more time to get on with the spring clean!
Actually getting started…with your spring clean list
You should now have a comprehensive list of all the tasks that you would like completed in your home.
Some you can proably dissmiss straight away. The seasonal ones, the expensive ‘in the future’ ones, and any task that you have allocated over 2 hours to.
Start with the quickest and simplest ones. Block out an hour of your time, and tell other people you are busy and won’t be stopping what you are doing – emergencies excepted.
Pick a room – perhaps the one with the least tasks, perhaps the smallest one. Perhaps the one that no-one is in so you won’t be disturbed. Pick a room that has a number of quick tasks in.
Now you can start. Set your timer for an hour. Get your 5-10 minute tasks done.
Be very wary of creating more mess than you had before you started. Do not underestimate how long tasks may potentially take.
If you have other people in the house to delegate tasks to, do so. You don’t win prizes for doing it all yourself.
Marathon not a sprint
When I mentioned to my Mum I was writing a book on decluttering she commented that I should get on and do it rather than writing about it – Such support! Thanks, Mum.
Spring is a great time of year to open up your windows and give your home a clear out. In the case of my house, it is definitely a long-term project rather than a quick nip round with a duster. I have 20+ years of clutter to work through, and it is going to be a marathon rather than a sprint.
Don’t beat yourself if you don’t get all of the jobs done. You can see from your lists that there may be a lot to do, and your best bet is to pace yourself.
Even if your ‘Spring Clean’ rolls over into Summer, as long as you are getting a few tasks done you are on your way towards the home you dream of.
You may also like…
There are lots of posts about decluttering your space, minimalising your possessions and generally encouraging a good spring clean here at the pad. Here are a few of our favourites: