Tomorrow is the end of June and completes "Spring Cleaning Month". Projects like this can drag on forever, so before I began I decided I would work diligently all month...but come June 30th I would be done no matter what. Anything I didn't complete would wait until next year - or at least my next cleaning frenzy. I didn't quite get to every thing on my list but I did complete the majority, even managing to add a few things in as they came up.
As I mentioned in my first organization post, this is pretty much the only time during the year I focus on most of these things. The rest of the year I do basic cleaning and laundry every week and just try to maintain the organization while we are homeschooling, playing sports and generally staying super-busy.
Why do I spend a month every year doing this? The short answer is, it truly helps me to have our home organized and clean. When I open a closet and things are falling out on me or I waste time looking for something that has been misplaced, it drives me nuts. I am all about efficiency and this helps set the tone for a good school year, for me if no one else. The long answer is something about providing the best possible environment for my children to be successful in all areas of life - academic included. If their world (and the home we provide really is most of the world they see in the elementary years, especially when we homeschool) is in chaos they suffer. God's creation is orderly and I want my home to reflect that - being reasonable of course what "order" looks like with three young children. It doesn't alway mean spotless for sure. lol!
Before kids, spring cleaning was a weekend thing. I devoted one three-day weekend in the fall and one in the spring to heavy cleaning and would clean from dawn till dusk. Forget cooking at the end of the day...we had dual incomes & no kids so we could afford to go out every night. Now things are a little different. I must stop to prepare meals, change diapers and be certain not to completely ignore my children while I'm in "task-mode!"
Here's how I tackled getting my Spring Cleaning done while still being a mommy at the same time. I devoted two to three hours almost every day to cleaning, and I usually did it while my two younger were sleeping and my oldest was having "rest-time" in his room. As soon as they went down I would pick one thing of the list, put on some upbeat music and clean as furiously as I could! I did this Monday through Thursday each week during June. My husband is a pastor and is off on Fridays but sometime during the weekend I tried to get at least one or two things additional things done off the list as well. Some jobs take more time than a few hours allow and on those days my boys watched a Disney movie (a rare treat in our home!) to give me a little more time. Other jobs just had to stretch over a few days.
I know it can seem overwhelming when you first start - especially if it's been a long since you've done this - but by simply taking tiny steps each day you will be surprised how much you get accomplished. If you want to do this I would also consider putting your list in order of importance for you. That way, hopefully the things at the bottom won't be missed much if they don't get done by the end of your timetable. Who looks on the top of your fridge anyway? lol!
Here's my original list (abbreviated version - go to the "Summer To-Do's" post to get the entire list with descriptions for each job)
As I mentioned in my first organization post, this is pretty much the only time during the year I focus on most of these things. The rest of the year I do basic cleaning and laundry every week and just try to maintain the organization while we are homeschooling, playing sports and generally staying super-busy.
Why do I spend a month every year doing this? The short answer is, it truly helps me to have our home organized and clean. When I open a closet and things are falling out on me or I waste time looking for something that has been misplaced, it drives me nuts. I am all about efficiency and this helps set the tone for a good school year, for me if no one else. The long answer is something about providing the best possible environment for my children to be successful in all areas of life - academic included. If their world (and the home we provide really is most of the world they see in the elementary years, especially when we homeschool) is in chaos they suffer. God's creation is orderly and I want my home to reflect that - being reasonable of course what "order" looks like with three young children. It doesn't alway mean spotless for sure. lol!
Before kids, spring cleaning was a weekend thing. I devoted one three-day weekend in the fall and one in the spring to heavy cleaning and would clean from dawn till dusk. Forget cooking at the end of the day...we had dual incomes & no kids so we could afford to go out every night. Now things are a little different. I must stop to prepare meals, change diapers and be certain not to completely ignore my children while I'm in "task-mode!"
Here's how I tackled getting my Spring Cleaning done while still being a mommy at the same time. I devoted two to three hours almost every day to cleaning, and I usually did it while my two younger were sleeping and my oldest was having "rest-time" in his room. As soon as they went down I would pick one thing of the list, put on some upbeat music and clean as furiously as I could! I did this Monday through Thursday each week during June. My husband is a pastor and is off on Fridays but sometime during the weekend I tried to get at least one or two things additional things done off the list as well. Some jobs take more time than a few hours allow and on those days my boys watched a Disney movie (a rare treat in our home!) to give me a little more time. Other jobs just had to stretch over a few days.
I know it can seem overwhelming when you first start - especially if it's been a long since you've done this - but by simply taking tiny steps each day you will be surprised how much you get accomplished. If you want to do this I would also consider putting your list in order of importance for you. That way, hopefully the things at the bottom won't be missed much if they don't get done by the end of your timetable. Who looks on the top of your fridge anyway? lol!
Here's my original list (abbreviated version - go to the "Summer To-Do's" post to get the entire list with descriptions for each job)
- Clean and organize baby's closet - DONE
- Clean and organize middle son's closet and dresser - DONE
- Clean and organize oldest son's room (with his help) - DONE
- Clean out master bedroom closet - DONE
- Go through medicine cabinet - DONE
- Clean downstairs coat closet - DONE
- Clean all ceiling fans - DONE
- Clean pantry - DONE
- Clean all inside windows - DONE
- Clean all window sills - DONE
- Wipe down all light switches and door knobs - DONE
- Change air filters - DONE
- Clean out garage - DONE
- Research and buy new vacuum cleaner - DONE (Yea! When we researched Consumer Reports, one of their best rated vacuums was $150!)
- Take T and H to pediatrician for yearly check-ups - Appointment is set for July 20th
- Power wash driveway - Didn't happen but it was just done last October. It will be a nice project one weekend this fall when it's not so hot anyway!
- Buy new bed and bedding for 2 yr old - decided to wait due to other more urgent purchases
- Organize our home office - DONE
- Organize schoolroom - in progress! I decided to paint our space after seeing Heidi's beautiful schoolroom from Mt Hope Academy. I knew that I wanted to do a shade of green but was unsure how to start. Heidi's room gave me lots of ideas as did Little Acorn's Treehouse!
Here's the green I picked: Behr's Rejuvenate. The paint goes on sale Sunday so I will getstarted that night! I will continue to work on the schoolroom as time and money allow; it
will be a long process most likely.
A few minor things I added to my original to-do list:
- Change out batteries on all toys that needed it
- oiled all squeaky doors with WD-40
- Got hurricane supplies re-stocked (We live on the south side of Houston so this is an ever-present threat each year during hurricane season: June - October)
I hope this helps someone who may want to get their home in order. If nothing else, it helped me just posting it. Good luck!
