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Spring Cleaning Checklists
by Alyson McNutt English
Think spring cleaning is overwhelming? If your great-great-great-grandmother could hear you, she'd tell you to quit your whining. The tidy tradition of spring cleaning stems from the days when kerosene and coal heated homes, causing soot to build up on household surfaces all winter. When the weather warmed, it was time to wash the walls, clean the cupboards and strip the sheets to remove accumulated grit and grime. While modern-day spring sprucing doesn't usually involve hard labor, getting started on the scrubbing can seem daunting. Check out these timely tips to get your clean streak going.
 CLEAR THE CLUTTER
Because you need to be able to see floors, shelves and closets before you can clean them, decluttering plays a large role in most spring cleaning rituals. Cutting through a household’s accumulated stuff is no easy task, but interior decorator Christopher Lowell, a TV and radio personality and author of 7 Layers of Organization, says clearing clutter is essential for homeowners to “reclaim their space.” Lowell’s tips include:
THINK ABOUT HOW AND WHEN YOU USE A ROOM: Do you really need a formal dining room, or would that space be better claimed for another use, such as a playroom, home office or library?
VALUE YOUR PRIME REAL ESTATE: Can’t bear to part with the flour sifter you never use? Store the sifter in a location where it won’t take up valuable space. Save stellar spots, like an easy-to-reach cabinet, for items you need frequently.
THINK OF OTHERS WHEN YOU DECLUTTER: Decluttering can be an emotional experience because of the strange relationship people have with their possessions. But if you look at the purging as a charitable experience, and donate the items to organizations you support, the separation may be a bit easier.
TAKE A LIFESTYLE REALITY CHECK: Sometimes we try to live the life we want rather than the life we have, Lowell says. Do you really need to keep formal china you never use or that chip-and-dip bowl your great-aunt gave you? Again, keep things you use and create good karma by donating what you don’t.
Find our checklists in the March/April copy of Organize on newsstands now.
Alyson McNutt English
Alyson McNutt English (alysonenglish.com) is a freelance writer based near Memphis, Tenn. She is bravely attempting to spring clean her home with the assistance of two young children.
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