There is something about springtime that makes me want to throw everything away and start anew. This also seems to be the time of year when intensive cleaning schedules make their way into my world. I typically imagine the type of person I would be with clear counters, spotless floors, and a minimalist lifestyle.
While this is a fun thought, it is neither realistic nor helpful. This isn’t going to happen for me because of ability, time, and resources. This doesn’t mean that I can’t make progress towards a fresh house. It’s a great time to channel this energy into making progress without all of the pressure. This is what I call gentle spring cleaning.
Here are some ideas to help you get closer to your idealized self:
Tackle smaller areas
It’s so tempting to say, “We are going to clean out the garage, basement, storage space, etc.” Then the moment you’re standing in front of that giant mess, you freeze, seeing the huge amount of work. Try picking a smaller area to clean and declutter. This could be something like the mantle, junk drawer, or one cabinet at a time.
Remember Tidying, Cleaning, and Organizing are different tasks
I learned from Keeping House While Drowning by KC Davis that using the word “cleaning” for everything can really be detrimental. Tidying is the act of putting things back where they belong. Cleaning focuses on removing dust, dirt, and germs from a space. Organizing is the process of finding and assigning places for things.
These three things can and sometimes should be done separately because they have different goals. Make sure you’re being clear with yourself about which task you’re trying to accomplish.
Mindset is more important than you think
Going into a task with these high expectations may be setting yourself up for failure. There is no “right” way to do it, just the way you do it. The self-judgment you can perform while spring cleaning is way higher and more complicated than you would think.
From the amount of time it will take you, the amount of stuff you realize you don’t need but still have, the hidden corners you forgot about that eat up your day, or the crazy things you find that your kids must have hidden, these are all moments for you to judge yourself.
Beating yourself up along the way will not help you get it done faster or better. It is more likely to wear you out. Be gentle with yourself and your space. Progress is much better than perfection!