How to learn to spring clean

Does the term “spring cleaning” create a spark of dread or excitement for you? For me, cleaning represents an opportunity to accomplish something, even if it’s not a task I naturally enjoy. The more I practiced cleaning with a good attitude, the more I began to embrace cleaning.

My goal is to keep surfaces clear and try to put laundry away as quickly as possible – but mention washing windows and scrubbing baseboards, and you’ll probably see a look of panic on my face. I am a “tidyer”. If you were to drop by my house unexpectedly, you would probably think that I have a very clean house. Don’t look too closely…

Can you understand? I’d love to be the kind of girl who considers cleaning floors a fun activity (like Monica on “Friends”), but that’s just not me. However, I don’t have the financial capacity to hire a cleaning service, so here are my options as spring approaches and, inevitably, spring cleaning tasks:

Skip spring cleaning altogether and tell myself I’ll do better next year.
Reluctantly cleaning and letting everyone know how much I don’t like it, thereby making the lives of everyone around me miserable.
Put your head down and go for it, knowing that the result will be worth it.

Which option are you most likely to choose? Until about a year ago, I chose option 1 or 2. I often feel overwhelmed by the amount of space I have to clean and annoyed by how often I have to vacuum my hardwood floors (thanks to my adorable shedding puppy). At one point, my own lousy attitude got on my nerves and I decided to take a better perspective on taking care of my home.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not always happy about cleaning! The thing is, I chose to stop hating it. I realized I didn’t want to spend energy complaining and whining when I knew a clean house would ultimately make me proud and satisfied. Take last week, for example. My sister was coming to spend the night and my house was a mess. (I’m not exaggerating.) My usual routine of light-maintenance cleaning had been disrupted by travel and illness, which meant I had to do some serious deep cleaning to get the house sparkling again. I knew my sister would appreciate having a clean bed to sleep in and a clean bathroom to wash in.

Simply put, I knew the work had to be done. I got on all fours to clean the dirty paw prints on my hardwood floor, cleaned the microwave to remove splatters, and attacked the toilet with a critical eye. I was sweaty, thirsty, and tired at the end of the day, but I also felt a rush of pleasure. My house was radiant!

My new attitude toward cleaning didn’t happen overnight. I still rarely get excited about doing the cleaning job, but I feel a surge of anticipation knowing the result will be worth it. I use the following “tricks” to make the process more enjoyable:

Create an arsenal of your favorite cleaning products and store them together. I can do almost all of my cleaning with a sponge and a few rags instead of using dozens of cleaning wipes or paper towels.
Listen to an engaging podcast or book on tape, or put on some upbeat tunes (my favorites are Hillsong United, Disney tunes, and Broadway musical soundtracks)
Treat cleaning as a workout and add a little elbow grease to your tasks.
Use a timer to help you stay on task (this will also provide proof that cleaning doesn’t take as long as you think)
Set up a reward to motivate you to complete your work (like reading outside, watching an episode of TV, or buying your favorite drink from Starbucks).

Another important step to overcoming the housekeeping blues is to have a plan. Spring cleaning in particular can involve a lot of tasks, and I know I’m not the only one who feels tired just thinking about it! My personal plan for spring cleaning this year is to focus on the tasks I consider most important and let go of the idea of doing everything. My top priority is to purge our storage spaces (closets, pantry, laundry room, etc.) and finally organize the garage sale I’ve been talking about for ages.

Ultimately, spending hours finding spring cleaning ideas on Pinterest won’t clean your house. Create a basic plan that is achievable for you and don’t worry about tasks you don’t have the time or energy for. Instead, focus on the attitude behind your work and view caring for your home as a way to care for a blessing God has provided for you.