Spring Cleaning: Let’s do this!

Spring cleaning 2021. How’s it been for you?

If you’re anything like us, then you’ve probably been struggling a bit to pick up the old feather duster. Lockdown has been something of a motivation killer for many over the past year and, now that we’re at the beginnings of opening up again, priorities have shifted to far more pleasurable activities.

Traditionally, this annual cleanathon tends to kicks off in April. It’s not in any way an obligatory festival within all households. Some may find it an entirely alien concept. Spring cleaning? What is spring cleaning? Do you not clean all year around?

Indeed.

But, let’s not beat around the bush here. It has been a torrid sort of year and pulling out that decade old tin of Mr Muscle from the back of the furthest drawer has just not been something that has been playing on the coconut between the ears.

So, let us ease you in gently. We’re not here to tell you each and every little task that needs to be done. Heck, you know what they are. We’re just here to give you that little bit of a nudge that you might need just to get you going.

How do you start? Where do you start?

Well, dear reader, let us start where all good things start. Let us start, quite rightly, with a list.

Get Planning: Looking at all of the things that you need to do can get a trifle overwhelming. It can all get jumbled up in the mind and you might end up missing half of it because, well, you forgot about it. So get yourself organised. Sit down and write a list of all the things that need your attention. Why not do it by the room? Once it’s all down in writing, you’ll know where you’re at and it might not all seem quite as scary.

Prioritize: Now that it’s all down, have a think about which tasks need the most attention. Are some in desperate need of focus? Are some especially time consuming? Take your list and put it in an order that you think works. But don’t be shy on being flexible. Remember, the Scottish weather is a fickle old thing. You may want to make hay whilst the sun is shining.

Organise Equipment: You might very well have everything you need, but have a look anyway and make sure that you’re good to go.  Is that hoover still fit for purpose? Are you going to need to hire the right kit to clean that rug? Hopefully you won’t have to spend too much money, but have a think about it and make any purchases before you get stuck in.

Delegate Tasks: If you’re on your own, this won’t exactly be an option. But, then again, the tasks ahead of you are unlikely to be as daunting (Gulp! We hope).  If, however, you have a partner, children or flatmates, then it’s time to get them involved. Sit them down and explain your plan of attack. As well as getting a tough job done, it can also be a great bonding exercise (They’re unlikely to believe that, but throw it in there anyway. You may earn some points for creativity and effort)

Learn From Experience: Don’t really like doing all of this spring cleaning malarkey every year? Then do as the unnamed soldier at the top of our piece says and clean all year around. Now you’ve got it all down and you know all the bits and pieces that you need to keep on top of, participate in frequent nudges rather than one annual heave. We know it can be tough and, in the winter especially, you just want to hide under the duvet and eat chocolate. But have a think about it. It may make your life a lot easier in the long run.

Some people love it. Some people hate it. But doing a bit of a spring clean is, in the end, something you should definitely consider doing if, like many of us, you have let things go a bit over the cooler months. Our recommendation? Start with a spring cleaning checklist. From there, you’ll be good to go and ready take on anything your home throws at you. Let’s do this!