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It's that time of year again... the holidays are over, the weather is warming up, and you're ready to tackle the big spring clean. But, like many other military wives, you might be finding it a bit daunting... so we've put together a few tips to make your life easier so you can get back to spending his paycheque and playing farmville on Facebook.
~ Declutter. If you don't love it, lose it. The only reason to keep something you don't love is if it's a heirloom or collectible item. Otherwise, get rid of it.
~ Find everything a home. if it's a bathroom item, it goes in the bathroom, not in the middle of the dining room.
~ Handle it once, whenever possible. When you're putting something away, put it away. Don't put it down to handle later... you'll only increase your workload.
~ If it's broken, either fix it or get rid of it. If you can't fix it or find someone else to do so, it's probably time to replace it. Great excuse to go shopping!
~ Work from the top, down. This goes for decluttering, tidying and cleaning. This way, you avoid messing up surfaces you've already cleaned.
written by Anita Buchet
~ Break it down into smaller tasks. Working from top to bottom (of course) start with tasking yourself on such things as making all the beds, collecting all the dirty dishes or washing all the glass surfaces. Don't get distracted from one task before it is complete, except to put something in it's place.
~ Time yourself. If you give yourself no more than 10 minutes per room/per task to tidy and clean, you'll move quicker and waste less time with distractions. Plus, by timing yourself, you won't feel so overwhelmed by the idea of having to deal with the WHOLE PLACE all at once.
~ Take breaks for yourself, but don't get caught up in something else in the middle of your Spring Cleaning. If you must check in with your Facebook, time yourself so you don't lose track of time.
~ Delegate tasks. If you have other family members, give them a list of things they can tackle as well to lessen your work load.
~ Maintain! If you don't want the place to get messy again, stay on top of the messes as they happen. If you spill something, wipe it up right away. Take a few minutes every day to tidy up and the next time, it won't be overwhelming.