Why Spring Cleaning Is More Important Than Ever In The Pandemic
There's a difference between cleaning in general and spring cleaning.
Rawpixel/Shutterstock About this time every year, people start talking about doing their spring cleaning.
For some people, that means washing windows and window screens as well as getting outside furniture ready.
For other people, it means moving furniture, cleaning the dust bunnies, and reorganizing the furniture placement.
This year, however, we’ve all been doing so much cleaning. Constantly wiping down counters and packages, washing hands, and being organized to clean at a moment’s notice.
So, why would we even want to engage in spring cleaning? Is there a difference? The short answer is "yes," there is.
Here are 5 reasons why spring cleaning is different and more important than ever in pandemic times.
1. It's a time to look back.
Last year around this time is when we all hunkered down in our homes. Can you believe it? The Coronavirus that we hoped would only last a few weeks was quickly turning into a pandemic with no end in sight.
We closed ourselves in only venturing out for the absolutely necessary. Overnight, our homes became the place we never left.
These homes had to accommodate all the activities we typically did outside the home as well as those for which we came home.
They morphed into school rooms, fitness centers, entertainment zones, offices, Zoom rooms, non-stop dining facilities, and bedrooms — changing as the need changed.
2. Our homes are packed.
We packed our homes with extra food, cleaning supplies, and the necessary items to support our lifestyle at home.
Exercise equipment took over corners in some homes. We planned our time to allow for extra hand washing, clothes washing, and face mask washing.
Then, we got ourselves organized to clean and remove germs as we went along.
3. There are so many activities but so little space.
So many families have, out of necessity, packed all their activities into the home.
Is there space to do spring cleaning? Do we need to do that, after all the cleaning we’ve been doing?
I wonder if the time is right to unpack all that has been jammed into our homes. Are we ready to open up our homes, let the sunshine in, and experience life outside the shelter of our homes?
4. You can get rid of dirt.
If you're ready to get organized to clean, spring cleaning style, take the next six weeks or so to gradually go through your home tackling the spaces you want to deeply clean.
The difference between the cleaning we’ve been doing and spring cleaning is that spring cleaning involves deeply cleaning each aspect of the space.
Cleaning, in general, gets rid of dust, dirt, grime, and, of course, germs.
Bring in the cleaning supplies that you need to have on hand. Decide if you're going to chase the cobwebs near the windows or tackle the dust bunnies under the furniture.
Maybe you're going to do both of these things.
5. You can start reorganizing.
A good reason to embark on a spring cleaning routine, even though we've been continually cleaning everything, is that it will freshen up your home and lift your spirits.
Take some time to get organized to clean out the things you know you won’t be using. Unpack the supplies that have been stuffed into corners.
There may be clutter lurking in those corners also.
I understand hanging onto a few extras of certain things that were in short supply during the first wave of the pandemic. However, as a professional organizer, I encourage you not to stockpile too much.
These stockpiles take up valuable real estate in our homes and I’ve already listed all the ways that our homes serve us.
If the things you don’t need any more are in good condition, donate them.
Do you have a suitcase that you know you don’t want? Clean it up and then take it to a foster care office. They give these suitcases to foster children, so they have something in which to put their belongings other than a garbage bag.
Remove winter clothes that your children have outgrown from their closets. Do the same things with your winter clothes.
Set them aside to donate in the early fall when donation centers will be ready to accept them. Put the clothes in a plastic tub in the attic or garage and put a reminder in your calendar to donate the contents in the fall.
If you feel like you're continually getting organized to clean and are unsure if you want to do any spring cleaning, remember that there's a difference. Think about it that way.
Whether you engage in spring cleaning this year or not, I hope you embrace the coming season. There's a change in the way we are anticipating spring this year.
Make your home ready to enjoy all that the coming season has to offer.
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of Filled Up and Overflowing.