Experts Inspire You to Do Spring Cleaning

It is time to do spring cleaning and get the winter out and sunshine in! I am Spring Cleaning challenged because I hate cleaning. So I asked for a few tips from my favorite organizing bloggers on how to get your kids involved in it (because I don't want to do all the work by myself), and to give us some extra inspiration for spring cleaning. I think spring cleaning can be fun family time making children feel they are important part of the family and how their contribution is so deeply appreciated. Are you up for a Spring Cleaning Challenge? While I am having a Spring Cleaning Challenge, three Lifetime Moms have been working on community outreach and Clean Start Challenge since the beginning of this year. There is still time for you to vote for your favorite team and enter to the sweepstakes to win $5,000. I support Beth Feldman in her mission to boost children's self-esteem, and raising money for Love Our Children USA.

I interviewed two fantastic organizing bloggers Mandi Ehman of Organizing Your Way and Sandy Jenney of Organize with Sandy.

Lifetime Mom Katja: How do you "celebrate" spring cleaning? Is it a big deal in your home?

Mandi: I really "spring clean" whenever I feel like things are getting dirty or cluttered, and so we probably go through each area of our home 3-4 times a year. There is something especially invigorating about spring cleaning in the spring, though, when you can open windows and enjoy the fresh air. It's really refreshing to have a clean and uncluttered space after the long winter!

Sandy: I don't know that I necessarily celebrate the cleaning. I do celebrate spring though! I love it because I start opening windows and let all that wonderful sunshine and warm air into my house... it give me the incentive to clean and make the inside of my house just as sunny and bright!  Organizing is always a big deal in my house and part of that is cleaning as I go. This year spring cleaning is a bigger deal to me. We have decided to stay in the home we are in rather than sell (due to the economy). So I am in the "make over" mood for my house. Big changes will be coming and with that some really good deep cleaning.

Lifetime Mom Katja: Do you have some ideas for cleaning up the winter clutter and getting your house ready for the new season?

Mandi: My biggest recommendation is to focus on one area at a time rather than trying to do it all at once. Even if it takes you a few weeks, that way it will feel better and last longer if you focus on each room or area one at a time! I have made it very simple for you, just follow the steps in my post Spring Cleaning Party Revisited.

Sandy: Be sure to go through everything. It is so easy to just leave all those winter boots and winter coats in the closets. But go through them, see what fits, what is too small, do you have matches for all the gloves? Donate those items that are in good shape. Store those snow shovels, sleds and skies on racks on your garage wall if possible, or in an attic or garage rafters. If you haven't already, get all the winter decorations and candles put away. Decorate with fresh, spring light colors. You can read more in a Spring cleaning post I wrote.

Lifetime Mom Katja: Do you involve your kids in the cleaning?

Mandi: My kids are younger, so I don't involve them too much in the heavy cleaning because I know they don't yet have that attention to detail. But they help me declutter, especially their toys and clothes, because I want them to learn how to make those decisions, even the hard ones, so that they'll be better prepared to do it as adults. 

Sandy: Absolutely!! I am a firm believer in having the kids have chores. They have daily jobs such as cleaning their rooms and helping with clearing or setting the table. We normally have a weekend day where, for a couple of hours, everyone pitches in to get some cleaning done. I also think that the kids having their own cleaning buckets helps them to "own" it. They take pride and want to help. I look at it as my job to train them to be on their own. Part of that is having responsibilities as a family member and learning to be self sufficient. We are not helping our children by doing everything for them. We have a chore board and the jobs change weekly. They are simple to make and you can make them as fancy or simple as you'd like, you can read my instructions on how to make a chore board.