Last week my issue of Real Simple arrived and on the cover it boasted “Spring Cleaning Shortcuts” and devoted pages upon pages to all the things that need to be taken care of this season when it comes to cleaning one’s home: carpeting and rugs, windows, closets, mattresses…they all need my attention, apparently.
Here’s my confession: I don’t plan on doing ANY of it this year.
This year has been insane. We moved, we renovated our entire home, we had a baby, we made it through apple harvest, I started the real estate course when my baby was six weeks old, we endured endless months of sleepless nights (oh, wait, I’m still doing that), we spent most of the winter fighting the flu, I started boot camp…..we are doing enough and if the windows don’t get wiped this year, I’m OK with that.
My tentative plan is to keep treading water when it comes to housework. I’ll try my best to keep things semi-presentable for a few more years, then when the kids are a bit older we’ll ship them off to Grandma’s house and spend a solid week undoing the damage of neglect. See? I WILL do spring cleaning. Just not until 2014.
What about you? Do you have a grandiose to-do list for your spring cleaning goals? Do you hire help with things like windows and carpet cleaning, or are you one of those saints who does it all herself, with a smile and a cute handkerchief tied around her stylish updo as she gently wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand?
We’re still treading water here too. At least until summer when I’m off work.
I like Tracey’s advice “Do laundry sometimes, feed your kids, and go to bed”. Best. Advice. Ever.
K, so I’ve been trying to sweep and dry mop my floors once a week and just sweep and spot clean daily. I live in a 600 square foot trailer (one level people), and I managed to complete my goal as described yesterday. Guess what, there is absolutely no evidence of my victory over dirt yesterday today! Why do I bother? The only time my house is semi comfortable to hang out it is after 9pm (an hour after the kids are in bed). So if you come to my house leave your shoes on, but take off your glasses and wear your play clothes…er coveralls actually!
Right now I have a table saw and a table mounted miter saw in my kitchen where my kitchen table should be. I have a whole work bench full of tools nicely displayed on a 6′ table in my living room. Did I mention our house is 600’square? That means a large portion of my home is now a tool shed! Yuck. My spring cleaning will be to return those tools to the ACTUAL tool shed, renos or no renos
Just as an aside: that Hoarders show scares the bejebies out of me! I usually feel all high and mighty at the beginning, but then I think what if I’m like that and no one has tough loved me through the reality check yet!! I mean those people never intended to get the way they do, just as I never intend to have anyone shovel me out of my house. Yet, sadly, I can see how it happens! So anyway, I think I’ll go move some tools now….
I’m with Julie… Hoarders will make you feel soooooo much better about things.
Seriously, I wouldn’t sweat it at all. Practice sleeping. Really. I don’t do a massive spring cleaning… anyway, I have Martin for that. (Heh.) Our house isn’t very big, and we don’t have any curtains (oh hai neighbours!) and no carpets that can’t be thrown in the machine. I do everything I normally do to clean the house… sometimes I wipe windows with Windex. A little bit. (Mostly, I never do.) I wish I could hire someone to wash these floors though (which is something else I never do.)
You kids are small. Your house is big. You have an infant. You have an orchard. You have a real estate job thing going. Do laundry sometimes, feed your kids, and go to bed. That’s all you have to do until 2014, at the earliest!!
I have grand plans to pressure wash the outside of the house, paint the inside stairs to the basement, and clean all the cobwebs/bug traps out of the windows. Not too lofty a goal but they all take a little time and can’t be done alone!
I always breathe a sigh of relief when you share about your goals (and the reality) for house cleaning. Treading water is the perfect description for my view on it right now. Sadly, my hubby doesn’t have the same perspective. He’s a rockstar when it comes to cleaning the kitchen, which technically should free me to take care of all the other stuff. Somehow that doesn’t happen. I’m super excited though, because this weekend he’s taking all 3 boys away overnight and all day Saturday so I can putter around the house and get stuff done. I really need to rise to the occasion and make a dent in the disarray that is our home. Then I’m holding out hope for September when I’ll only have one kid at home with me. Surely then I’ll be able to keep up with things a little better. Sigh.
I am in the middle of moving for the first of two times (all while in my third trimester). I can see the dirt caked on windows, floors, etc. And I just don’t care. I’m with you. I want a clean house, but I also want to keep my sanity. And cleaning just isn’t something I can deal with right now.
So, I say, live with the dirty house. And make happy memories with your kids!
i’m telling you, watch hoarders. it will do wonders for your self esteem!
When I had young children I never did spring cleaning. I closed my eyes and didn’t look too closely at the curtains, rugs, or windows. Not that my girls are older I do a little spring cleaning myself but don’t enjoy it. I actually cleaned my crystal chandelier yesterday, it took 1.5 hours (total pain in the butt, why did I ever buy it??).
Our reno is demanding a massive clean and purge. But you, my friend, should not be adding this to your list of things that need your attention! When sleep is on the list spring cleaning should not be 😉