Ah, the time has sprung forward and the birds are singing earlier.  It is time to throw back the shutters, pull off the heavy bedding and breathe in the stale air of winter that reminds you that there is a task of all tasks a head of you!  Spring Cleaning!

Here are five tips and tricks that can turn your gloom into bloom when it comes to getting clean and organized in a quick and not so dirty way!

1: Have a Spring Cleaning Plan.

Like any big project, forming a plan is the best way to set the whole experience up for success.  Briefly outline what needs to be done.  Wash windows, change out linens, scrub base boards, clean out pantry, etc.  Set realistic expectations of a completion date.  I, being a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers, give myself one full week.

2: Purge, De-Clutter, and Re-Organize.

Getting organized always seems to make the most mess and that is why I do it first. Make sure you are armed with trash bags, a large box, a couple rags/paper towels and cleaning spray for wiping down the surfaces as you re-organize. Separate things into three categories; keeper, garage sale/charity pick-up (there are many charities that will do at-home pick-ups), and trash.  Make sure you keep things that you use at least once a year and purge the rest, unless it is of personal sentiment. I make it a habit when reorganizing to empty each closet, cabinet, or drawer and touch each thing so I can ask myself the question, “Do I really need this?”  It also allows me to clean the surfaces well.  This usually takes me two days for a house that is 2,300 square feet.

3: Work in Rhythm with Your House

Clean in a rhythm that makes sense.  For instance, now that the reorganization is done in each room, you can tackle all the dusting of baseboards, door panels, room corners, light fixtures and fan blades in a couple of hours. Then you wash windows for the next cleaning session. Next, you tackle the kitchen stove and refrigerator (why is self cleaning only available on the oven and not the refrigerator?). Then off to the dreaded bathrooms for the next round of cleaning. Lastly, get the carpets cleaned.  It can be a do-it-yourself project or delegate it to the professionals! You probably can come across coupons on carpet cleaning in your next round of mail.  Each one of these cleaning sessions takes about two to three hours.

4: Cleaning Faster is Sometimes Smarter.

Setting time limits and setting a timer on things such as scrubbing baseboards and clean out the refrigerator keeps you on task without getting sidetracked. For instance, do the majority of cleaning while the kids nap or are at school.

5: Get Rid of the Distractions During Bouts of Cleaning!

While cleaning turn off the computer or TV, let the answering machine or cell phone pick up and do not plan play dates or outings on those days.

Happy Cleaning!