I love it when the winter sun is shining. I find it invigorating and a sunny day encourages me to get out of the house to go for a walk. Or I might wander around my garden, searching for the first bulbs pushing up through the leaves.
Sunshine is streaming through my windows today, which while incredibly welcome, does show up my somewhat relaxed approach to cleaning in the winter! Dust motes drift through the air and a slight breeze wafts the long-since abandoned spider's webs that are difficult to see on a grey day, but are now clearly in view.
Time for some Spring Cleaning, which curiously will coincide with Imbolc, a Gaelic festival celebrated on 1st February each year. Imbolc marks the midway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Historically, it was a time when people prepared for spring, so I am feeling very in tune with my Celtic ancestors as we prepare for Spring.
Comfortable Clothing Helps
I usually change into something suitable or cover up with an apron or similar that can be washed afterwards. Our Japanese style aprons are perfect since they slip over your head easily without having lots of ties to grapple with.
Target One Room At A Time
It's probably quite tempting to think that you can get it all done at once but realistically trying to tidy, declutter and clean more than one room at a time is probably a mistake. The old adage of "how do you eat an elephant" - the answer being "one bite at a time", makes sense to me. Maybe make a list of the rooms that need doing in priority order? You choose the priority, whether that is ease or urgent need!
Tidy Up First
Cleaning is nearly impossible with a table overflowing with books, sewing projects, tablets, coasters and plants. Time to put things away and declutter as much as possible.
I love a bag to stash things in! At Helen Round we only make things that we would find useful at home. This Bee Useful Linen Pouch is great for chargers, pencils and bits and pieces that I like to have around and want to keep together.
Another product that came out of my need to keep things organised is our Cache Pot - as I call it - in the studio and online it's described as a Fabric Storage Pot. I put plants in them, use them to keep stationery together, and put them in my drawers as drawer dividers. Great for sorting out a room.
Time To Clean
I imagine that everyone has their own way to clean. I start from the top and work down, lastly cleaning skirting boards and floors. It was my "Home Makers" badge in the Brownies that taught me that cleaning from top to bottom was the best way forward - funny what sticks! Your approach will obviously depend on the kind of fixtures and fittings that you have and whether you have solid flooring, carpets or rugs or a mixture.
My top tip here is to make sure that you have everything you need in one place so you're not having to keep looking for additional cloths or brushes to help with the job. In the past I've used a bucket to keep cleaning things together. Then we developed these large fabric storage bags which are great for carrying cloths, cleaners and polishes from room to room.
Which Products To Use?
I'm not an expert on this at all. I did find myself searching out an All-Purpose Cleaner that was environmentally friendly and didn't have lots of toxic chemicals recently and there are quite a few on the market. There are also some great books on Green Cleaning which offer home made recipes for cleaners for wood, glass and other surfaces. The main idea is to find something that works for you and our environment with as little plastic as possible!
Our Eco Kitchen Sponge Cloths are made from 70% and 30% recycled cotton and are 100% compostable in a home compost system. I really love them because they can be used in Kitchens, Bathrooms or anywhere that you are wiping surfaces or clearing up spills. You can have the satisfaction and confidence of knowing that they are 100% plastic free and at the end of their life, they disappear away to nothing, with no residue.
Celebrate Your Success
I think there is nothing more restful and relaxing than an organised, clean room. It won't necessarily stay like that, but its a good opportunity to enjoy it. Make a cup of tea, sit down and enjoy the moment!
I hope you've find my approach to Spring Cleaning helpful. It is after all, a great way to get some exercise while looking after your home, creating an environment that feels restful and creative.
Do you have any Spring Cleaning tips or advice or any stories that you'd like to share - we'd love to hear from you. You can email me or post your comments on social media; find us on Facebook or Instagram.
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