I don’t know about you, but spring is my favorite time of year and the last thing I want to do is spend my weekend or multiple weekends focusing on cleaning and organizing my entire home each spring.  Instead of pulling out that long list of spring cleaning duties, consider breaking up the list into bite size pieces to be completed throughout the year. Maintenance is a much easier solution and a tremendous time saver.

Pick Your Battles

Look at your list and determine the cleaning and organizing tasks that make the most sense for this time of year.  For example, closets are a great place to start because this is the time of year we change from winter to spring/summer attire.  Garages are another good area of focus.  Now is the time to put away the snow blower and pull out the lawn mower.  And, let’s be honest, things tend to get piled and tossed into the garage all winter, so it’s time for a garage clean-out.  Your garden shed is another great fit for seasonal organizing.  Inspect and sharpen your garden tools, take stock of your supplies, clean your clay pots and determine your tool storage area based on how often you use the tools. With the onset of warmer weather comes the need to change to lighter blankets and comforters.  Once the bed is striped you can vacuum and turn the mattress to complete the process.

Maintenance is Key

Now that you have decided which areas make sense to organize during the spring season; let’s break the rest of that cleaning and organizing list into manageable tasks to be completed throughout the year.  Baseboards, doors and cobwebs can be dusted and cleaned during the winter when you’re stuck inside during a snowstorm.  Lampshades and ceiling fans can be dusted at regular intervals when you dust the rest of your home. Draperies, blinds and carpets can be cleaned in the fall or the end of the summer.  Many people have self cleaning ovens that can be cleaned any time of the year and grease traps and stove filters are easy to replace or clean on an as needed basis.

Consistency is the Name of the Game

Having a consistent, year around routine will help you avoid investing large chunks of time in the spring.  Instead, get out and smell the forsythia, spend time with family and friends or do whatever makes you happier at this wonderful time of year.  Organizing and cleaning are necessary for a functional life, so finding ways to spread it out and make it easier in the long run will save you endless hours each season.