Does Anyone Do Spring Cleaning Anymore?

fureverywhere

fureverywhere

beloved friend who will always be with us in spiri
Location
Northern NJ, USA
I remember every year around this time my parents would go bonkers with cleaning the house. They entertained friends weekly so I guess they wanted perfection. The smell of lemon polish takes me back. I would come home from school and my room would be cleared and the carpet rolled up.

There was a hardwood floor underneath and it was polished until you could see yourself. All the blankets and linens were washed and hung on the line to air dry. Then the blankets got stored for the summer. She'd rotate the closets too. Winter clothes got stored or donated.

I gotta hand it to my Mom...she was working more than full time and she still managed to do it. I was just up there trying to make sense of my daughter's clothes, dolls, books...she has a table that became a catch all. I'm almost to the bottom of it.

Now I'm grateful, I've been cleaning kids rooms forever. But this is easier...some teen girls rooms and you'll discover a tossed pregnancy test or funny foil packets. What I'm sorting now is just out grown clothes, kids books, school papers, oh and 10,000 Monster High dolls-their clothes, arms, notebooks, wigs, shoes, legs...

How about you? Any serious Spring cleaning?
 

I am not into heavy cleaning any time of year. I used to be a fuss budget but I don't really care anymore. When it gets done it gets done. :)
 
Actually I'm pleased...it started last year with my books, then the basement, now the kids rooms. Downsizing, knowing that if we have to move in the next decade we won't be drowning in unneeded stuff. Two leaf bags of toy and clothes donations plus the table that was buried. Woof, what a job but I feel good...just stuffy from dust bunnies.

I just wanted to add...her room is tiny. When they divided for bedrooms upstairs somebody must have been into their cups. One room takes up almost the whole floor and the other two...I've seen bathrooms a lot bigger. So here I am in this little closet sized room. Mr. Foote sleeps there during the day. He's more than twenty pounds...big boy. Okay I can work around him.

Then the dogs come in. Maybe two feet between the bed and dresser and I'm in the middle...with leaf bags and one for garbage. Sophie hops on top of the bed. Foote moves to the table and Callie stretches out at my feet. Thanks guys I know you like to be close but this is not helping me...now to get everything in the car.
 

I mostly just do the bedspreads, pillows, toss cushions stuff like that spring and fall. And go for a spare change hunt vacuuming underneath the sofa cushions.
 
I can no longer do it, but I have grandson move out the stove and refrigerator and clean behind and around them.

I wash the few windows, kitchen cabinets, vacuum upholstered furniture and another grandson does all the floor vacuuming.

I clean up all my potted plants.

The curtains were washed in the autumn, but I'll take the long drapes to the cleaners.

This year the closets have to be done; missed them last Spring, groan.
 
Oh yes. Mine starts the last day of spring and gets finished about the end of the following February. I'm in the vacation period right now. ;)
 
As a child, I remember having to help drag the mattresses out into the yard and lean them up against something to "sun" and "air out". The net curtains came down, were washed and then pegged onto "curtain stretchers" to dry. My grandmother dragged all the rugs out into the yard, hung them up on the clothesline and we took turns beating them to within an inch of their lives.

Me? I try to get the dead horse out of the living room before it starts stinking too badly.
 
I don't necessarily do it in spring. But a couple of times a year I get ambitious and do deep cleaning and reorganizing. Due for it now.
 
Something that would freak the rodent haters...at the bottom of everything...evidence that somebody was nibbling clothes to make a nest. Fortunately I don't fear the little beasties but not happy about shirts with holes...this room will be immaculate when I'm done.
 
No spring cleaning. I keep my place clean year round and I do reorganizing and tidying closets and such when inspired, it could be anytime.
 
I think the day of spring cleaning are gone with the days of women who do not work. To me, spring cleaning is remembering I need to take my valances down in the bedroom while I can hang them outside to dry after washing and cleaning the outsides of our windows.
 
I still fall and spring clean. Actually I go into a cleaning frenzy. After all these years I kind of have it down pat. I do start early because I like to get my garden and yard work going. I like knowing the inside is clean and tidy. I have made a few things easier. No more curtains or drapes. I put up shutters and just valances. I still have to clean the shutters, but better than washing and hanging curtains.
 
My mother used to iron sheets and pillowcases too Fur, seems like she always had the big ironing board out for something. Once a year when I wash my curtains and valances, I get out the iron before they get hung back up, but just use a towel on the kitchen table for that.

I never did any major spring cleaning, pretty much just do stuff when I'm in the mood...not too often. :) It was warm and nice today, I moved some furniture in the living room, washed the big window (inside only), watered my big plants, vacuumed, washed the kitchen floor and called it a day. Good to get some things out of the way, that's for sure. Not too fussy keeping house though, with pets and all we're very casual not really neatnicks.
 
I think I've used my iron once in the last ten years. Mom ironed everything except the cat weekly. Today is clean under daughter's bed. If nobody sees me by nightfall send the rescue workers...
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Ironing? What's ironing? I gave that up long ago. If it needs ironing, I don't need it.

I have osteoarthritis just about everywhere and if I do big heavy cleaning I really pay for it. So if there are awful things under my fridge they can just stay there.
 
My deep cleaning includes shampooing carpet, washing windows, photo frames, move out the sofa and hoover/vacuum under it, baseboards, wash doors (ours are the original doors 89 years old and painted white), take dishes out of cupboards and wipe out the shelves, wash the glass doors on them, our cupboards are off-white and I wipe them often but am more thorough when I deep clean, shine the stainless steel hood over the cooker, etc etc etc. I do one room at a time and do it top to bottom.

I try to do this twice a year but some rooms get done once. When guests are coming - usually my family from the US - I get motivated to do it. Sister is coming end of May, so I'm motivated.
 
I was actually doing some spring cleaning yesterday. A beautiful day here in MA, and a good time to hit some of the windows and get the clean after the winter. Lots more to do including removing the plexiglass inserts from our screen porch. Since I retired I've been in "organizing" mode, so my downstairs office is now pristine! My wife is thrilled.
 
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