Spring Cleaning

We’ve had hot, we’ve had cold, we’ve had everything in-between. It’s time to get down to Spring. I find spring cleaning to be a bit like the nesting instinct mothers go through just before the baby is born. It’s this overwhelming need to clean something, straighten up stuff and reorganize. I have great intentions when it comes to spring cleaning. I want to strip the room of all wall ornaments and moveable furniture and wipe down the walls, sweep away the cobwebs and clean the ceiling fan. Then my plan is to dust all the shelves, tables, chairs and knick knacks. Washing windows is not my favorite thing to do, but I force myself at least once a year. I am fortunate in this house to have tilt in windows that make washing the outside easy. After the windows, the vacuum cleaner comes out finish the job. Multiply that by seven rooms and it is a daunting task, at least in my mind.

I know there are women, and some men, out there who clean on a daily basis. I’m not sure what spring cleaning means to these people. But I’ll bet it isn’t a big deal. I had intentions of setting up a schedule of cleaning when I moved into this house: dusting on Monday, washing floors on Tuesday, vacuuming on Wednesday… you get the picture. It never happened. People walk into my house and they say Oh! You must clean all the time. They mistake cleaning with picking up. My husband is always on an anti-clutter campaign. He doesn’t care if the dust is an inch thick as long as the magazines and newspapers are put away. I will admit it makes the place look better at a glance, but I love the smell of a newly scrubbed house. Wonder if I’ll actually get any of it done?

A dear friend of mine from England is coming to visit at the end of the month. She is actually the impetus for cleaning. I have this insane need to make her think I am neat and organized person. I’m not sure why that is. But it does make a good excuse for getting things done.