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Fall Cleaning

Why does spring cleaning get all the press? I’ve never understood it. If I must do the heavy-duty, nooks-and-crannies cleaning, then I surely want to do it in the fall, when I’m going to be housebound all winter long. During the summer, we’re hanging out at the pool or at the park, inevitably tracking in dirt, mud, or worse (we have two pet dogs). Spring cleaning, to me, carries the same logic as cleaning up before a party. I learned the hard way that if you’re planning on doing some serious cleaning, it should come after the guests leave, not before they arrive. Pre-party clean-up should be limited to spot cleaning, hiding the clutter, and lighting some scented candles! So, if you know that winter will most likely to be spent indoors, then don’t be afraid to reverse the trend. Do your spring-cleaning in the fall!

Step One: Break It Down
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you have already read my first two books, “Hannah’s Art of Home” and “Hannah Keeley’s Total Mom Makeover,” then you know about the magic of zone cleaning. Just break your home down into different zones, and tackle it one at a time. For example, the entrance to your home may be zone one. During the first week of fall cleaning, just focus on that zone. De-clutter the coat closet. Wash the windows, inside and out. Give it a coat of fresh paint or clean the walls. When that week is over, you can move on to zone two. You’ll be done with fall cleaning before you know it.

Step Two: Get It Out
When you do that de-cluttering, don’t forget to get rid of the junk that has piled up all year long. When you clean a zone, keep a large box or sturdy bag handy to toss in items that you no longer need or want. When the box or bag is full, seal it up and take it out to your car right away. If you keep it sitting around, you will be tempted to dig back through it and retrieve that lovely sweater your Aunt Madge gave you for Christmas that has a knitted Rudolph with a fuzzy pom-pom nose! The more you can get rid of the better. We can all benefit from a little extra space to spread our wings!

Step Three: Dress It Up
When you finish a zone, why not put some frosting on top? Putting some decorative touches on your zone after you clean it will not only entice you to finish the task, but it will also look pretty darn cute! Around my home, I like to end my fall cleaning zone by decorating for Christmas. Spreading the holiday cheer gets me motivated to get the cleaning out of the way so that I can enjoy the season. For example, when I finish cleaning up my entrance, I hang a wreath and put the lights up. Okay, so we may be the only house with Christmas lights up in early November, but who cares?