The history of spring cleaning is rooted in cultural and religious beliefs. For example, the Jewish people clean their home as a sign of respect during Passover (which is celebrated during springtime) and the Chinese believe that cleaning the home just before New Years (which arrives in Spring) rids the home of bad luck that may have accumulated during the previous year. For many of us, we just feel the need to clean, organize and spruce up our homes after a long and cold winter.
Fireplaces
The fireplace is a good place to begin your spring cleaning. When fall and winter arrive we make sure the flue is clean and load up on wood to burn. There is something so cozy and inviting about a fire on a cold and snowy or rainy night. But when springtime arrives we can’t wait to throw open the doors and windows and welcome the warmth and sunshine. We no longer desire a fire but we still have a large black hole in our living room to contend with. Adding a fireplace summer screen that visually represents the new season is a great way to decorate the fireplace. Birds, feathers, leaves and floral motifs can create an interesting focal point in the room and these designs are pretty enough to act as artwork in the space. Carry the bird theme throughout the room. There are lots of prints of birds available today as well as pillows, candle holders, and other accessories featuring our little feathered friends.
Organize
Spring is a time of renewal. Take the time to visit each room in your home and make several stacks of items to “renew” the space.
• The first stack will be items to be donated. This could be clothing, bedding, knick knacks, old holiday decorations, toys, cookware, tools, DVDs and movies.
• The second stack will be items to be discarded. Basically, any item that is not worthy enough to be given away should go in this stack. Anything broken or soiled should be thrown away.
• The third stack will be items to be recycled. Old magazines, books, glass, newspapers etc.
• The fourth stack will be items you intend to keep. Now you must find a place for these items. That could be storage bins, shelving, under bed storage, specific boxes designed to hold shoes, sweaters, cds, etc.
Spring cleaning and organizing your home now will free up time for you to enjoy the warm and carefree months of summer just ahead.
