It is that time of year again! The time where gardens are being cleaned out, kids are growing taller, and people are pushing aside their spring cleaning. Spring cleaning is something in which not very many people wish to take part. It is time-consuming, boring, and just makes a person sad to think about how much junk that they have. In addition, spring cleaning can be difficult because the weather is beautiful and drives a person to spend the day in the fresh air and not inside cleaning. As much as people hate spring cleaning, here are some tips that help to get you motivated!

Tip number 1: Start small. It is easy to get overwhelmed by all that you have to take care of. There is the bedroom, the living room, the garage, and do not forget about that random junk closet. Take small steps and clean one room at a time. By worrying about only one, will reduce the stress level of trying to get it all done at once. After you have finished that room, move on to another one and, next thing you know, you’ll be finished for another year.

Tip number 2: Put on something in the background. It is very awkward to clean in silence. If this is your forte, fine, but, for those that it's not, try to listen to music, a podcast, or even call a relative. Everyone has busy schedules and giving your favorite cousin or Aunt that you haven’t talked to recently is sure to make the time fly!

Tip number 3: Ready, Set, Go! Take it from Mary Poppins, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and SNAP! The job’s a game…” Make it a challenge to see how much can be cleaned in a certain amount of time. Try setting a timer for thirty minutes and see how far that you can get through a room. After the thirty minutes is up, look at how much that you have accomplished. You will be surprised that it is more than you thought you would be able to do!

Tip number 4: Include breaks. Cleaning can be very overwhelming. Take short breaks, no more than thirty minutes, and stretch out. Cleaning can cause you to be hunched over in strange positions and create pain in your body. Stretching helps to loosen up your joints and ease the pain from bending over. Some stretches to try are touching your toes, pulling one arm across your chest (then the other one), and the butterfly. 

Tip number 5: Netflix is your best friend! There are so many great shows and movies on Netflix. Instead of sitting on the couch curled up under a blanket, scroll through, find a favorite show or movie, and put it on in the background! If you do not have a TV in the room that you wish to clean, put it on an Ipad or a phone and listen to the show that you have selected. Try listening to a cooking show and maybe you will get some ideas about what to do for dinner after the hard day of cleaning that you just accomplished!

Tip number 6: Grab a buddy. In addition to calling your relatives, get your bestie to come over and help you. Speaking from experience, cleaning is way more fun when you and a friend are jamming out to some music or just getting lost in conversation. Before you know it, the room will be cleaned in a fraction of the time that complaining would take you. 

I hope that my S.P.R.I.N.G cleaning tips have inspired you to go and tackle that messy room or junk closet in your home. Cleaning is not something that everyone enjoys but makes it worth the time. Getting the mind distracted will help to get things done quickly so you can go outside and enjoy the beautiful day!