When I was growing up, spring cleaning always happened before Easter but for a lot of Canadians, the preferred time to get to work is the May long weekend. According to an Ipsos Reid poll, 82% of Canadians will choose that weekend to roll up their sleeves and deep clean their home.
What are Canadians’ top priorities for spring cleaning?
Gardening and Landscaping – 65%
Window Cleaning – 59%
Getting Organized – 57%
How much time will we spend cleaning?
Quebecers – 10 hours
Albertans – 9 hours
Ontarians – 8.7 hours
British Columbians – 8.4 hours
Atlantic Canadians – 8.3 hours
Saskatchewan/Manitobans – 7.7 hours
If this is how you’ll be spending one of the first long weekends of the summer, here are some tips to help:
Make a plan. Gather the tools you need. Prioritize: if you’re pressed for time what’s more important, decluttering or deep cleaning? Have meals prepared in advance. Create a schedule for visiting the charity drop off or the dump for items that can’t be donated or recycled.
Declutter then clean. Use one day to sort, declutter, and purge and the next day to deep clean the newly de-cluttered rooms. (Use the holiday Monday to rest and relax!)
Use a timer to stay focused. Once you start to work, you could be surprised how much you get done. Start by making an estimate of how long your work should take then after half an hour revisit. Set the timer and work until the timer goes off. No breaks till you get to that goal!
Commit to one room at a time. It’s easy to get distracted and move from one area to another. But remember to stay focused and work quickly. Use a laundry basket to carry items that don’t belong and clear it after every room is complete.
Make it fun. Play your favourite music while you work and promise yourself rewards to enjoy at the end of the day. Plan a party or celebration in your newly cleaned home.
Print off our handy worksheet and get to work!
Posted by: Maria