Spring Cleaning Rituals

As we begin to thaw out and look forward to spring, an annual ritual looms: spring cleaning.

In our home it’s a family affair. My husband focuses on outdoors while I get my hands dirty inside. It’s actually therapeutic in a way as we rid ourselves of the old and make room for what this new year brings.

Indoor Chores

My spring cleaning starts in the mudroom. With the snow and rain behind us, I wash and put away winter coats, snow pants, boots, hats and mittens.  

My young son often outgrows his clothing by the end of the season. So I compile a “giveaway” bag of clothes and boots we can pass on to other local families.  

Then I get scrubbing. I clean the mudroom from top to bottom. It’s surprising how dirty it gets during those winter months. To accompany the newly cleaned room, I invite in fresh air by opening all of the windows in the house (just in short spurts if it’s still cold outside). 

Next I head to our bedroom. I wash and put away our heavy down duvet and replace it with lighter bedding.  

To finish up, I remove window plastic (for those on the West Coast, that’s insulation film) and clean, dust and vacuum all of the rooms in the house.

Outdoor Chores

While I focus on the inside, my husband cleans, washes and fertilizes outside.

In anticipation of this season of renewal, he cleans the lawn mower and adds fresh gas and oil. He sharpens the blades and makes sure other lawn tools are also sharp and clean.

He rakes the grass and planters to get rid of debris and fertilizes bushes and shrubs. After a dormant winter, he gets out the hoses and turns on water faucets. He assesses outside projects to be done—painting the trim, touching up clapboards, replacing broken sprinkler heads.

Then he heads to the store. He buys fertilizer and fresh soil, gardening items and any supplies he’ll need for projects.

Since my son loves to ride his bike, my husband tunes it, wipes it down and replaces parts as needed.

As I clean the inside windows, my husband and his squeegee work their magic outside.