Spring Cleaning Simplified + FREE PRINTABLES
One Saturday, I think it was a Saturday, Raymond came home from the golf course and made a comment about how dirty the house was.
Okay, so it probably didn’t go exactly like that, but that is how my memory recalls it.
I recall him making a snide remark about how much dust was on the dresser and how the dust bunnies were chasing each other down the hallway.
Being a little triggered by his dirty house comment, I clapped back with statements about him not helping or offering to help clean the house and questioned his expectation for me to do it all.
It wasn’t a full blown argument but it was a debate that led to a really positive outcome. Our Cleaning Calendar!
It’s really simple and feels a little silly, but we are people do best with a plan. Without it, we pretty much flounder.
Raymond recommended that we divide up the rooms in the house and then divy them up by week. Each week one of us would clean two rooms which meant the house would be cleaned twice a month.
I was in!
We created a little chart slash calendar and got busy filling it in, being mindful of the rotation of rooms.
Progress report: We are doing pretty well! clears throat I’m doing a little better than him, but hey, who’s asking. ;)
We simplified our cleaning supply years ago and use a few simple ingredients to make up our solutions. Bonus points for us because they are sans toxins. (!) It is down right maddening the stuff they put in cleaning supplies and then we wonder why we have a dizzy spell while cleaning the bathtub with Scrubbing Bubbles.
My favorite DIY recipe is our glass cleaner - 1 part rubbing alcohol, 1 part distilled water. That is IT! Just be careful not to spray it on wood as it will take off the finish. Ask me how I know. :P
We also use castile soap to make up our dish soap, hand soap, and multi-purpose surface cleaner.
I’m on the hunt for one that doesn’t use palm oil, but in the meantime I really enjoy Dr. Bronners. We always buy the unscented/baby version so we can use it to wash Cody.
Two things that I stopped doing myself were laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. I tried a few different recipes but did not like the result. Stuff would still feel dirty.
Not to mention, I HATED having all those supplies taking up space in my cabinets. You had to buy quite a bit to make one recipe’s worth and I just found the tradeoff not worth it. I stick to low tox brands and pray that they won’t give me cancer.
CLEANING TIPS
Straighten up and put things away as you go. Fold the disheveled blankets. Throw away the junk mail. etc
Declutter anything you touch that you really don’t like or want. I recommend doing a deep clean and declutter twice a year but it’s always nice to purge a little as you go.
Make a list of things you need to replace or fix. The lightbulbs that are out. The wreath that is begging for a command hook.
Make a list of things you want. I like to create a shopping list of items that I would like and what it would replace. I keep it in my purse so when I’m out at an estate sale or a secondhand store, I know what to look for. Bonus points if you have your measurements handy!
FREE PRINTABLES
I’ve attached all the free printables here so you can print and use however you would like!
Might I recommend a section in your recipe binder for cleaning “recipes”.
When it comes to cleaning, my first mission is own as few as possible supplies to get by and for those products to be as low tox as possible. The next mission is to make it pretty.
I use a vinegar bottle for my dish soap and a cake stand to corral all those necessities near the sink.
CLEANING PRODUCTS I LOVE
These are products I LOVE. Some of these products are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I get a commission if you click through and make a purchase. For more information, check out my disclaimer. Thank you for your support!