(BPT) – As the days grow longer and warmer, thoughts turn to spring’s beauty. However, when you look around your home that’s been closed up all winter, beauty is probably the last word that comes to mind. From smeared windows to the dirty carpets, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and tackle spring cleaning.
This year, rather than dread this necessary ritual, think outside the box and find creative ways to make it fun. Yes — with the right mindset and a little ingenuity, spring cleaning can actually be enjoyable. With these tips and tricks, you’ll ease your spring cleaning pains and perhaps have a few laughs in the process.
1. Enlist a cleaning crew
The more hands on deck, the smoother the ship will sail. Enlist the family to help with tasks, but get creative with cleaning efforts and offer fun rewards for motivation.
2. Take before and after photos
Before you start getting down and dirty, take a quick “before” photo of dingy rooms. Then when you’re done, take “after” photos and compare. You’ll feel extra satisfied seeing the results side by side. What’s more, post to social media and watch the kudos roll in.
3. Create a cleaning playlist
Music makes any task more enjoyable, so put together a playlist of everyone’s favorite tunes and blast it throughout the house. Belt out the blues and sing along to show tunes with the windows wide open.
4. Stock your cleaning arsenal
Some cleaners are superior in getting out tough dirt with less elbow grease. For refreshing rugs and carpets, BISSELL formulas provide a deep clean that tackles high traffic areas, pet spots and other stains with the ease of a spring breeze. Learn more at www.bissell.com/carpet-cleaners.
5. Chat it up
You know how you can chat with a good friend and suddenly an hour has flown by? Use your speaker phone to talk and clean at the same time! Before you know it, your whole kitchen will be sparkling and you’ll be all caught with your favorite people.
6. Break away
Cleaning is a lot of work so plan short breaks to kick back to eat and hydrate. Plan for 15 to 30 minute breaks — enough to relax but not enough to lose momentum.
7. Create contests
Who’s the lord of the laundry? Who’s the mop maven? Who vacuums with the greatest of ease? Think of fun titles based on who does which jobs the best. Make it humorous and have an awards ceremony.
8. Plan a scavenger hunt
Have kids help spruce up your yard by planning an outdoor scavenger hunt. For example, have them find 10 sticks, five pieces of garbage, yard waste of varying colors and fill up a paper bag with dead leaves.
9. Clean and workout
Cleaning is a great source of exercise, so kill two birds with one stone by getting spring cleaning and your workout done at once. Dance as you dust, lunge as you mop and do some yoga while you clean the carpets.
10. Reward yourself
Go out to a favorite restaurant, head to the movie theater or have friends over for a barbecue in your newly refreshed home. A nice reward is the perfect ending to a job well done.
