The Methods and Madness of Spring Cleaning

March and April are my spring cleaning months! Yes, I do spend two months spring cleaning. Actually, I spend the first half of March procrastinating and finally become motivated in the last half of the month! My Mr. pokes horrible fun at the way I spring clean. You see, I have accomplished most of the spring cleaning in both of the kids' bedrooms, but the rest of the house looks like an absolute wreck (only for the moment - I promise!)! The Mr. says that I don't really clean the room. I just take the mess from one room and put it in another! Does anyone else have that problem?

Well, today, I tackled the girls' room. It was quite messy because Miss E, the eldest, inherited her father's pack rat tendencies. The poor kiddo even offered to help clean, but I sent her outside so that I could throw stuff away! (Please don't tell my secret!) It's amazing what you find when you really begin to clean. For instance, I found where some certain someones (and we really aren't quite sure yet who they are) colored all over a part of the wall and dresser! Thank goodness for washable crayons and Clorox wipes! I am so glad I finished that job. Last week, I cleaned the boys' room and our bedroom. So, I am feeling very accomplished! :)

So, why, might you ask, do you stretch the spring cleaning all the way into April? Well, six people living in less than 1100 square feet of space make it quite difficult to keep everything clean for a long period of time. If you also throw homeschooling, teaching choir and a good dose of procrastination into the mix - tada! - it does take two months! Usually, in the month of March, I try to clean each room really well, but inevitably, I will not be able to finish or become overwhelmed, and so I leave what I don't accomplish in a reasonable amount of time for the month of April. Also, in April, as I finish up each room, I wash the walls and ceilings down. (Secret: I only do this because we have a wood stove, and it tends to build soot up on the walls and ceilings! If I did not have a wood stove, this would definitely not be a twice a year deal!)

Well, there is some of the methods and madness to my spring cleaning. I think it probably contains more madness than method, but it works for me! :) From what I hear, most everyone is doing theirs right now in some form or another. How do you spring clean? Do you have any nifty, time-saving ideas? I'd definitely love to hear about those. Would anybody want to come volunteer to finish mine? :)