Spring Cleaning:: Motivation Tips
It’s that time of year. Spring cleaning is in the air. Are you ready? I thought I could help out with sharing some tricks and tips and ways that I motivate myself and ways that I have gotten my kiddos involved. Now I’m no pro, but these things have helped me so hopefully they will help you too.
One of the first things I do before I start cleaning is make a plan in my head. Nothing huge but it helps me not walk around aimlessly. You probably do this without thinking about it.
- How much time do I have?
- Where do I want to start?
- What can the girls help me do?
Once I have these questions answered I can start.
My next step is to get a candle burning. For some reason I clean better with a candle going. I guess getting my house to smell good motivates me. 🙂
I also like to open all my blinds to make sure I have some natural light coming in. When I’m cleaning a room, I’ll open the windows to let in fresh air. That’s one of the best perks to spring cleaning.
Bathroom
I use to wait until nap-time so that my girls didn’t have to inhale the harsh fumes or get into the toilet and gunk that is cleaning a bathroom. Well, once I got my bottle of Mr. Clean with Febreze I had tons more freedom. This stuff smells so yummy that I want to spray it around my house. 🙂 So my new tip on the bathroom is to throw the kiddos in the tub and let them play there while I clean. It worked wonderful. (Now remember all the safety rules of having your kids in the tub or around any type of water.)
Bedroom
Remember Heidi’s tips for making your bed? Since I started doing this my bedroom feels so much more relaxing. Also remove all toys and reminders that little ones likes to share your room too. Make your room your haven!
Kitchen
I try to have my sink clean and empty of dishes as much as possible. I usually put off doing dishes but it seriously only takes like 10 minutes to load and unload. That helps motivate me to get it done too.
Quick Tips
My friend taught me some great tips if I am doing a quick pick up (which I usually do right before my hubby gets home from work). Clean your counter-tops and make sure all dishes are in the sink, or if possible, in the dishwasher. Make sure your floors are clean of toys and whatever else. Go through and fluff pillows on couches and beds. Light a candle or spray some Febreze to freshen the house. Your hubby will think that you spent all day cleaning. 🙂
Now to get the kiddos involved:
My girls are 4 1/2 and 2 1/2. Of course most of us start to have them clean-up their toys as soon a they can, but here are some other things I have gotten my girls to do so they don’t look at me as their housekeeper. These are things you can have them start doing around the age of two.
- Put their dirty clothes in the hamper
- Help fold laundry.
- Use disinfectant wipes to help clean (counter-tops, doors, walls, any surface really).
- Use the Swiffer duster to dust and the Swiffer floor cleaners. (I swear my living room is almost completely dust free and my floors look great.)
- Take their dishes to the sink when they are done eating. (Be careful with liquids.)
- Help empty and load the dishwasher
Make cleaning fun for them. Of course this might extend the length of your cleaning time, but the lesson will be well worth it. Just remind yourself of that.
Brooke mentioned that she had her girls mop the kitchen floor in their swimming suits and they loved it. I decided to give it a try. I had to mop up a lot of water afterwords, but the girls loved it and had a good time. My floor is now clean too.
One more thing that will help is to create a great chore chart for your kiddos. Check out the one Brooke made with a free download. My girls love theirs.
This printable chore chart is really popular too.
I love Mr. Clean’s magic erasers! They are fabulous and do a great job helping clean the shower!
I love the Mr. Clean magic eraser!
I love all the febreeze scented cleaning products. I would love to try the bathroom Mr. Eraser on my tub! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love the Febreze candles! They smell so good! Thanks for the giveaway!
I LOVE the swiffer duster, it works wonders! And I also love the Magic Eraser – it makes cleaning tough things so easy!
Oh it’s got to be the Magic Eraser! I’ve got it stock piled so that I don’t run out! I love to use it on my stainless steel sinks, it gets them so shiny like nothing else!
I follow via RSS feed. Swiffer sweepers are my friend . . . and my 3yo daughter’s who just LOVES to sweep our house full of hardwood floors!
I like just plain old Febreze. With a house full of animals, it’s standard at house.
Magic Erasers clean so easily with almost no scrubbing.
Swiffer duster, because it makes dusting so fun my kids will do it. They’re also great for ceiling fans.
We’ve recently become big fans of the Magic Eraser!!
Seriously, how did we ever get along before the Magic Eraser was invented?
I love the magic erasers and Frebreze scented cleaners!
hands down, my favorite product is the Mr Clean Magic Eraser.
I love the Swiffer Sweeper–it’s so fun more fun than a broom!
I LOVE Febreze fabric and air freshener! Especially since I still have a little one in diapers. Every once in awhile you change a diaper and just can’t live without a spritz of Febreze to cover up the after math! 🙂
I love the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser! works wonders on walls & floors!
I love the Mr. Clean eraser original. My walls and surfaces look brand new after I use it!
LOVE the magic eraser! Best thing ever. I’m going to go out and buy that scented bathroom cleaner today :).
I love the swiffer dusters…they are so easy and convenient for my kids to use to dust their rooms!
I love, love, love the Febreeze candles and anything by Febreeze. My husband always requests these in his care packages as well anytime he is deployed to help with the odors that tend to linger in their sleeping quarters.
The Mr. Clean magic erasers are genius… thanks for the tips!
Oh! I wish we had a swiffer duster. I also get to cleaning and think of the commercials and wish I had one. Happy spring cleaning!
The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser! My kids love to draw on the walls and this makes cleaning super easy.
That Magic Eraser really is magic!!!!
I’m a follower and wish I was computer savvy enough to figure out that chore download. Man! That is cute!!!!
My favorite product is the swiffer duster. Love that thing!!!!!
The Magic Eraser is fabulous!!
I actually have at least two products I could not live without – the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser! As I have told my hubby, it really is magic! Also, my Swiffer mop – I shiver at the memory of mop and bucket days 🙂
My favorite product is magic eraser!!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser. What better product to use around the home with little sticky fingers everywhere. Spring cleaning, here I come!
Can’t live without Mr. Clean’s Magic Erasers!
I love the original febreeze for making everything seem fresher. With three kiddos and a dog (and a husband who leaves his socks everywhere!) keeping things fresh can be a chore :)!
The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the bomb!
I love the Febreeze candles! I have them everywhere, I’m like you, I clean better with a candle going. It’s kinda like having a head start on the cleaning!
I LOVE the swifter duster! It works so well and I have been meaning to get one! I also love the mr clean spray with febreze!
I like the Febreeze original! It works great when you need just a fresh smell in an area that can’t exactly be “washed!”
i adore all febreeze products!! but especially their candles…oh my they make everything better! and i also do the same thing of lighting a candle & opening a window when i’m cleaning, i also throw on some music for good measure. nothing like dancing when your cleaning to burn a few extra calories! LOL! hugs!
I got super excited when I saw this giveaway!! 🙂 I HATE cleaning! But what gets me motivated are the supplies I use when I clean. Seriously! I LOVE Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, I just found out they have a Magic Eraser mop! I will be purchasing one of those as soon as I find it! I also could not live with out the Swiffer cleaners too, I am the worst when it comes to dust! Thanks so much for this giveaway!
I LOVE my Swiffer wet Jet! It’s so hard to do “normal” mopping with my kiddos running all over the place. But with the swiffer its dry almost instantly! Not to mention it smells great and looks great!
Thanks for the chance!
I’m not really sure what I would do without my Swiffer vac. It is a lifesaver with hardwood floors! I’m also a huge fan of the Magic Eraser because I am constantly banging baby stuff (carseat, exersaucer, etc) into my walls!
I love my swiffer duster! And I go through the exact process when cleaning, always turn on my scentsy, open my windows and dig in. Thanks for the giveaway!
Who doesn’t love the magic eraser!
Oooh – tough call. Swiffer and Magic Erasers are neck and neck in this competition. At least in my opinion 🙂 Couldn’t live without either one!
I’m a follower 🙂 I love the Mr. Clean all purpose cleaner with Fabreze! I get the Lavender scent and use it on my floors-smells sooo good and fresh!
I love anything Swiffer! My house is always so dusty and they help so much!
I love my Tide with Febreeze. It looks like I will have to try out those Magic Erasers. I never thought of cleaning a shower with them and being pregnant I am looking for low odor cleaning supplies. Thanks for the tips!
I love the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers!!
OMG, I LOVE LOVE the Magic erasers 🙂 Those things save me sooooooo much time cleaning that I can not clean without them,lol!!!
Magic Eraser has saved my children’s lives!
I am a huge fan of the magic erasers. I’m a faithful follower of your blog, you always have such cute stuff!
I love Fabreeze!! Totally my favorite. Everything always smells so fresh and clean when I’m done. Love their candles!
I LOVE the Magic Erasers! I use them everywhere! They have to be the greatest cleaning product EVER!
I love my Swiffer Sweeper. It picks up the little pieces of dirt and dust that a broom doesn’t. Love it. I would love to try the Mr. Clean with Febreeze!
I love Magic Eraser, Febreeze to spray on my couches and lots more I just can’t think of right now…
I love all the tips! And sure could use the supplies!
Playing It Cooley
What doesn’t the Magic Eraser clean? I love it!
I’ve always loved Mr. Clean magic erasers but I’d also love to try out a swiffer duster!
I absolutely love my swiffer sweeper vac!!!
I really love the Swiffer dusters! They make dusting so easy! I would LOVE to try the Febreeze cleaners!
I love Mr. Clean Magic Easers.
I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT A SWIFFER – HARDWOOD FLOOR NEED THEM
Great tips! Thanks for sharing…if only I could get the motivation to go through my kids’ closets! They are complete disasters.
I love the Magic Erasers…my 2 year old is going through a scribbling on everything (especially the walls) phase and my 4 year old is more than happy to supply her with the markers, crayons, pencils…sigh!
My cleaning routine would be incomplete without Swiffers! After I sweep my floors, and before I mop, I have to swiffer, too. It’s amazing how much those wipes collect on an already swept floor.
Swiffers are great for dusting everything, including my dashboard and other hard surfaces in our car.
Spring cleaning, though hard work, is so refreshing!
I love the febreeze sprays-they smell so good!! I use the swifter mopper and dusters too! My husband loves the majic erasers! Thanks for the chance to win these wonderful products!!
Oh my goodness, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is my best friend! I should probably own stock in them or something…
I love the magic eraser
I LOVE Mr. Clean magic eraser. It’s the only thing that cleans my tub completely including all those impossible discolorations and stains. I couldn’t clean my bathroom without it!
I love my Swiffer Sweeper wet and dry. It makes my life so much easier.Thanks for all of the tips.
Love Magic Eraser- they work on everything! This is a great giveaway- need to get my hands on the Febreeze scented cleaners.
Love the Magic Eraser!! It has saved my walls many times
I am all about winning some cleaning products! 🙂 I definitely need to start some spring cleaning. Thanksfor the tips, my kids are 2, 3 and 5 and I think I need to stop spoiling ha! My favorite product is mr clean magic eraser. With three young kids I use this ALOT!!!
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers really are ‘magic’! Spring cleaning…..here I come!
I’m in love with the Mr. Clean magic eraser!
Thanks for the pep talk. I love the house to be clean but don’t always like getting there.
I use the Mr Clean Magic Erasers all the time. They work great on the textured handles and door of the refrigerator and scuffs of the walls. For some reason, the walls going down the stairs always need extra attention.
I like the Mr Clean Magic Erasers, they really seem to be magic, and can get any marks off of my walls!
It looks like I’m not the only fan of Magic Erasers. I keep them stock piled because they are so handy. With all my crafting madness, I get paint, glue, and other gunk everywhere, but Mr. Clean always get’s me back in tip top shape. I’m grateful to who ever came up with those brilliant erasers, and my white counter tops and cabinets are too! ( = My mom raves about the swiffer mop, so maybe I’ll win this giveaway and I can try it out too.
-Emily
paperpixiecrafts.blogspot.com
I like the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. I love the swiffer dusters as well (great for blinds)
Thanks so much
Caterina
[email protected]
I LOVE my magic eraser mop head. It gets my floor in my kitchen super clean without tons of scrubbing on my part. Super easy and super fast. Thanks!!
I love the Swiffer duster and magic erasers. My 18 month old loves the swiffer duster so much, it makes a special trip with us to day care about 3 times a week because she doesn’t want to give it up!!!!
I love the swiffers! My one year old does it for me! But by the looks and sound of it I need to try the eraser!
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are a must for any mom! I have three kids (2,4,5) and a baby on the way – we use them for all sorts of cleaning around our house!
I LOVE the magic eraser. Don’t know what I do without it.
I love the magic eraser mop. It’s great for quick cleanups of my white (ugh) kitchen floor. I hadn’t seen the anjou pear Febreze candles, but they sound great, too!
The Anjou Pear Febreze candle is TO DIE FOR!!! If you find one you must get it.
It’s a toss up…swiffer mop or the magic eraser. I couldn’t live without either!
Those magic erasers are fabulous! I love The Crafting Chicks!
Me and Mr. Clean and defiantly BFF
As a mom, Magic Eraser has definitely gotten me out of some jams! lol
Love all of them, but the swifter allows me to have my 2 year old help. She loves dusting, wait til she grows up 🙂
i love love LOVE the febreze candles & duster!!!
I am a follower, and I love the magic eraser, I recently got my husband obsessed with them too
I love the Magic Erasers. They really are magic!
The magic eraser is a miracle. I couldn’t imagine not having it with my son and his “art.”
I LOVE the febreeze candles and spray. I have 2 kiddos, 2 dogs, 1 husband and that equals a lot of stink! Thank you for this opportunity to win some wonderful products!
I love the Swiffers. Use them on my floors all the time.
I love those Magic Erasers!! It’s amazing what they’ve been able to do!
My favorite product listed above is by far the Swiffer dusters! I love that I can just pull one out whenever and do a quick once-over on all my dusty surfaces. I also love all of Tide’s laundry detergents including Febreeze! My favorite scent is lavender. Makes my laundry smell so fresh and clean 😉
I love Mr.Clean Magic Erasers!!!! They clean everything. I’m also a follower of the Crafting Chicks 🙂
My house could use a good deep cleaning! I’ve been putting it off, but some new cleaning supplies would motivate me to get if done!!
I love mr clean erasers!
MAGIC ERASER! – it is truly magic!
Forgot to mention my favorite cleaning supply is the Magic Eraser. I always keep several on hand.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a lifesaver!! I recently used it to get Sharpie marker off my wood coffee table. I was able to clean it up so fast that afterward I regretted not taking a picture of my 20 month old next to her artwork first!
I love the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. I use it for everything!
I love the Magic Eraser!!! I work 60+ hours a week so I love having a product that works so well and makes the job easier!!!
Definitely Magic Eraser!
I love the magic erasers and I also always have to have a candle lit in order to get me cleaning.
I am in LOVE with the array of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. There is hardly a room in my house that hasn’t been “erased”!!
I LOVE the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers! They really are magic 🙂
I couldn’t live without Magic Erasers! Seriously…what did we do before those things were invented? I also love the Mr. Clean products with Febreeze…they smell so clean and fresh!
Love all the products but especially the magic eraser – nothing works quite as well!
I love Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
I LOVE the Swiffer duster and the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Both do wonders around my house and I could not live without them.
The Febreeze pet odor is the best!
I LOVE Febreeze’s multi purpose cleaner. Also, Mr. Clean’s magic erasers- amazing. I would love this. My house needs a good cleaning!
mr clean magic erasers, they really are magic!
I love the Febreze Air effects spray. Makes my house smell great!
the swiffer with febreeze (i love the citrus smell) is amazing. i could dust every day just to smell it! 🙂
There’s nothing better than magic eraser!
Hey with three little girls ages 4 to 4 months my house always needs cleaning, and with my 3 year old, who has a lot of tasmanian devil in her I love the Mr clean magic erasers.
My FAVORITE product i cant live with out is MR CLEAN ERASER, with a 2 year old it is a must in our house
I like the Swiffer for my blinds, and of course the magic eraser!
I don’t know what I would do without Magic Erasers.
I love the eraser, along with the candle, and then there is the cleaner…but I have to add the misting spray…I use it on curtains, furniture and my daughter loves to spray her clothes with it…what I wish them to do is because I am short, is to tke the sweeper and put a eraser heas to it, so I can wash the top part of my walls that I can not reach,
I love Clorox Wipes! I use them to clean up everything!!
I love Magic Erasers! It is amazing what those things can do.
The Magic Eraser is the greatest product ever invented!
Love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, and anythng with febreeze, yum…
There is nothing more magical than those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers on my bead board!
Love, love, love my Magic Erasers!! But the Swiffers are a real close second!! 🙂
I would love to try Mr. Clean with Febreze!
I love the regular febreeze and the swiffers. These are such great ideas and I will try some of the other products also.
MR Clean magic erasers are awesome!
I love the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!
I also love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. I am a follower.
I love the Mr. Clean with Febreeze!!! LOVE it, now I use it on everything.
Mr Clean Eraser 🙂 and love the candles as well !
I can never have enough Mr Clean magic erasers!!!
I am absolutely in love with swiffer, It does such an amazing job getting all the nasty dust out from under my couches!!!
Can’t go wrong with any of those!
I love love love the Mr. Clean magic eraser!
Magic eraser for sure!
My favorite products are my swiffer wetjet- yep still cleaning with the old school one, mr clean magic erasers, & febreeze noticeable & air effects pet odor eliminator (although my dog usually doesn’t smell & my house NEVER smells like an animal with 4 feet anyway).
I love the magic erasers!
Swiffer dusters and sweepers are the favorite here in my house! With a yellow lab that sheds profusely, the swiffer floor cloths are a must each and every day!
with a houseful of children, my favorite *has* to be the magic eraser!!
I love the magic erasers! They are a great help when getting stubborn messes to come clean!
I cannot survive without my Magic Eraser! I have been in love since it cleaned black Sharpie of my son’s bedroom door!
I use a lot of these same methods at my house when cleaning! They work great! Thanks for the great giveaway! We just bought a new house and will be moving soon, so this will be so great to help me spring clean the house I am in and clean the new one too! Thanks!!
I SO love the magic erasers. Those are just that….magic! (and I follow your blog)
The Mr. Clean with Febreeze sounds awesome, and I would love to try it. I know what you mean about wanting to keep your kids away from the awful fumes of the regular bathroom cleaners. And just like everyone else, I think magic erasers are great!
When I married my husband he had been a single dad of 5 kids for several years. Bless his heart but men just aren’t good cleaners. 🙂 We started on the bathtubs and couldn’t get all of the junk off that had been encrusted for a long time. ha, ha. Someone introduced me to Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and I was amazed at what it did. I have never used anything since!
I love magic erasers! They really do work magic!
I would love to get some of that Mr.Clean action for my apartment. I think surprising my wife with a spotless apartment that doesn’t smell like cleaner would do wonders for our home (wink)! What wife wouldn’t want to come home to a clean home…
My favorite Has to be Mr. Clean Magic erasers..I’ve been using them since their debut and my house just wouldn’t be as clean without them!
I LOVE the magic eraser, it works great!
Your website is fabulous and soo helpful for us women! Thanks for sharing such great ideas!
I love the magic eraser! It wipes away mother tears!
Still love the original Swiffer! And my kids love using it too.
I really love the magic erasers since my 2 year old loves to colour on the walls! I haven’t tried any of the Mr. Clean products with Febreeze in them yet, but you’ve made me curious. Even if I don’t win I’ll probably go pick some up just to smell it. 🙂
I am finally a follower of the crafting chicks!! I love Mr. Clean magic Erasers, as well as Febreze fabric spray, to make it smell fresh!! Awesome giveaway!
My two favorites….Mr Clean Magic Eraser-(A.MAZ.ING!), and the Swiffer Sweeper mop. They are so awesome.
I “like” you on facebook, but I am having a hard time following you. It keeps saying the page is unavailable.
nevermind~ I got it! I’m a follower!!
I LOVE the Magic Eraser!!
Oooh, fabulous giveaway! But I have to choose just one? I love Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, but I couldn’t live without my Swiffer! With dark hardwood floors, I need to sweep everyday. The Swiffer is always loaded and ready to go, especially after someone walks in with dust shoes. Thanks for the chance to win 🙂
I am not a good duster, so I think I better start enrolling my kids to help! Avoid the allergy problems for me. 🙂
I looooove Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. With 4 kids my walls are always being used as a canvas. (subscribe via email)
I love the magic eraser and febreeze…and the store brands don’t measure up!
Thanks for the contest!
I love any product with Febreze! Mr. Clean with Febreze in it is awesome! I have 4 kids that all play sports so needless to say I am a huge fan of using Febreze…a lot of it.
I LOVE Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. It helps keep my white kitchen cabinets looking brand new.
i BIG PUFFY HEART the Mr. Clean Magic eraser. It has saved many things in my house MANY times.
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are Awesome….. I know just about everyone has posted this one – but really they are magic!! You search for the dirt just to use these!!!
Hi…I love all those products and have used them all but my fave is FEBREZE air freshener I use on the furniture…I use it to freshen up the sofa and chairs after all the men and boys in the house have been sitting around doing their thing/lounging, etc! It works so great for that…I just found your blog and love it.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is an awesome product. My mom introduced me to this product and I am oh so glad she did! It makes cleaning my bathtub so much easier.
I love Mr. Clean’s magic eraser!
I love swiffer dusters! My kids can help with them and I don’t worry about them spraying polish.
THanks for the chance!