Warmer Weather, Cleaner Indoors?

There’s something about the warmer weather of spring.

It makes kids more antsy.  Their ability to listen rapidly declines.  (Just ask any mother or teacher!)

And for many adults it stirs the need to clean (or for men, start projects!).

This morning started like any other:  hot cocoa, trying to get myself awake, 2 little ones chattering away while nibbling breakfast…  Then my daughter asked if she could clean the front of the refrigerator.  Now, I could be wrong, but I don’t think this desire to help clean is going to last forever, so I try to take advantage of her let her help whenever possible.  Just last week I found out she is pretty good at putting laundry away.  Who knew?  So when she asked if she could clean the front of the fridge, I told her sure, and helped her get all the kiddie artwork off the door so I could spray it and she could wipe it down.

She was dancing around the kitchen, singing, before the artwork made it back to the fridge, and I figured that would be it.  But then she came back and asked what else she could do.

“How about cleaning your chair for Mommy?”  I asked.

Do you have any idea the layers of gunk that can build up on a toddler or preschooler’s kitchen chair?  We’re talking daily deposits of whatever sticky food item might be on their hands when they turn around in the chair (or in my daughter’s case, climb up and down it endlessly during a meal…).

And thus started our spring cleaning.

She worked on her chair, and I did a thorough cleaning of the fridge (which was not nearly as scary as last year, thank you!).  I continued with dusting down the walls and the ceiling fans – after all, it’s getting warm enough to use them, might as well not have dust flying off them!

Last year I kind of got pushed into the spring cleaning thing by my kids when my plans went awry…  At least this year it looks like I have a mini helper.  I’m thinking those baseboards are getting a good dusting…

What has the approaching spring inspired you to do?