Spring, that time of year when grandma used to air out the house, take off some of the dust and clean up a storm. No matter how you look at it, it’s time to get cleaning.

One of the benefits of spring cleaning is that winter’s dark hold and gloom that settles over the house during the darker months of the year can all be erased, and a fresh new outlook can take place. It’s a time of renewal and rejuvenation if you will, and many people still stick to grandma’s older traditions of throwing open the windows and airing things out.

To put yourself in the mood, plug in some upbeat tunes from your favorite music artists and let’s get busy. Start by opening a few windows strategically. You’ll want to air out the house while you’re at it.

To start with, sit down with pen and paper and decide what all you want to get done this spring cleaning season. You can’t officially start until you decide what needs to be done.

Determine the importance of each item on your list room by room. By prioritizing things, you ensure that you’ll get them done in a timely fashion.

Once you’ve determined what needs to be done, it’s time to draw up a plan. Start in one room and work your way out. It won’t matter which room you start in because you’re going to clean the entire house so just pick a room and start in the far end.

Start at the top of the room (a closet, a top molding etc.) and work your way down. This way you start the cleaning while you’re fresh and ready to go. Be sure to use tools that will make your job easy such as a long handled dust mop, etc. You don’t want to have to do a lot of standing on top of things. This helps to avoid injury and save your shoulders and back as well.

If you’ve kept up with the basics such as vacuuming and putting things away as they are used, this shouldn’t be a huge job. If you’re cleaning off shelves, be sure to get rid of things that you haven’t used in a year and things that you no longer need.

Try to spend no more than half a day in each room. This will help you to keep a momentum going, see results and feel better about your day.

Remember, it’s going to take you several days to be done so don’t stress over what you can’t get done today, set your goals to be achievable and don’t over do your list.

If you feel too taxed, consider calling a friend and having a cleaning party, it’s always more fun with two of you.

As you clean, organize the little things. If you’re getting rid of stuff, consider donating the items to charity, online auctions, yard sales or the trash. Determine where each thing should go and be firm with yourself. Don’t take it back out. In fact, get it out of the room immediately so you won’t be tempted.

Plan to vacuum last, after you’ve dusted things off (the dust will settle on you and the carpet, so there’s no point in vacuuming first). This will help you to know that when you’re vacuuming, you’re nearly done with that room.

Be sure to clean windows both inside and out. You can have the kids help with this project, they will have fun especially if you have one on the inside, and one on the outside at the same time. You’ll get the job done, the kids will have fun and your home will have a new outlook on the year.

As long as you’re keeping the momentum going, getting a few things done each day, you’ll be well on your way to a nice and tidy home this spring. Your neighbors may even notice and start getting interested in cleaning as well.

It’s a great way to start out the new season and will refresh your home and give your entire family a new outlook on the year. You’ll declutter and have a gorgeous new looking home.