Happy Tuesday, friends!
It’s a Triple Post Tuesday as I’m also sharing AFFORDABLE COVER UPS AND SWIMSUITS as well as 9 EASY EASTER SIDES today!
Guess what time it is though?
It’s time for another edition of TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE and since it’s March 26th, I thought it was highly appropriate that we dish on our TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: SPRING CLEANING.
I don’t dislike spring cleaning. In fact, I can get rather hyped and excited to do it…that being said, there are certain aspects of it that I do not enjoy quite as much.
I’m going to share my favorite (and least favorite!) parts about spring cleaning today and then you can share yours in the comment section too. Speaking of which, maybe you don’t spring clean? If that’s you, I would love to hear what you do at your house!
Ready, set, here we go…
#5: IT ENERGIZES ME FOR WARMER WEATHER
Oh yes, I start spring cleaning and get quite the pep in my step. I’ll pop in my Airpods and put a spring-y podcast on or maybe the Coastal Grandmother Spotify Station and get busy. I start pulling down beach towels, putting up random holiday decorations that didn’t quite make it back in their spot, light a lemon candle and feel instantly ready for sunshine and the pool. I’m telling you, it’s like a major boost to my system when I start moving about the house and purposely get it ready for the next season.
#4: IT’S A GREAT TIME TO “SHOP” MY HOUSE
I like to “shop my house” seasonally. I’ll put away my heavier throws and put lighter ones out instead. I’ll take my darker/cozier pillows and tuck those away and pull out the lighter linen options. I’ll swap out my cozy candle scents for ones that are more fresh, change out my coffee table and cookbooks that are on display…heck, you know me, I even change the rubber spatulas in my kitchen along with my cup towels for colors that are lighter and “happier” for the new season. I also change my placemats and napkins on my breakfast room table too. I like tucking away the cozy and bringing out the sunny. This is also a great time to rearrange a piece of furniture, change out my bookshelves and such for a whole new feel without buying a thing.
#3: MY SPACE FEELS MORE FRESH AND LIGHTER
After I bag up items to be donated, tossed or given to others, add our spring sheets to the bed (a.k.a. just plain white ones) and declutter, my house feels so much lighter and more fresh. Spring cleaning makes me want to add tulips to my kitchen counter and enjoy the minimal affect that always takes place immediately following a big purge.
#2: IT MAKES ME FEEL MORE CALM
I am one of those people who can’t function when my space is a mess. I can’t start my work day with an unmade bed downstairs, I can’t leave the house with dishes in the sink…I like calm, clean and unchaotic or my brain just will not relax. Needless to say, I’m my most zin self after a big spring clean when closets are organized and my house has been decluttered and cleaned up. Speaking of which…
#1: I GET RID OF CLUTTER
Hi, my name is Shay, and I’m really not super sentimental ESPECIALLY about “things”. Just this weekend, I did a great big purge in our family room and library and well, my sweet husband was horrified by some of the items I was parting with. These weren’t even his items, they were mine, but his heart is just more sentimental than mine. I love to donate/purge/trash things that don’t serve our family any longer. I always think “If we move or if I die, will this ‘stuff’ just become a big problem?”. If we don’t love it/use it/need it, then I should find it a home for someone else to enjoy. I love removing clutter from my house. I LOVE IT.
So, those are my TOP FIVE, but what about my…
#5: MY FAMILY GETS IN THE WAY
Yeah, they always mess up the fun of spring cleaning.
They’re either:
a) in my way physically
b) way too sentimental over some Chick-fil-a kids meal toy from 2014 that they haven’t thought about in 10 years
c) let’s be real, they’re the “source” of the mess most of the time and that’s just hard to deal with
d) they are unmotivated to participate/help
e) or as I said above in my #1, they’re insisting we hang on to “clutter”
I love my family dearly, but spring cleaning is really something that needs to be done when they’re all away from home.
#4: I FIND MORE “PROJECTS” ALONG THE WAY
This one always gets me. I’ll be spring cleaning a closet and before I know it, I’m pulled off track and down some rabbit hole that I’ve discovered along the way. I find it way too easy to get side tracked as I clean.
#3: I DO IT TOO EARLY
Texas will mess with you. The weather will be sunny and warm and lovely for 8 days in a row, and I’ll spring clean and pull out the “warm” stuff and put away the “cold weather” things and then BAM, it will snow. I’m not kidding, Texas likes to mess with best-laid plans.
#2: HAULING STUFF AWAY IS NEVER AS EASY AS IT SHOULD BE
Sigh. I will bag, box and get all of my items ready to donate, stick them in the back of my car and then drive around with them for a month.
#1: IT TAKES UP A LOT OF TIME
Time is just the one thing I can’t seem to make more of, and finding the time to spring clean is ALWAYS challenging to me. It’s ideal for me to do it when Andrew’s at work and the kids are at school but you know…that’s when I work. Finding the time is my least favorite part.
It wouldn’t be a TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE without Andrew weighing in too.
Andrew did a great job of being specific with his spring cleaning to do list (I could have done better!).
Here they are…
ANDREW’S TOP FIVE:
5: Cleaning out our fountain and getting it running.
4: Power washing the back steps and patio
3: Trimming up all the trees, making them look nice for new growth. My fantastic yard guy handles the shrubs and mulch, thank the Lord because of my back, I can’t do that any more.
2: Cleaning patio furniture and getting all the cushions and pillows out
1: Planting new flowers in the pots and getting ready for summer.
ANDREW’S BOTTOM FIVE:
5: Not necessarily a chore, but spring is my least favorite season. Let’s get to summer, and not Texas summer, but Nantucket summer. Heat kills me.
4: Texas wind and hail storms…..weather down here is crazy. Cleanup on these storms has my chainsaw running weekly.
3: I take the cars and get a good wax job on them before summer hits. Texas sun will eat a paint job.
2: Moving things around in the closet. Polos, t-shirts….down, long sleeve up! I always drag my feet on this.
1: Attic check my rat traps….so far so good.
And those, my friends, are my TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: SPRING CLEANING
Whether you want to comment specifics or in general, I would love to read your TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE for SPRING CLEANING today in the comment section too! One more thing, I do have a HOW I SPRING CLEAN/ORGANIZE BLOG POST from 2018 you might want to revisit too!
Don’t forget to check out these other TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE blog posts:
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: TRAVELING BY PLANE
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: SKIING WITH YOUR FAMILY
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: CHRISTMAS MOVIES
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: HALLOWEEN CANDY
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: CEREALS
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: HOUSEHOLD CHORES
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: CHRISTMAS SONGS
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: THANKSGIVING FOODS
I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday!
I’ll see you back here tomorrow! xx
polly pover says
Spring doesn’t hit around here until the late part of April. Northern New England in parts got almost a foot of snow and lots of ice and power outages..Hmmmm…..spring cleaning involves snow shovels :)! Did your Nantucket home get the storm? Do you have a generator there?
Mix and Match Mama says
It did not, just high winds.
Jess says
We live in Maine. On Friday we could finally see the grass…. on Saturday we got 20 inches of snow 😞 we aren’t even close to spring… can definitely put off the cleaning for a bit 😂
Dana P says
1. I get what Andrew is saying about the Nantucket vs. Texas summers! I grew up in the brutal heat summers of Oklahoma and Texas and now living in a temperate region-summer is incredible! We do have heat waves more and more often now (and no a/c 🥵), but being able to actually enjoy summer outside of a pool is so nice.
2. Bath and Body Works has a lemon candle that I absolutely love. It’s called Sugared Lemon Zest and it’s the perfect lemon scent!
Mix and Match Mama says
I might need to get that one! It just sounds refreshing 🙂 .
Elspeth says
I love the feeling of fresh starts and less clutter too! In the spring and summer i like more open spaces and in the fall and winter i like to add more decor around the house too!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Jennibell says
Good one – and motivating!!! I’ve been looking for a new playlist to have on in the background at work and you just suggested it – thank you 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
It’s SUCH a good one!
Jeanie says
Rat traps? Do you have rats inside your homes in TX? Florida has rats and our neighborhood homes have had them in attics before. Ugh. The thought of it all is so gross but I have critters like that.
Mix and Match Mama says
They can come in. We haven’t had any in this house (we did 11 years ago in our last house). So far, we’ve gotten them before they’ve gotten in.
Jeanie says
Ugh that should say HATE CRITTERS LIKE THAT!
Kacey says
Getting side tracked with other projects and the crazy weather here in New England also throws me off! We’re currently in what I like to call fake Spring LOL. It was in the 60s last week and just over the weekend our lake house in NH got 20″ of snow!! Thankfully, just a cold rain here on the South Shore, but it’s wild.
Nicole says
My husband calls me “the least sentimental person on the earth” so I can totally relate to how you purge. If I’m not using I, why would I keep/store it!?! Haha
Erika Slaughter says
My only negative to spring cleaning is the time. It really should be called Winter Cleaning! I have way more time in January!
Mix and Match Mama says
GREAT POINT!!
Leslie S says
My top includes purging all the “junk” my kids hoard (must be done when they’re not home!!), pulling out bright decor, pillows, etc, cleaning out my fridge/pantry and stocking with things to make lightened up and fresh recipes. My bottom includes cleaning baseboards and fans, trying on my own clothes and finding I need to lose 5 pounds to fit in last years shorts. Lol.
Jen says
The worst part has got the be the pollen! You can’t clean everything off because the pollen will just come right back. Even though the weather is nice, bam more yellow pollen over everything!
Alison says
My favorite is that feeling of accomplishment and joy when it’s early evening and I’ve deep cleaned all day. The windows are open, ushering in that fresh spring smell and making the curtains flutter, and I have a floral candle burning.
My least favorite is my kids keep making new messes every time I turn around. And realizing that they’ve outgrown every thing they owned and somehow the next kid in line has skipped over that size. 🤣
Katie Stewart says
Ugh…. a beautiful reminder of the tasks ahead of me this weekend! I’m the worst spring cleaner because I:
1: Am sentimental
2: I have a major problem with staying on task and sticking to one area at a time
3: I’m never at home by myself long enough to get to purge items.
BUT! Nothing gives me more life than walking through the house with a large back trash bag!
Cris says
I’m wondering what “cup towels” are? Also, windows😩
Mix and Match Mama says
Maybe it’s a Texas thing, but “dish towel” and “cup towel” are interchangeable. It must be a Texas thing…we are weird like that 😉 .
Katie says
I am SO with you on 3 things. I am not nearly as sentimental as most people would prefer (I have found out) – I just do not have emotional attachments to very many ‘things’..never have. I find way more projects along the way – my one thing for the day can quickly spiral into 12. And I allllways do it to early – Oklahoma and Texas share similar weather traits.