Spring is almost here, which means your house is just about due for its biggest cleaning of the year. As the days get longer and the air gets warmer, you’ll have no excuse not to break out the cleaning supplies and get to work. While spring cleaning is never quick and easy, it can happen a lot faster if the entire family helps out. Cleaning is also a lot more fun when everyone does it together. Sometimes it can be tough to get everyone on the same page, but with a little strategizing, you turn your household into a cleaning machine. Here are four ways to involve your family in the spring cleaning process.
Call a Family Meeting at the Start of the Process
Before you actually get cleaning, you need to make a general plan. The best way to do this is by holding a mandatory family meeting. This gathering can be informal, with plenty of snacks and beverages to go around, but you also need to use it to get down to business. This is where you’ll decide what needs to get done and who will have what responsibilities. Without such a meeting, your cleaning efforts will never be well organized.
Give Every Family Member a Say
For the sake of domestic tranquility, you shouldn’t run the spring cleaning project like a dictator. At the family meeting, invite every member to voice their opinions. If possible, let people choose their own jobs. That way, everyone can take on the tasks that most suit their strengths and weaknesses. The shy, strong child can offer to do the landscaping, while the outgoing child can take charge of organizing the dumpster rentals.
Sign a Contract
While creating a contract and having everyone sign might seem a little formal for a family agreement, it’s the only way to hold everyone accountable down the line. As much as you’d prefer to work by trust, you’ll avoid problems by getting it all down on paper.
Make It Fun
There’s no reason spring cleaning has to be a total slog. There are all sorts of ways to make the process fun. Consider having everyone contribute to a playlist and then blast some music. Pizza lunch breaks and wordplay games can also get everybody smiling their widest.
Spring cleaning is a lot easier when the whole family helps out. Use the strategies above to make this annual project a true group effort.