Happy Thursday! I cannot believe we are already to the last Thursday in April! May always flies so summer will be here before I know it and I am ready for it. Just like always on the last Thursday of the month, I’m linking up with Holly and Patty.

I giggled a little bit when I saw the topic for Monthly Musings because I am not a cleaner. In fact, we still laugh remembering how I told my mom “We don’t clean. What if someone sees us out here cleaning?” as I was complaining/helping her clean the porch one spring. One thing we did do every spring growing up was clean out our closets and drawers. My mom would come up to my sister’s and my rooms and we would try on all the spring and summer clothes. It felt like torture for all of us, but a necessary torture. Now, my kids only wear shorts and t-shirts so I have avoided this spring cleaning tradition and I don’t miss it! After reading these spring cleaning questions, I realized I have answers for these. So, let’s get to it!

1. Are you doing a spring cleaning this year?

Nope! I have been cleaning for months. I did a January cleaning, a February cleaning, a March cleaning, and an April cleaning. I did it pretty much every day of those months. Can you even believe it??? The dry wall and construction dust was so much to keep on top of. Now that it’s lovely outside and we have the windows open, the pollen is taking the place of the dry wall dust. So, no I’m not doing a spring cleaning and I am just wiping stuff down most days.

2. Favorite cleaning products?

I have a few favorites. I really like 409 and Lysol kitchen cleaner. I LOVE Windex for all surfaces. It’s great to wipe things down in the kitchen and then I do follow up with the Lysol antibacterial if I need it.

Also, I’m not sure I could’ve made it through the last year without Clorox wipes. We’ve had so many workers in and out of our house and those wipes were a saving grace on light switches and door knobs.

3. What is your must clean for every spring?

I always clean the porch/deck furniture each spring for their first sit. We cover the deck furniture and the porch furniture sits out all winter, but they both are ready for a spring cleaning.

4. Any garage/shed cleaning tips?

Get a dumpster!! We had three dumpsters on our driveway in the past 7 months and we filled them. The home improvement projects (that aren’t finished yet 🤪) filled part of the dumpsters, but Jeff and I did our best to make use of every single space. After 7 years in our house, we had accumulated some stuff. We were ruthless when we cleaned out the shed. If we haven’t used it recently, it went. We weren’t quite as ruthless in the garage and I take the blame for that one. I have a lot of dishes, platters, and glassware that we haven’t used recently but I’m not ready to get rid of. I used the reason that we haven’t had get togethers in a year so how can I be sure I wouldn’t use them. 🙄 I know it’s a little hoarder-ish. Hopefully we’ll have a free weekend next spring to clean out everything I really didn’t use now that most of our friends and family are VACCINATED!!! WOOHOO!!!

5. Pack rat or Marie Kondo devotee?

I’m a little bit of both and I go through spurts of each. When I get on a clean out roll, watch out! But I do have a hard time getting rid of sentimental things, even when they don’t mean that much to me anymore.

6. Best cleaning hack?

See question 7 – get help!

7. Do you have help with house cleaning?

First of all, my iPad kept correcting house cleaning to hocus pocus. 😂 So I obviously have some help in this area. We have people come in every other week to clean the house. As a working mom with a husband who works crazy hours, this is one of the things we do to keep our house clean and keep us sane.

8. Favorite cleaning appliance?

It’s a tie between the dustbuster and the dishwasher. They both make my life so much easier. I don’t love our vacuum, but it does the job. The cleaning appliance I think I want is a mop/vacuum combo. Don’t fall over Mom! I can’t really believe I said I wanted a mop/vacuum combo either. 😉 With our addition and all the mud in the backyard, I am finding myself cleaning the floors more and that would be a great tool to have. Do you have one that you love?

9. Run the dishwasher every night or just when it is full?

We run the dishwasher when it is full, which is usually every night. If there is a night that Jeff or I forget, it’s a rough day the next day.

10. Favorite way to donate or purge unneeded items?

I have a few places I like to donate. We have a store where women and children from the domestic abuse shelter can get items they need to set up their new homes. This is the first place I donate. I also donate to the St. Vincent DePaul box at church. We know some people that have family in Central America and they are often looking for clothes and toys to send back to their family. I am happy to give to them if what we have fits their needs. The last place I donate things is Goodwill. I choose Goodwill last, but sometimes I just need the stuff out of my house/car and Goodwill is open.

Are you a spring cleaner? Is there anything I should be spring cleaning that I am not?? I can’t wait to hear! I’ll be back tomorrow with my favorites from the week. Have a great day full of sunshine and books!

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