Spring is nearly here. Birds are chirping outside your new Tulare home. Trees and flowers are budding. The transformation from winter to spring happens quickly. It’s a season that we always wish lasted longer. It is marked by mild weather, perfect breezes and picnics in lush parks, the beginning of beach vacations and longer days. Who couldn’t use more of these things?

There is one more thing about spring: cleaning. We are not writing this to pop your happy bubble. We are here to give you a plan and to help you through the annual ritual – and necessity – of spring cleaning.

First, if you are the type of person who just wants to get it all done as quickly as possible, more power to you. Block out a weekend, enlist the help of your family, open the windows and get to work. Use this Thorough Spring Cleaning Checklist from Imperfect Homemaking, where you’ll find ideas to help with tasks like organizing your pantry and fridge and cleaning your microwave, lamps and lampshades.

For those people who do not enjoy housework (most of us), or those who are pressed for time this spring, may enjoy Real Simple’s list of Spring Cleaning Shortcuts, including steaming curtains instead of vacuuming them, and letting baking soda deodorize your mattress while you wash your sheets.

Take your spring cleaning in stride by using BuzzFeed’s 10 Day Spring Cleaning Challenge. Did the word challenge make your heart spark a little, revving you into action? Challenges do that, so use that word to motivate yourself. This challenge is also of great use outside of the spring season. Take it into the other seasons for quarterly cleanings. Keeping your house clean all year long has the benefit of minimizing the enormous task of once-a-year deep cleaning.

Does spring cleaning give you nightmares simply because of all the chemical smells that often accompany the task? Cleaning your house does not have to dirty the air around you. Use essential oils as cleaning agents. Use lemon for its citrusy aroma and stain removal ability. Use peppermint for its antibacterial and pest controlling properties. Use tea tree oil against mold and mildew. Use orange for degreasing. Use lavender or grapefruit to calm or uplift your mood while you scrub and vacuum.

Alternately, read about how you can Clean Your Whole House With Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Lemon, for a less expensive and healthier natural cleaning solution.

The bottom line is that spring cleaning does not have to be daunting, and it doesn’t have to take the whole season to accomplish. Just browse through these links we’ve provided and figure out what your house needs. And get it done enlisting the help of your entire household so that you are not carrying the entire burden yourself.

Contact us for more information on our new homes in Tulare and other San Joaquin Valley locations.