My Mother is force in this universe. She has always had amazing energy and still does in her 70's. She is friendly to everyone, loves to have laugh, is a mean jitter bug dancer and a fierce housekeeper. In my childhood, I knew that this time of year meant the dreaded spring cleaning. The stuff of urban legends, only in our home it was no myth. When my Mom decided that the spring cleaning should commence, no corner of our house was safe. We washed windows, cleaned carpets, and scrubbed tile with comet and elbow grease (whether it needed it or not). Non-existent cobwebs were twirled on brooms out of ceiling corners, sofas and chairs were de-cushioned and vacuumed, and dust bunnies were banished. This was a time of cleaning out drawers and closets, as well as, scrubbing baseboards and door frames. In Spring Cleaning mode, the driveway and porch were scrubbed, the beds weeded and flowers were planted. I hated this whole process! It kept me from playing with my dolls, roaming the hills and otherwise enjoying the pastimes of a young girl. But, I loved the results! At the end of this cleaning frenzy, the house sparkled. There was a fresh fragrance in the air, a sense of renewal and peace seemed to emanate from the house, as if it had appreciated the attention. I will admit, I am behind on my own spring cleaning this year. I will never hold a candle to my Mom in this department, yet, I will press on with my own version of this tradition. I know my children feel the same about this process that I did, but I know that they will enjoy the result like I did as well.
From left to right, my Mom, Jo, Catherine and Emily
As a designer and stager, I often see homes in real need of a good cleaning. It is interesting how people can live with, get used to, and ignore basic household hygiene. They spend money on beautiful furnishings then leave piles of mail, layers of dust and dirty windows to detract from space. If a beautiful home is important to you, don't forget the dreaded spring cleaning!
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