7 Old-Fashioned Ways I Replaced Spring Cleaning for Good

As a young boy, I remember my mom would do a huge spring cleaning every April. My job was to wipe down our baseboards with Pine-Sol and a damp rag. As I lunged and squatted my way around our home, the pleasant smell of the cleaner filled my nostrils and assured me that things were being made better. I enjoyed the feeling of productivity and satisfaction from the work, but even back then I felt a certain silliness in cleaning that intensely, only for things to return to normal in a month or so.

That feeling stuck with me into adulthood, and while I still believe that deep cleaning is occasionally necessary, I’ve made a point to avoid any long marathon days of doing so. Another thing I’ve avoided is the sense of guilt and unworthiness that comes with the effort. Why couldn’t I keep this place clean in the first place rather than allowing the clutter and grime to build up?

It was around this time of reflection and self-doubt that I came across my now favorite quote from Ben Franklin. It reads: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Of course, I had heard this quote before, and its wisdom sounded obvious, but don’t we all need a reminder from time to time?

Spring cleaning is a great way to jumpstart a really messy room, but the best way to live is to keep things manageable in the first place. Franklin’s advice to never put off a task is at the heart of living a tidy life.

Here are some old-school habits that Benjamin Franklin would appreciate that keep the clutter from taking over my home. If you want to avoid the stress of a cluttered home, consider adopting some of these practices yourself.

Avoid multitasking in any form

When I’m multitasking, I’m not only trying to juggle multiple dishes on the stove, but I’m also always thinking two or three steps ahead. I’ll make a huge mess and then tell myself I’ll clean it all up at the end. Of course, by that point, more things are locked from the counter or floor, and I’m too tired to start cleaning. So the mess sits there until the next day. The smarter way to do things is to focus on one task at a time, and clean as you go.

Always have a place for what you own

If you’re going to be putting things away right when you’re done using them, you’ll need a logical place to store everything you own. This is a given for the important things that we use daily, but I’m talking about the less important things, too, like extra batteries, random cables, and a place for mail that you don’t have time to sort. If these items don’t have a home, they’ll end up in a pile, and that pile will get bigger and bigger until you have a spring cleaning sized problem on your hands— and that’s exactly what you’re trying to avoid.

Take away rather than adding to your load

In this modern world of excess, it’s easy to develop the habit of constantly adding things to your life without ever subtracting. You might add a piece of furniture or decoration, but do you ever think to get rid of one? You might add responsibilities to your evenings, but do you ever consider if there’s anything you’d want to subtract? By constantly adding to your life, you’re increasing the complexity and the likelihood of clutter, not only physical clutter, but in your whole way of living.

Use fewer tools to do more jobs

I think people love to solve problems by buying something. For example, if your home is messy, you might buy some storage containers or baskets to corral the things that belong on your countertops. Or maybe you’re disappointed with yourself for not exercising more often, so you buy a new pair of shoes in hopes of motivating yourself to get outside. Sometimes that works, but often it just adds more stuff that isn’t really necessary. I find that it is better to get creative and use fewer tools. For example, maybe you don’t need to buy a special knife for cutting bread if you become skilled at using the knife you already have. Lack of skill can often be solved by buying more stuff, but a spirit of challenge and creativity will get you further.

Clean things before they become filthy

The principle of not procrastinating applies to cleaning too. By leaving a dirty mess, you’re only causing more work for your future self. This means not wiping the countertops with a paper towel but with a wet rag and cleaner. It means not putting off cleaning your bathroom until it’s gross but rather making it part of your weekly routine. It’s somehow easier to maintain an already clean space than to tackle a dirty one when you’re not in the mood.

Look at the big picture in your home

In our home, the real clutter problem is toys. We clean up the kids’ toys every night, but I’ve noticed that the kids are quicker to clean on the nights we remind them that we’re going to vacuum. This means we need to pick up small toys and really get the floor free of anything that’s in the way. Coming up with a rule like this that forces you to get clean every day is helpful. Some people might tell themselves they’ll vacuum only on days everything is picked up. That way, the small areas of clutter won’t grow into a bigger problem.

Take a mindset of pride in your work

Taking pride in your home (or workspace) is entirely healthy. It means that you recognize that where you live is a place of value and meaning, and you want it to reflect those positive values. Having a messy home doesn’t mean you’re a bad person with other priorities, but it might mean you’ve let things get out of balance or your routines have fallen short of your ideals. Recognizing this and wanting to do better is a matter of self-respect. It means you care about whether your actions match your values or not.