It's that time again — time to think about and start your spring cleaning.  It helps to set aside a day or two, dedicated to nothing but cleaning.  Removing all other distractions (though music can be an excellent accompaniment) is good.  Otherwise, you'll find all sorts of other things you want to do besides clean.

Before you start, make sure you have all approriate cleaning supplies (cleansers, mops, cloths, etc.) at hand.

If the weather allows, throw open the windows to let fresh air circulate.  It will make the house smell cleaner than any cleanser.

If you will be doing laundry (blankets, carpets, etc.), start the loads first thing as they will take some time.  Also, if you plan to take things outside to wash or just air out, do that early on so that things will have enough time to dry or really get the benefit of the air.

There are two good cleaning strategies you might want to try.  In the first strategy, you do all of a certain task before moving to the next.  So, you would clear clutter and put things away in all rooms, then mop floors, then vacuum, then dust, etc.  Alternatively, you can clean one room thoroughly before moving on to the next.  I typically use that strategy.  I start in my bathroom and work in a counterclockwise fashion to my laundry room.  Each room is clean before I move to the next one.  That strategy lets me vary the tasks throughout the day and see real progress on a regular basis.

I will be doing my spring cleaning this weekend.  I don't clean closets and cabinets or move all the furniture.  I have a 900 square foot house and I can clean it in about 10 hours.

After you finish your cleaning, make sure you reward yourself — perhaps a nice dinner or a long hot bath.