Sunday, March 18, 2012

Spring Cleaning Tips






Spring has definitely arrived in New York City! Everywhere I look, both at curbside and parks, bulbs are poking up through the dead leaves on the ground.


Pansies that have revived in planters are aspreading their colorful cheer. Ferns and fiddle heads are beginning to grow in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden as well as the magnolia trees. Check out my post about the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Magnolia trees on this link.


Peach blossoms are in bloom....

....and even some early cherry blossoms are beginning to open, much earlier than in previous years due to the unusually mild weather we have had at the end of this winter season.  You can see my post about the cherry blossoms in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on this link.  The Garden also has a link up called the "Cherry Watch" with updates as to when the majority of cherry trees will be at peak viewing.  It is a glorious sight to see!

So what does all of this have to do with Spring cleaning tips?

Well, like most people, when the Spring season brings open windows to my house and longer daylight hours to my day, I feel energetic and revitalized.  I begin to see the cobwebs that have gathered on my ceilings and curtains and dust balls that have morphed into true dust bunnies.  I want to change my wardrobe over from winter to spring and summer clothes. This entails a lot of laundry and ironing for me as I switch my clothes from basement storage to my bedroom closet. I remove all the items from my closet first, and vacuum and dust.  I  bag up all the clothes, shoes and bags I haven't worn or used to donate to charity, and then replace what I do use and my newly laundered wardrobe.  Since I've been in Colorado for a few days, visiting for my youngest grandson's first birthday (more on that in a future post!) and since my daughter's wedding only a few months away, I am pressed for time for this season's Spring cleaning. So, BlogHer's Life Well Lived post of  Spring Cleaning in 10 Minutes a Day was a timely and valuable one for me!  I especially liked the tip to go through the refrigerator and medicine cabinet to throw away all expired food stuffs and medicines, both prescription and over the counter, that have expired, and to change the batteries on all my smoke detectors. These are tasks that are often overlooked.  I'm sure you will also find some great tips from Alicia's post and the comments she's received, and perhaps you'd like to leave some of your own Spring cleaning tips in the comments.  In any event, be sure to enter BlogHer's Life Well Lived Sweepstakes for a chance to win Kindle Fire by leaving a comment on this link. *

* (The BlogHer Life Well Lived Moments sweepstakes 7 runs from March 1, 2012 to April 5, 2012 and is only open to individuals who, at the time of entry deadline, are legal residents of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec), are 18 years or older and who are registered users of www.blogher.com at the time of entry. Winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Click here for official rules. Good luck!)


I'm linking this post to the Mosaic Monday event on Mary's blog Little Red House -- please check out all the beautiful mosaics joining in today's event on Mary's blog.


Bookmark and Share



50 comments:

Linda said...

I thought Spring was staying around, but we've had a winter storm that is rolling right through our area the last couple of days...I'm sure we'll be back to normal by the end of the week! Your photos are just beautiful!!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Super beautiful photos, Pat! Enjoying an early springtime too. Because of the mild winter we did not burn the wood stove. So... the heavy spring cleaning in the family room will be much easier.

podso said...

I like your changing of the winter to summer clothes routine, good idea to clean the closet! Our cherry blossoms are barely beginning to bloom...can hardly believe you are ahead of the south!

ellen b. said...

Love your Signs of Spring mosaic...just beautiful. I'm going to have to come back and check out the Spring Cleaning tips!

Pamela Gordon said...

Wow, what beautifull photos of the spring blooms in NYC! I guess I can brag that my crocus bloomed today under sunny and extra warm skies. :) It is unusually warm here in eastern Canada (well, almost all of southern Canada!). I'm afraid it won't last though. It's just too early. Have a great week! Pamela

Vee said...

I recently did the clearing of the fridge...scary! Truly scary. I had mayonnaise that expired in 2009. I told you that it was scary.

Beautiful pictures.

Old Kitty said...

Oh Patsy! The blooms and bulbs are beautiful! And daylight is truly longer even if there's just a nip of a chill in the air, the promise of Spring is everywhere! Oh my, I just rhymed!

Oh I am exhausted just reading about your spring cleaning! LOL! But you are so right about important stuff that gets overlooked as we tend to hibernate and slow down for winter. Time to get jiggy with it, Patsy and get that spring cleaning up and running!

Awwww I look forward to reading about your adorable grandson's birthday!! Oh wow! His first! That's so adorable!!

Happy (UK)Mother's Day to you!!!!

Take care
x

Cindy said...

Beautiful photos, my friend, it's so invigorating to see the sun and warmth again.
Good tips, thanks.
Hugs, Cindy

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Glad Spring has come to your area also. We have almost gone into summer this week (and it's not even spring officially)... Crazy weather...

Lovely flowers... I love the Crocuses --and ours are all gone now...Our Tulips and Daffodils are blooming like crazy--and just beautiful. My blog tomorrow will show some of our spring flowers in the yard.

Good spring cleaning tips. Anything to make it easier and shorter is GOOD.
Hugs,
Betsy

Snap said...

Loved seeing all those gorgeous blooms. Spring cleaning ... don't remind me! :D :D :D

Linda said...

Your pictures of what's blooming are wonderful!! We have had a winter storm come through our neighborhood this weekend!I did my Spring cleaning before Don's retirement party...so I am set!! Have a great day!!

Jo said...

I have only done a bit of spring cleaning ... and smoke detectors are always done during "spring ahead" and "fall behind" ... that way, it's just easy to remember to change the batteries and/or make sure that they are working! Have fun with your cleaning!!!

Anonymous said...

have only thought about spring cleaning in a very vague way...I really do need to get out my extension brush and give the high ceilings a good sweep plus I've been noticing for months that the pretty glass pieces of the chandelier need a good clean with glass cleaning solution! the problem with the glass pieces is I have to stand on my step stool to reach them...and sometimes I'm just not up to that!

loved your flower photos Pat...beautiful!

Michelle said...

I am ready for some spring cleaning and painting! I love this time of year! Great pics!

Carol said...

Beautiful flowers, Pat! Pretty mosaics. I finally see signs of Spring here, too. Can't wait to see more color!

Ciao Chow Linda said...

I am really bad at all that spring cleaning stuff Pat, so to hear what you do makes me feel a little sheepish. BUT I did just go through a medicine cabinet and got rid of a lot of unused and outdated stuff. The flowers are really a breath of fresh air. HAVE TO get to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden soon.

a quiet life said...

beautiful photos~

The Gathering Place said...

I like the ten minutes a day idea, or at least one small job a day. Eventually, everything should get a cleaning.

Barbara F. said...

Great photos of such beautiful flowers, as I read my blog list tonight I am seeing gorgeous blooms all over. Welcome spring! xo

Nancy said...

You have found lots of beautiful flowers. NY weather is ahead of CT. My crocuses just opened today.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Love the beautiful blooms, not the spring cleaning so much. We change the smoke alarm batteries every time the time changes, so that is twice a year and a good way to remember it.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Thansk for your comments, Everyone!

Podso:

My cherry blossom mosaic is from last year's photos. So far only the early blooming variety of cherry trees are blooming right now in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden -- most of the regular cherry trees don't bloom until mid April, although they may be early this year too!

Marg said...

I was so excited to see spring in NY, but then to be hit with spring cleaning, my jaw dropped...but now I think it was a great post with some great tips after all. Thanks for sharing.I will be bouncing off the wall...but first I need to see signs of spring.

My name is Riet said...

Goodmorning Pat. I love love your spring photo's, I love all the blooms .
I have also been getting the summer clothes out of the boxes and washing and ironing away. LOve this time of year,at least if the sun shines. Good idea to vacuum the closets, haven't done that, just forgot. WE are going to have nice weather this week so will get on with the spring cleaning but do some outings for photographing too if I can find the time. Two of our grandchildren have their birthday this week, went shopping with them yesterday, so I better get on going again now.
Have a nice week.
hugs from Riet

pam said...

Our fake winter has been replaced early with green grass, flowering trees and even the greening of regular trees branches with buds of leaves popping out. CRAZY year. We are expecting LOTS of rain this week. I imagine my flowering Cherry tree will lose its robe of flowers....short lived but stunning this year.
I have a friend who is doing a monthly spa for ladies trying to get back out in the work force. So I've been purging and giving the lot to her. She will even come over and help me go through closets and cabinets. It is SO WONDERFUL! Each time I go through everything AGAIN I decide to give up more and more. I would love to down size from our large home...so maybe this is God spurring me on to be ready for an easier packing and move.
Hope you have a grand week Pat! Loved all your flowering pics!

Paula's Postings said...

Your spring photo's are beautiful and I love the idea of 10 mins a day cleaning instead of going at it all day every day.

Lynn said...

Yep, things are blooming in Philly too:@) My son's been doing this, although he sets 15 minutes aside, and it really does make things more manageable-great tip!

A Bit of the Blarney said...

All are in full bloom here. I fear all will be finished by Easter. Will have o get into the garden and plant the annuals! Have a grand day! Cathy

LindyLouMac said...

I seem to be leaving the same comment everywhere this morning but it is true 'Hurrah for Spring'

Tracy said...

LOVELY spring blooms...*sigh*... We're slowly seeing signs of spring here at last! And spring cleaning has been on my mind to start. Spring cleaning in 10 Minutes a Day??!! I gotta go see about that! Happy Week, Pat ((HUGS))

Ola said...

you have much warmer weather, for such views I will have to wait for May:)


Life and travelling
Cooking

Judy said...

Love your springs flowers. I'm wondering if the blooms of spring have made an appearance while I have been away. It sounds like I have I have missed another dose of winter. But spring cleaning needs to happen regardless! I wish I had someone to call on...someone that wouyld make it happen.

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

I'm a big spring cleaner too! It seems that it is a good time to catch up on all the resolutions I am failing on--clean out closets, etc. You must have had a wonderful time with your grand boys! We don't have any blooming trees yet, even though we are a stone's throw from NYC! Some daffodils popped yesterday, but that's all. I lost 5 flowering trees in my yard between Irene and the October storm. Linda

Claudia said...

It's the time of year when the outside beckons and I know there is so much to do inside the home - I get overwhelmed. Ten-minutes a day is the perfect strategy. Our blooms are coming up - way too early. I look forward to seeing spring in NYC although note - you are chillier than we are. We are in shorts and sandals!

Kris said...

Always a pleasure to come see you here! Beautiful pics....always!!!
XO Kris

Lovella ♥ said...

OH we are a long ways off from seeing all those spring blooms here. It seems we will be having a late spring with a chance of snow again today. It doesn't stick but it sure doesn't encourage blooms either.
Love your photos Pat.

Saucy Siciliana said...

Beautiful pictures Pat. Here in Rome it's still a bit cold so we haven't started cleaning up yet. Have a nice week!

Kathleen said...

No blooms here, just hints of green on the hydrangea.
Beautiful pics!

Sheila said...

New York's spring looks just lovely! You must smile in appreciation on your spring walks, Now is the time when I should start cleaning because spring is at least a month away. If I start now I can be done by the time the snow melts.

Jacqueline said...

I caught my 10 minutes today as I was talking on the phone to my son and measuring my hood over the stove and couldn't believe the grease and cobwebs! Yuck!!! So as I talked I got up and did a little spring cleaning. Blogging has definitely made my cleaning suffer! Maybe 10 a day is what I need!

Betsy Brock said...

10 minutes a day.. I love that idea! I'll check out that one for sure.

Your blooms are lovely there in NYC...you're just a little bit ahead of us but we are seeing some blooms! :)

Unknown said...

I definitely need to take everything out of our closet and vacuum it out. I put that off all the time.

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Nice post Pat...I have been doing exactly the same...clearing out closets, etc. The windows have been wide open. Unfortunately, I am still trying to get past the cold, which turned into a cough and settled in my chest thing...the antibiotics hopefully will do the trick!

Just a little something from Judy said...

I knew I would find Spring's finest here. You sure provide a great advertisement for your part of the world. The flowers you shared are beautiful! It seems like we just skipped the winter season this year. I am not complaining. You sure are a busy lady! I wish you a few more minutes in your days so that you can get it all done.

Elastagirl said...

Beautiful beautiful flower pictures!!!! ah, spring! :) Thanks for checking my blog out too, I enjoyed "meeting" you!!

Hilary said...

I love the flowers... I am also in NY, and due to the mild weather we have had, I feel like it has always been spring... Great tips for the closet cleanup. I am lucky, my closet has room for all seasons clothes, which is great. But the downside is I don't have motivation to clean out the stuff I no longer wear....

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

So far most of my spring cleaning has been spent in the garden raking leaves out of the beds and pruning clematis and roses. We need some cooler weather so I can get some work done in the house :)

I'm sure you had a great time in Colorado celebrating your grandson's birthday!

Elizabeth @ My Life, Such as it is... said...

Wow on the photos! I'm not big on opening windows and doors but then Houston area is full of pollen, mold, mildew, ragweed, and other allergens this time of year.

The tip about cleaning out medicines is a good one. I need to do that. I already change smoke alarm batteries with the time change.

Family Balance Sheet said...

I've been spring cleaning all week. I'm doing a better job at keeping up with a regular weekly cleaning routine, so the project hasn't been too bad.

Beautiful pictures. I LOVE NYC!

Barb said...

I'm surprised to see your Botanic garden in such splendor already! Do you visit the Denver gardens when you spend time with your grandson? My Grandchildren love the garden and the new Children's garden is perfect for them. PS I like the photos you've selected for greeting cards - each tells a story about the city.