Maid in the Shade: Spring Clean 2012

Jill Duke breaks down how spring cleaning in 2012 can save you cash, make you money, and secure a man. Read on to find out about the intricacies of cleaning and all the benefits you can expect to find.

Ladies: you could relate to this. And Gentlemen… you can probably learn something.

The Cleaning Process (and men)

My perfect man? Well, I’m glad you asked. He’d look like Ryan Gosling, have a sense of humour like Louis CK, and always make me dinner. But more importantly, he’d know how to clean.

I’ve dated men who are very neat and tidy, and whose apartments were a pleasure to visit. I’ve also dated some dudes who either needed an eye exam or a psychiatric evaluation (or both) in order to find out exactly why they could live in such a gross pigsty.

But I’ve never dated a guy who truly understood how to clean—I mean, really clean…at a microscopic level. So therefore, my perfect man might not exist. Call me picky, but is an atomic-level attention to detail too much to ask for in a man? Sigh!

In all seriousness, though (cleanliness is serious stuff, boys! Take note!), Springtime is not Springtime without the Spring cleaning. There’s nothing quite like throwing open the windows, moving the carpets, scrubbing the floors, tossing the old and embracing the new and shiny.

Personally, a good cleaning session is something I find very cathartic. In the end, I found there are some real practical benefits to it, too. Benefits like:

CLEARING OUT THE CLUTTER

Out with the old! Spring cleaning helps get rid of physical stuff (for me, that meant magazines, clothes, hair products, papers..), which means that your mental load is lighter, too. Studies show that people who have less stuff are generally happier than those with a bunch of junk they don’t need.

SELL, SELL, SELL

Since you’re getting rid of some stuff, why not sell it? It’s often easier to dump a garbage bag of clothes at your local second hand store, but if you take some time to wade through, you might find that you could sell some of your “gently useds” on eBay, Craigslist or Kijiji, at a consignment store, or to friends at a co-clothing sale. The last time I seriously did this was before a big trip, and I made over $600 selling clothes, furniture and other odds and ends. That money was seriously useful on my travels, and I had peace of mind knowing I wasn’t paying to store a bunch of stuff I wasn’t using.

MAKING ROOM FOR MORE!

In with the new! With all that newfound space and money, you’ll be ready to buy new clothes, magazines and hair products (hehe). Update your wardrobe? Sure! Buy a new sofa? Why not! Or, as mentioned, go on a big trip. Whatever you choose to do with your money and space is up to you. But enjoy it! Spring has sprung!

Still, I get it—not everyone gets the same amount of joy and catharsis out of cleaning the clutter that I do. If they did, there wouldn’t be such a thing as a hoarder. But even if you’re not a hoarder, you can still acquire a bunch of dust and junk and lack the desire to do anything about it. If that is the case, it never hurts to hire a maid service. Yeah, it costs a bit of money. But peace of mind is priceless, people.

And if you want me to come over and clean for you, I could be persuaded by a good bottle of wine and some awesome tunes playing in the background. Or if you’re Ryan Gosling.

You’re not? Well…worth a shot.

Are you a Spring cleaner extraordinaire, or a reluctant duster? Tell us in the comments.

Image via brooklyn