The Essence of Spring Cleaning
I grew up in a spotless home. It was bred into me
to expect clean surroundings. I’m not neurotic about
it, but I can’t handle clutter and dirt—I have to keep
my nest neat. (Ask my kids!)
What makes a home beautiful is not so much its
price tag as its character. A humble home that is well
cared for can be a palace fit for a king—so all of us,
from apartment residents to country dwellers, have a
potential palace at our
command.
Realize, though, the
following: If caring for
the home makes it beauti-
ful, and we have limited
time and money to ex-
pend at caring for it, then we
need to limit the number of
things in the home that need
care, and limit the amount of
money spent in caring for them.
In a word, simplify.
That is the essence of spring
cleaning. Simplify your life!
Step one:
Simplify your
possessions. Take two garbage
bags; one is the “throwaway
bag,” and the other is the “give-
away bag.” Go through your
house, one room at a time, and
ruthlessly extract what you don’t use. Be objective. Other
than seasonal items, heirlooms and your library books,
things should be thrown or given away if they sit unused for
two months. Some authorities even say one month. Many
charities gladly receive donations of clothes and sundry
items. Yard sales are helpful, but if money is not an issue,
give rather than sell. It will go faster, and you will be blessed
knowing you are helping others.*
Step two:
Simplify cleaning products. You do not need
all those bottles, boxes and cans to keep things fresh and
bright. A good do-it-yourself book** will tell you how to
make solutions that will clean everything from windows to
toilets to fireplace grates using five basic ingredients:
ammonia, bleach, vinegar, baking soda and soap. [Use am-
monia OR bleach; do not mix them. The vapors can be harm-
ful, even explosive and deadly so I have heard. Ed.]
Step three:
Simplify big projects. Carpet cleaning, win-
dow washing, wall painting and other major projects need to
be done from time to time to keep the home at its best. De-
pending upon whether time or money is the issue, you may
want to do them yourself or hire someone else. An average
carpet costs $50 to $100 to have
professionally cleaned, while
renting a machine costs only
about $25 a day. Painting a room
costs about $25 for paint and
brushes, while hiring a profes-
sional may cost $120 or more.
Do your research and decide
what is best for you.
In 1998 I had the privilege
of visiting a missionary friend in
Zambia. Having grown up a
spoiled, rich American, I was
unaccustomed to poverty, but
there it was inescapable. For
months after I returned home, I
could not bring myself to buy
even necessary items. Even now
I feel that I can’t possibly live for
the things of this world—for
each time Iam tempted to squan-
der the money God has given me I feel as if I am standing be-
side one of my African sisters as she hoes the hard ground
with a baby on her back, and returns after her toilsome day to
a thatch hut with no running water. The small sums of money
(Continued on page 12)
Woman to Woman
Vol. 3, No. 2
“And ye are complete in him.” Colossians 2:10
Mar./Apr. 2000
Our Mission Statement: Believing that we can find
completeness in all areas of our lives only “in him, who
is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians
2:10), it is the mission of Hearth to Hearth to provide a
forum for Christian women to reach out to each other in
friendship, with joy and hope; and to encourage each
other to find our completeness in Christ as we sojourn
here on our way to the kingdom.
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