Spring and deep cleaning are alive and well at my house.
I can't do it as fast as I used to, and I have come up with a system that works for me to spread it out in the winter months, but I personally couldn't live in my house if it didn't get done at least once a year.
I start in January by cleaning out and organizing and purging every drawer, closet and cupboard in my home. This doesn't mean that I don't tidy up any one of those things at other times during the year if they get messy or too full, but beginning in late January every year, every single one gets trashed out completely many things thrown out/donated, washed and cleaned (along with the contents inside if necessary, like infrequently used dishes in the kitchen, or extra towels and sheets in the linen closets).
Then I move on to one room at a time being completely cleaned down. For bedrooms, that is all curtains and bedding removed, washed ironed (not sheets!) and replaced. All windows walls, baseboards and furniture washed (use Murphy's Oil soap for everything but windows). Carpets steam cleaned (some years I don't do this until later in the summer). Every lamp shade is swept, every lantern, candle, knick knack is washed and cleaned to a sparkle. Any upholstered furniture is steam cleaned. There isn't a surface or a thing in any room that isn't washed and cleaned.
I start in the smaller rooms and upstairs, and work my way to the bottom of the house. It takes me at least a week, sometimes two or three, depending on how I feel.
I do see why some people spread it out throughout the year, and deep clean maybe one room per month or something, but I prefer to have the whole house sparkling clean at one time, if I can continue to do it that way.
I think that this type of cleaning overwhelms some people, especially if they have a lot of stuff to clean around and move. I'll admit my house is full. I have lots of furniture to move and lots of 'things' that I use in decor that have to be cleaned. I have simplified some, and know that when the time comes, I will scale back more, but until then, I choose to go to the effort it takes to clean all the things, because I love the look of my rooms and enjoy my things.
I do a fall cleaning but much less intense, because we have lots of outside clean up in the fall to do, and I can't get to the inside as deeply (nor do I think that curtains need washed twice a year, or walls washed more than once either). I often steam clean the upholstered furniture again, and the main pathways of the rooms with carpet.
I have discussed cleaning with many women in the past and find that my weekly cleaning is what many consider deep cleaning. I do many of my windows weekly (because I have finally got those great tilt in easy to do kind!!), as well as ceiling fans, baseboards, cabinet fronts etc. I clean something every day, and I don't hate doing it. I actually enjoy cleaning and organizing. My big challenge is downsizing the amount of many things I have. I'm getting better at it, but still have a long way to go with that.
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