HOME LIFE
How to Make Spring Cleaning
a Family Affair
BY PJ FEINSTEIN
S Busy parents
should schedule
spring-cleaning sessions as
they would
doctor or
dentist appointments
so that they
don’t get
“pushed to the side
when weekends
get busy.”
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/BOWDENIMAGES
ee if this sounds familiar: Motivated by
your New Year’s resolution to declutter,
you binge-watched “Tidying Up with
Marie Kondo” on Netflix in January and duti-
fully thanked a few pieces of outdated clothing
and random kitchenware that no longer sparked
joy in your life. You may have even inspired your
significant other to part with some well-worn
socks and your children to say goodbye to a small
selection of toys they’ve outgrown.

Then, sometime between Groundhog’s Day
and today, your eagerness to “KonMari” your
entire home waned as the number of items on
your to-do list grew. Now that it’s spring, the
increase in activities for the family — soccer
practice, baseball games, playground play-
dates — means a decrease in desire to stay
indoors and tidy up. Besides, who has the
time to clean?
Before you hit the season running, it’s import-
ant to evaluate what you’ve accumulated over
the winter and decide what to do next. “Spring
is a great time to pause,” says Rachel Rosenthal,
an organizing expert in Bethesda. “Without stop-
ping, your house will become a breeding ground
for continued clutter.”
Rosenthal recommends that busy parents
schedule spring-cleaning sessions as they
would doctor or dentist appointments so that
they don’t get “pushed to the side when week-
ends get busy.” However, you’ll want to be
realistic with your time to prevent the process
from becoming overwhelming. “Start with 30
minute chunks at a time and then give yourself
a reward,” she suggests.

Before attempting to tackle a decade’s worth
of clutter in the basement, Rosenthal advises
families to begin in spaces that are more manage-
able. “Starting in the easiest place will give you
motivation to continue,” she says. The kitchen,
bedrooms and bathrooms will be less daunting
than, say, the garage.

And when Rosenthal refers to “families,”
she means the entire family. Involving your
children teaches them that tidying up “is how
you live, not a just a one-time event” and sends
the message that “we are an organized family,”
she explains.

Katherine Reynolds Lewis, author of
“The Good News About Bad Behavior” and
a certified parent educator with the Parent
24 WashingtonFAMILY APRIL 2019
Encouragement Program (PEP), agrees that
it’s important to include kids in the cleaning
process. Participating in chores, Reynolds says,
gives them “a sense of themselves as capable
and mattering to the family.” When children
put away their toys, for example, they immedi-
ately feel a sense of accomplishment and can
see how their effort helps out the family.

After you block off time to organize the
kitchen and task the kids with checking the expi-
ration dates on everything in the pantry, you may
feel tempted to stock up on bins and baskets.

However, Rosenthal recommends completing
the decluttering phase of the spring cleaning
process before running to Target or The Con-
tainer Store. Once you’re ready to shop, look
for products that can help you create organizing
systems rather than ones that simply match your
home decor. (And remember, always measure
your spaces first!)
Although every family’s organizational
needs will be different, below are a few of
Rosenthal’s favorite products for creating a
tidy home.

• Drawer dividers allow you to neatly separate
items by category in bedroom dressers and
kitchen drawers.

• Clear shoe boxes make it easy to find what
you’re looking for and can be stored under the
bed, on shelves or in a closet.

• Vertical file folders are ideal for categoriz-
ing mail and preventing important paperwork
from getting lost in piles.

• Hanging sweater bags create additional
vertical space and are a handy way to store
board games, hats and gloves, purses and, of
course, knitwear.

• Shoe organizers that hang over the door can
be used in kids’ bedrooms or bathrooms to
hold hair accessories and small toys.

Rosenthal understands that decluttering can
seem like a chore for those who haven’t done it
before, so she encourages families to think of it
as a way of life instead. “Spring cleaning is just
part of the process,” she says. ■
PJ Feinstein, a writer and the mother of two
young boys in Potomac, is guilty of making
piles of paper around the house.




SCHOOL NOTES
End in Sight
Tips for Fighting the Fourth-Quarter Blues
BY MICHELLE BLANCHARD ARDILLO
A pril 1 may be April Fools’ Day, but there’s
no time for fooling around, as the long-
awaited fourth quarter of the school year
is finally here. Summer is right around the corner.

But before you can head to the beach or plan all
those backyard barbecues, pay attention to these
five tips to end the school year with success.

the more challenging subjects. For students with
learning differences, schedule a meeting with the
school resource teacher or guidance counselor;
these educational professionals can help get your
student back on track. Don’t wait until the last
few weeks of the quarter to seek help if you need
it. Sleep on it
Prepare for a shock: The Mayo Clinic’s recom-
mended amount of sleep by age group is posted
on its website and included here. It’s safe to say
that most school-age children (and adults) are
not getting the recommended amount of sleep.

Researchers know that people who don’t get
quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to
get sick after being exposed to a virus. And if
they do get sick, a lack of sleep can also affect
how fast they recover. Make sure your children
are sticking to a school-year bedtime and not a
summer-break schedule.

Recommended Hours of Sleep for
School Children
• Preschool and
kindergartners: 10-13 hours
• Elementary and
middle schoolers:
9-11 hours
• High schoolers:
8-10 hours
And how
about parents?
• 7-9 hours
Source: Mayo Clinic
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TOP: DMEPHOTOGRAPHY;
RIGHT: STEVE DEBENPORT
Keep your eye on the ball
Create a special, end-of-the-school-year cal-
endar. Get out colored markers and a piece of
poster board. Mark any important school dates,
upcoming field trips, class parties, final exams
and graduation ceremonies. Use colorful stick-
ers to count down the days until the last day of
school. It’s easier to work toward a goal when
you have a clear picture in mind, especially with
younger children who haven’t yet developed a
keen sense of time.

The fourth quarter and its mad dash to the
end of the school year don’t have to be stressful.

Using these five tips will help the fourth quarter
Take it outside
fly by with good results and a successful end of
With springtime temperatures and longer hours the school year. ■
of daylight, children should spend some time
after school getting exercise and fresh air. Not Michelle Blanchard Ardillo is a freelance writer
only will it help them sleep better (and longer) and middle school language arts teacher.

at night, it will improve their concentration for
completing homework and studying for tests and
If your child is struggling
quizzes. You also can set up a work station for
your child on the back deck or patio for them to
do homework while enjoying the outdoors during with staying focused, you
this time of year.

Organization is key
It’s only natural to feel weighed down if every
piece of paper from the whole school year is
still in your child’s backpack or binder. Start
by taking out anything from the first semes-
ter. Most middle schools that give final exams
only assess students on the second semester,
the third and fourth quarter. If in doubt, send
a quick email to your child’s teacher to verify
what materials are still needed, then sort your
child’s graded work and notebooks accordingly.

don’t have to tackle that
alone. Email your child’s
teacher and request
a short meeting.

Call for help
If your child is struggling with staying focused,
you don’t have to tackle that alone. Email your
child’s teacher and request a short meeting. If
grades are falling, ask for extra-credit assign-
ments or inquire about after-school assistance in
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