Spring is a season most people enjoy. Additionally, it is the time of year most people thoroughly clean their homes, all because it is not too hot and thus you risk a heat stroke or too cold to throw all your windows open. As you busy yourself tidying your home though, it is essential that you do not forget that your mother or grandparent may also need some help cleaning. It goes a long way into making them feel cared for and helps you get a better understanding of their situation.
A clean environment is a key to good health especially since as people age their immunity weakens. You need to ask yourself, are they living in a clean and safe environment? Is there excess clutter that could be hazardous to their mobility? Therefore, here are some cost effective tips that you can use when helping that elderly relative of yours tidy their home:
#01. Make A List and Prioritize
This one’s for free! When you get a busy spring cleaning, most people scrub down every corner of their house. However, the rooms and items that you use need to always clean. Instead of starting at a random point sit down and prioritize. Prioritizing is also essential because it allows you to allocate different activities enough time depending on their complexity or sensitivity. Additionally, you find when you have everything written down it is harder to forget one section of the house.
#02. Get Rid Of Clutter
Most houses have an accumulation of things that are not used by anyone but are also never thrown out. Unless something has sentimental value, if it is not being used it should be given away, sold, or thrown out. Decluttering creates more space in the house. Additionally, you will find that most of these knick-knacks were only collecting dust. You also need to keep in mind that the house is not yours and therefore do not get rid of anything without the owner’s permission.
Saving tip: If you can get your relative’s buy-in, you could even make some money by selling items that are in good condition but are no longer used.
#03. Come Up With A Work Plan
To adequately cover every inch of the house you need to have a plan. It will also partially involve allocating time to each activity. For example, if your loved one spends much time in their room, then it will need to be cleaned thoroughly than the places they rarely visit, like the attic. Also, when allocating time, you have to avoid having a rigid work plan. This way, you can comfortably accommodate any changes along the way.
#04. Figure Out Their Likes and Dislikes
People like to clean with certain detergents or in a particular order, and when you ignore this order, they may not be entirely satisfied with the results. Therefore, before you go shopping find out if the homeowner has any preferences. Additionally, do not forget to ask whether they are allergic to anything.
Saving tip: Make a list and buy everything at once, there are often coupons for cleaning products and this can bring the price down significantly.
#05. Consider Getting Help
Unless you are a superhero, you will not manage to clean surfaces, do laundry, dust the carpets and shine the windows in one day. On the other hand, you cannot spring clean for two weeks. Therefore, you might need to consider hiring some help or calling in some of your relatives. When choosing the people to help you, make sure you select people who can work around an older person to avoid petty conflicts.
#06. Do Not Exclude Your Grandparents in Your Cleaning Project
Older adults might be a bit slow as they work or they may not have the strength needed for heavy lifting. However, this does not mean you should exclude them. Keeping in mind that this is their house, you need to involve them in every step of your plan, right from the organizing. You can give them a light task like making tea for the team, or sort the cutlery.
#07. Improve Their Air Quality
Spring cleaning not only leave the surfaces clean it also improves the quality of air in the home. However since you cannot do this every month, you can buy your relation a lightweight, inexpensive canister vacuum cleaner, which will make it easier for them to keep on top of the cleaning going forward. Additionally, if they spend much time indoors, get them an air purifier for mold as aging adults tend to be more susceptible to bronchial infections. With the addition of these two gadgets, you will not need to worry about the accumulation of indoor pollutants and allergens.
Saving tip: Do your homework, there are often specials and discounts offered for items such as purifiers and vacuum cleaners so don’t rush out and buy the first one you see.
Spring is a period of renewal, and a restored commitment to making a sheltered space for your older relative so that they can age at home with pride, independence, and happiness.
Decluttering can be a big job in an older person's home. I know I have accumulated a lot of mementos and memorabilia over time, and it can be difficult to part ways with things that have memories attached. One tip I've learned is to take a photo of the item so you can keep the reminder without keeping the item itself, especially if it takes up much room.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when cleaning another person's home, you want to be sure you put things back where you found them. We all have our own way of organizing, and you don't want to disrupt that. If you take a bit of care to consider the person's feelings, helping them with their spring cleaning can be very helpful and much appreciated.