I’ve never been able to figure out why spring has been designated as the season to stay in and clean house. After winters like this one, I can’t wait to get out of the house and clean up the yard. So this year I’m starting my indoor cleaning now while the weather is still crummy and I’m stuck inside. I’m starting with my family history and have started a list of tasks I want to accomplish BEFORE spring. Some of the tasks on my list include catching up on filing, making sure my electronic database is current, and backing up my data. I’m also attaching records and downloading electronic images to my Ancestry Tree to make it easier to start that MyCanvas book I’ve been wanting. What’s on your list and what’s your plan for tackling it? Share your ideas with fellow family historians in the comments section of the blog.
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“I’ve never been able to figure out why spring has been designated as the season to stay in and clean house.”
As a genealogist, you should know why. In days past, when houses were heated by coal and wood, ashes, dust, and soot permeated the house during the winter. So it was necessary in the spring to shake out all the accumulated dust and air everything out so it smelled better.
If cleaning inside now is strange, than I am in the club. Have been through every cupboard, closet, and storage area in the house. It has been a long, cold winter and I am so looking forward to being able to pay in the dirt! And that has been on my mind all the time I have been sorting, tossing, and donating. And in the process found old obits in my parents boxes I had yet to go through. Obits that will contribute to my geneology habit.
I see someone beat me to the coal and wood ash comment. When we were without electricity for 5 days during the ice storm at the end of January, I burned wood in the basement fireplace to keep warm. I can attest to the great amount of dust only 5 days created! Louisville, KY
No matter how much I try to clean up my wife keeps bring in two pc’s for every one I take out. My son is the pack rat. If you clean out a spot, you can bet your life in twenty four hours he will put something there. If she goes before me there will be one big yard sale.
In addition to the Spring Cleaning that was necessitated by the burning of wood and coal for heat, kerosene lamps were used for lighting. They also caused smoke residue. Spring was also the time to wash up all of the heavy bedding after it became warm enough to line dry them outside. Rugs were also hung over the clothesline and the dust beaten out of them. All of these cleaning measures were ususally repeated again in the fall before the temperatures dipped.
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In my childhood we also took the bed springs out and washed them. Those were the days before innerspring mattresses and box springs. You couldn’t do that until the weather was warm.
I’m in the midst of filing away tax records and setting up new files so I will be more efficient next year. I’ve just put my geneaology file on a thumb drive in case of yet another fire here in California.