Spring Cleaning for Parents: Organizing Chaos Without Losing Your Mind

Spring Cleaning for Parents: Organizing Chaos Without Losing Your Mind
By Brooke Abbott Abron

Let’s be real: no one tells you that having kids means signing up for a never-ending cycle of chaos, crumbs, and missing sock mysteries. You clean one corner of the house, and two new messes pop up like whack-a-mole. Spring cleaning, especially as a parent, isn’t about creating a Pinterest-perfect home—it’s about reclaiming enough space and sanity so you can actually breathe again.

Now, as someone living with a chronic condition that causes extreme fatigue and joint pain—and as someone with ADHD—cleaning can feel like trying to climb a mountain in flip-flops. Add a neurodivergent child with his own sensory needs, executive function quirks, and strong toy attachment issues, and let’s just say we’ve had to get very creative about how we approach spring cleaning in our house.

But here’s the truth: organizing your home doesn’t have to be exhausting, expensive, or perfect. It just needs to work for you and your family. So here’s how we clean, declutter, and reset each spring without losing our minds—or what’s left of them after school drop-offs and endless snack requests.

Create a Plan That Works With Your Energy, Not Against It

Gone are the days when I thought I had to deep-clean the entire house in one weekend. My joints won’t allow that, and my brain checks out after about 20 minutes of decision-making. So I break the house down into zones and micro-missions. One drawer. One basket. One corner. That’s it. I use a big dry erase board to map out weekly goals and keep it where I can see progress—even if I only tackle one tiny space a day.

If tech is more your vibe, apps like Sweepy or Tody are great for assigning and tracking tasks by room, energy level, and priority. Both are super ADHD- and spoonie-friendly. They help me stay on top of things without burning out or forgetting what I started.

Rethink "Clean"—Make It Accessible, Not Instagrammable

For parents with mobility challenges or neurodivergence, “clean” doesn’t mean spotless. It means functional. Can I find my kid’s shoes without a scavenger hunt? Can I walk through the playroom without a Lego ambush? Then we’re winning.

Our go-to tools? Clear, stackable shoe boxes, clear bins, open baskets, rolling carts, and labels—lots of labels. I just discovered the magic of labeling bins with both pictures and words, and keeping everything at his eye level so he can put things away on his own. My friend uses color-coded storage which she said helps her keep things coordinated. I love a uniform, neutral color minimal design box with clean basic labels. 

Sentimental vs. Just Stuff
This is the hardest part for me—distinguishing between what’s truly meaningful and what’s just… there. As parents, we collect so many mementos. Every scribbled drawing, every preschool craft, every baseball cap from little league feels like a precious piece of time. But let’s be honest: if I kept every macaroni necklace, we’d be living in a museum of dried pasta and construction paper.

What I’ve learned to do is pause and ask: Does this item still spark joy or just guilt? I remind myself that I don’t need to keep everything to keep the memory. I can hold onto a few intentional pieces from each stage—one drawing that captured their imagination, one report card that made us both proud, one holiday card with a fingerprint reindeer that actually still makes me smile.

I use a large flat portfolio folder for artwork and oversized school projects, and I have a single memory bin for each year that includes things like school pictures, awards, and small keepsakes. Bonus tip: take photos of the bulkier items or the things that are too fragile to last, and make a digital album at the end of the year. Services like Artkive or even a DIY photo book from Shutterfly are amazing for this.

It’s not about tossing everything—it’s about choosing what to honor. And when you frame it that way, letting go gets a little easier.

Cleaning Is a Family Affair (Yes, Even With Kids)

Neurodivergent kids can help clean—you just have to meet them where they are. I’ve learned to frame cleaning as a “mission,” not a punishment. Saying, “Let’s find 3 toys to donate!” works better than “Go clean your room.” We play music, set a timer, and or shout out trivia. Cleaning isn’t a chore, it’s a challenge.

If your child responds well to visuals or gamified tasks, try using the ChoreMonster app or creating a simple reward chart with stickers. These tools give structure without pressure and turn responsibilities into fun rituals.

Know Your Tools & Prep for the Crash

Spring cleaning can take a serious toll—especially when you’re living with chronic pain or fatigue. That’s why I don’t just clean, I strategize. Over the years, I’ve built what I call my “cleaning kit for the chronically exhausted,” and let me tell you—it’s saved me more than once. My essentials? Wrist braces, compression gloves, a grabber tool (total game-changer), and trusty heating pads. Every cleaning session is followed by mandatory recovery time: couch, heating pad, maybe a nap… and definitely a slice of cake. Because balance, right?

To make the actual cleaning faster and less physically demanding, I lean hard into tools that do the heavy lifting for me. My cordless pressurized sprayer and pressure washer make quick work of windows, showers, and outdoor spaces—no scrubbing marathons required. For sinks, tubs, and any tricky corners, I use a motorized brush with an extender that spares me the bending and wrist pain. And I swear by my handheld steam cleaner and steam mop. Not only do they deep clean and sanitize, but they also leave everything feeling fresh and allergen-free, which is a big win for my family’s health.

And if you can swing it, treat yourself to a robot vacuum. It’s the unsung hero of anyone’s cleaning routine. You’ll thank yourself every time it quietly zips around collecting crumbs while you’re resting, working, or just pretending not to see the living room floor.

Recovery Time Matters (Like, Really Matters)

Recovery isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. It took me years to understand that pushing through the pain doesn’t make me strong. Listening to my body does. After any big task, I build in time to reset: laying flat, stretching, maybe a bath with Epsom salts and lavender oil if my joints are really talking back.

I also prep recovery snacks ahead of time (cut fruit, protein bars, coconut water) so I can nourish myself without draining more energy. And if I need to nap after cleaning one drawer? I nap. No shame. No guilt. Just honoring what my body needs.

On Acknowledgement

Spring cleaning, or any kind of household labor, often goes unseen—especially when you're a mom or primary caregiver. But your effort deserves acknowledgment. Even when it’s "just" organizing a junk drawer or labeling the toy bins, it counts. It matters.

So here’s your permission slip: celebrate your progress. Brag a little. Take a photo. Text a friend. Make a reel. Light a candle in the freshly cleaned bathroom and sit in there like it’s your personal spa. We don’t get medals for motherhood—but we can still clap for ourselves.

And for my fellow chronic illness warriors, ADHD mamas, and mobility-challenged caregivers: it’s okay if your spring cleaning looks different. It’s okay if it takes longer, if it happens in fits and starts, if the kids are wearing Halloween costumes in April while sorting socks. That’s not failure. That’s real life—and you’re doing it beautifully.

So this spring, take it slow. Let the kids help in their own way. Make it sensory-safe, ADHD-possible, and spoonie-approved. And if you don’t finish everything? That’s okay. The dust bunnies aren’t going anywhere.

With love, practicality, and the occasional chore chart,

Brooke Abbott Abron
Mama. Spoonie. Organizer of Chaos. Proud Giggles LA Contributor.

Brooke Abbott Abron for Giggles LA: Known as Crazy Creole Mommy online, Brooke is a mom, advocate, activist, babywearing educator, and writer. As the founder of IBDMoms, she combines practical tips, mom advice, and evidence-based insights from her own lived experience to help families navigate both the joys and challenges of parenting