The fourth Sunday in March marks the start of National Cleaning Week and will be here in just a few short weeks! It’s the perfect opportunity to take part in the time-honored tradition of spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning has been around since ancient times. Cleansing the home, particularly the kitchen, is part of the Jewish celebration of Passover involving removing any traces of leavened bread products. Many cultures have long celebrated this season with tidying up, including Catholics cleaning the church altar and their homes as part of Holy Week. It has traditionally been a time of renewal, when the home as well as the mind can be reduced of clutter and start again with a clean slate.

Cleaning in springtime also had very practical implications. When homes were lit with oil or heated with wood or coal, spring was an opportunity to remove soot from the home that had collected over the winter. And, given that spring often brings with it nicer weather, it continues to be a good time to leave windows open for dusting and airing out the indoors.

Where did National Cleaning Week come from? While its origins are unclear, a clue may lie in Clean Up Week. Around this time over a hundred years ago, Johnson & Johnson ran an advertising campaign encouraging readers to clean their homes. Beyond simply organizing and reducing clutter, this cleaning reminder was about reducing the spread of disease to help keep families safe.

Today, spring cleaning is a widespread practice, with 77% of Americans reporting tidying their homes each spring. Are you gearing up for some spring cleaning? If so, start with a plan using our spring cleaning tips!