I’m just like you – I have every intention of spring cleaning the home and washing away the literal and metaphorical cobwebs. I envision sparkling floors, clear surfaces, neatly made beds and wardrobes boasting folded clothes in designated areas. In my mind there are a few bunches of flowers dotted around the place, lemon and eucalyptus essential oil diffusing in the loungeroom and a kitchen void of dirty dishes.

But that is not going to happen because I have three children.

They say that once you have three children you learn to let go in ways you never thought possible. For me, that means closing the door on a shambles of a house every morning and only getting a quarter of the way through the house cleaning on any given day.

Artfully curated vignettes have morphed into displays of pre-school recycling-bin-craft-work that inevitably meet their demise by the hands of a toddler. Said toddler recently added some vibrant orange crayon artwork to my linen armchair and a library book.

Sometimes the mess is so great that I actually don’t know where to begin and so I sit with tea and read picture books instead.

And perhaps that is just how I’ve grown as a mother – I can look past the mess and share the stories of Shirley Hughes and Richard Scarry with my kids instead of frantically cleaning…essentially chasing my tail.

There is a very, very fine line between done and undone in the family home.

Over the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing tidbits of spring cleaning inspiration to celebrate the season; natural homemade cleaning products, tricks for decluttering, tips for keeping it simple when baby arrives.

But I want you to know that I write them from a home that is – in no way, shape or form, spotless. My home is not spick and span and gleaming. It is lived in and comfortable and every single day it has a (rather loud, chaotic, dramatic) story to tell.

From where I sit right now I can see a green bean under the couch, four piles of clothes waiting to be put away, a strange assortment of craft paraphernalia on the table and a random teaspoon perched precariously on the speaker.

This year, spring cleaning means some fresh linen on the beds (and if I’m feeling particularly adventurous, mattresses airing in the sunshine), a bit of a sort through and tidy up, open windows and some roadside freesias in juice bottle vases.

It won’t be much but it will be good enough.