April is the angel of the months. Spring revival and abundant new life are what April is all about. The diversity of the seasons is captivating. Spring is fresh and full of newness. This month, we turn our attention homeward. When I was growing up, spring cleaning was a home-centered tradition. I enjoy spring cleaning. Today, books and cleaning are my passions. Can you imagine mourning spring cleaning?

With a sense of vitality and zest, we looked forward to acts of washing, scrubbing, painting and renewing home sweet home. We used to beat rugs, but now we have modern conveniences that we rely upon, making life much easier. I can remember pinning curtains to tiny nails on a stretching frame to keep their shape. I can see my mother scrubbing clothes by hand until the wringer washing machines came out. On the first warm spring day, clothes would be drying in the sun. Life changes, but memories live on. Today, with the modern conveniences it seems spring cleaning is a year-round ritual instead of a seasonal routine. Grandmother practiced ways of spring cleaning that have become lost to us. She made her own old-fashioned soft soap and lavender wood polish.

When you keep house, you use your head, your heart and your hands together to create a home. Keeping house is a labor of love. Housekeeping is an art, creating comfort, health, beauty, safety and order. We like a place for everything. If we were never taught to put our things away, we might not be able to find them. We need respect for and appreciation of order. Here are four old-fashioned rules that I had to learn:

1. If you take it out, put it back.

2. If you open it, close it.

3. If you throw it down, pick it up.

4. If you take it off, hang it up.

— Zaffie Hadiaris of Saco is the host of “Zaffie,” a weekly television talk show on Channel 3 Biddeford public access. It can also be seen at biddefordmaine.org. Contact Zaffie at zhadiaris@hotmail.com.