We’ve all been there on a sunny Saturday, faced with cleaning a messy house and having an opportunity to do fun things instead on a bright day. Even if we choose to go out and have fun, sometimes knowing what’s facing us when we get back home can put a little tarnish on what should be a carefree moment.
There are a few quick tips that can keep the house in check if practiced throughout the week. When practiced regularly, these small actions add up to a tidy house, and a place where you’d be happy to have friends stop by on a moment’s notice.
To maintain a clean house, you first need to put a little work into it to get it to a state of freshness. Things like clearing cobwebs from corners, pulling out the couch and vacuuming under it, wiping down baseboards, etc. – the kind of cleaning many of us do about once or twice a year.
To keep it up until the next thorough cleaning, here are a few quick and dirty tips for around the house:
Bathrooms – Wipe down regularly and contain the clutter. If you must have hair or other toiletry products out, contain them in a basket or other decorative bin, so they can be moved out of the way. You’re more likely to want to clean the counter when you don’t have to move 15 bottles. Keep a roll of paper towels under the sink, and give the countertop, mirrors and toilet a wipe down every few days. Don’t forget to wipe around light switches. Keep some shower spray cleaner inside the shower and have whomever is the last to use the shower that day spray it down to resist mold and mildew.
Kitchen – Hot, soapy water is your friend. Kitchens are one of the hardest used rooms in our home, and to keep them clean and tidy does take some discipline. Keep a plastic bin inside your sink and fill with hot soapy water throughout the day. It’s a great repository for silverware and dishes you can’t get to immediately. Clean as you go when cooking, by keeping a garbage or recycling bin nearby for food packaging, and clean up spills immediately. A quick sweep after dinner will pick up any dropped crumbs and keep the floor easier to clean more thoroughly later. Deal with mail immediately, and have a small designated basket for bills and other items you need to respond to, and recycle the rest.
Living/Family Room – don’t leave empty handed. If you’ve finished with a coffee cup, scan the rest of the room for other dishes, and take them back to the kitchen (and put in your hot, soapy dishwater!). Grab the magazine you’ve finished and recycle it. Keep a feather duster handy and run it through the room during a television commercial. Before retiring for the night, fold up any small afghans, plump up the pillows, and pick up any toys or gadgets on the floor and return them to their rightful place. Think of it as a gift to the room and yourself until you see it again the following day.
Bedrooms – a tidy room is a calm room. Bedrooms are often our sanctuary, and many of us use it to read, exercise or work in. One way to keep the chaos at a minimum is to make the bed each and every day. It sets the tone of calmness for the room. Keep a feather duster handy (perhaps in a night stand) for a quick wipe down of bedside tables, lamps and headboards. Contain any loose items on the dresser into a decorative bin or basket, and open up the curtains or windows for fresh air each morning. And most importantly, don’t leave clothes on the floor. Clothes clutter can immediately bring down the freshness of a room. Place dirty clothes in a clothes hamper, and clean, folded clothes in a laundry basket until you can properly put them away.
Do you need a hand dealing with the extra clutter in your home? Consider some help from a team of professionals like The Move Makers, who will work alongside you to organize your home and freshen it up for springtime!