As the weather turns warm, I am less inclined than ever to clean my house. We are knee-deep in track, baseball and softball. We are constantly on the go, yet we somehow ending up making a mess of the house.
I am working to achieve balance in my life. I feel that one way to help do that is to create a clean and organized home. When everything has a place and I can quickly find it, I am able to eliminate a source of stress. The more quickly I clean the house, the sooner I can enjoy spending time with friends and family or relaxing.
Here are 9 ways to quickly and easily clean your house so that you can find more balance and enjoy your spring and summer:
Have a system
The key to cleaning fast is having a system. You may need to start in the room you hate to clean – which may also be the dirtiest – so that you can get it out of the way first. Some cleaning experts would say clean one room at a time and never go back to a room. I have found that going through the house and doing each specific task works better for me. For instance, I dust the entire house and then clean mirrors. Next, I vacuum all the carpets. Then, I wipe down bathrooms and mop floors last.
Stop it at the door
It’s important to take care of the potential clutter when it first comes in the door to help limit the clutter in your house. Shoes go in a bin or shoe rack. Coats are hung on hooks by the door or in a nearby closet. Keys, purses and backpacks have a home. Anything my kids drag into the house either gets delegated back out to the garage or goes to their rooms. Put the mail in an area it can be taken care of later. One of the easiest ways for your house to appear clean is to keep the clutter under control.
Create storage areas
It used to take me 30 minutes to pick everything up off the tables, furniture and floor just so I can then clean. Storage bins and baskets are also key to decluttering your home and making it easier to clean quickly. If you stay on top of the clutter and create “homes” for magazines, books, toys, etc, it is so much easier to go through and clean surfaces and floors.
Keep your supplies on hand
Use a plastic caddy to store your cleaning supplies. I keep one set under my kitchen sink upstairs and another caddy in the bathroom downstairs. You can carry your supplies around on each floor of the house.
Clean a little each day
If it’s hard to find time to clean the house from top to bottom all at once, then spend a few minutes every day tidying up the spots that get the messiest. For me, it’s the kitchen counters and the bathroom sinks. It seems my kids spill something on the kitchen counter every 5 minutes. And, between toothpaste and dirty hands, the bathroom sinks are disgusting. I keep disinfectant wipes under all the sinks in the house. Then, I can quickly grab a wipe and clean up messes. I also pick up stray clothes and throw them in hampers every day.
Weekly deep clean
By staying on top of the clutter and little messes each day, then you can take care of deep cleaning quickly. You can do a quick dusting, vacuum and mop floors, and your regular cleaning is done.
Do laundry through the week
With five people in my family, I do at least one load of laundry every day. I try to skip doing laundry Sundays, and I may do two or three loads some days. It seems like less of a chore if I throw in a load a day, and it cuts down on piles of dirty clothes and overflowing hampers.
Use little helpers
It has taken me a long time to trust my kids with cleaning tasks. I am a bit of a perfectionist so it’s been hard for me to have them clean. (I still go back and spot clean after them – sometimes.) However, I firmly believe it’s good for kids to know how to clean and to understand that when you make a mess, you need to clean it up. Even young children can put away toys, set the table, gather trash or help fold clothes.
Seasonal cleaning
Once every six months, plan to take a day and get rid of the extra clutter. Go through closets and drawers and get rid of unused clothes, shoes, books and toys. Sort through kitchen cabinets and remove items you haven’t used in a year. Have a yard sale or donate items to charity.
Creating good cleaning habits can make your life more balanced, healthier and happier. It’s a great way for kids to learn that they are also responsible for creating a clean and comfortable home.
Live the Balanced Life 