As spring starts, I get a sudden urge to make my life as fresh and clean as possible. The sudden urge of being that person that comes home with a fresh bouquet to put on a spotless counter in the house channels that person inside of me–the person that wants to romanticize all the details in life.
When getting into this spring mood, I try to set up a new routine and learn new habits that will make my life more clean and fresh, and what makes you feel more clean and fresh than having a clean house?
You know these homes that exude cleanliness and serenity? There is no clutter, the kitchen isn’t overflowing with dishes, the laundry seems to magically disappear. As if the women who have these houses possess some secrets, or they luck out on having kids who naturally pickup and clean after themselves. It seems unfair. You wonder if these people have more hours in their days…
Truth is, maintaining a clean house isn’t about having more time or lucking out with kids. It is adopting simple yet effective cleaning habits that are sustainable and allow you to not spend your entire day cleaning.
1. Making the bed first thing in the morning
Making the bed seems unimportant when there are so many things to do in the day. It’s a simple thing to do, and allows you to start your day with a small win, which gives some momentum for the rest. You’re less likely to put clutter on the bed if it is made, and will instantly make your room look more fresh and clean.
2. Staying on top of laundry
Not having a structured laundry routine can make you overwhelmed instantly, especially if you have kids. Although it might seem like the most logical idea to do all the laundry in one day, you’ll be surprised by how easier it is to do smaller loads throughout the week. Laundry is less likely to pile up, and you won’t have a daunting laundry day every week. Figure out the frequency that works well with your house, and try sticking to that for a few weeks.
3. Cleaning the kitchen after every meal
When the kitchen is out of control, I immediately feel like my house is 10 times more dirty. Staying on top of the dishes makes maintaining the kitchen’s cleanliness way easier. Instead of cleaning the dishes at the end of day, clean them after each meal and put things away while cooking.
4. Establishing a weekly cleaning routine
A clean house doesn’t just magically happen, it takes effort and organization. Contrary to popular beliefs, people who have clean houses all the time don’t spend their entire day cleaning. The key is to follow an effective schedule that allows you to get all the cleaning done throughout the week.
There are some things you might need to do daily like making the bed, wiping the surfaces, and other weekly things like vacuuming, and other monthly things like cleaning the curtains. A cleaning schedule will keep you on track and relieve you from the effort of making decisions and strategizing. It makes it easier to break things out to daily, weekly, monthly, or even seasonally.
5. Getting rid of clutter
If I would describe myself as anything in this life, then I’m a consumer. I wouldn’t imagine my life as a minimalist, but if there is something I can take away from this it’s to embrace their mantra of keeping only the items you love and use. Decluttering your space not only makes cleaning easier, but also makes your house feel calm and more spacious.
6. Putting things back when you are done
Avoid the temptation to leave items lying around after use. Taking the moment to return items to their designated places not only saves time, but also maintains the tidiness of your home. What makes it even easier is to have a place for everything–a dedicated space for skincare products, for shoes, for stationery, for toys, and the list goes on. You can also utilize smart storage options so there’s more organization in the house.
7. Cleaning out the fridge regularly
Opening the fridge and having the odor of expired food blast in your face is never a pleasant experience. To make sure you don’t experience it, make it a habit to check in on your fridge regularly. Throw out any expired food, wipe out surfaces, organize your fridge according to which products you use the most. Also you can implement some organic food storing hacks to make your food last longer.
8. Throw out trash regularly
Not regularly throwing out the trash is the best way to ensure that the house smells bad, and it’s usually coming from the kitchen trash. Make sure you throw out the trash every evening, especially if you are cooking.
9. Tidying up before bed
The preparation for the next day is for anyone who wants a clean house at all times. Waking up to a clean room and kitchen certainly sets the tone for the day, as the work is done the night before. Nothing too serious, maybe just run the dishwasher, washing machine, and fluff out the pillows.
To wrap it up…
Maintaining a clean house doesn’t require you to dedicate all your time to it, just a simple routine will get all the work done. After all, you want a house that is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy.
great article!