Your habits are going to determine how well your house stays clean regularly. Here are 3 habits for a clean home:
Tidy up as you go
It’s a sad fact that a home could be perfectly sanitized and cleaned, but if it’s not well organized, it’s not going to look any better. I’m not excusing being “dirty and organized,” but if worked together, they can do a great deal. When leaving a room, take a glance around to see if there’s anything that doesn’t belong. Here is what you can do:
If you tried two or three outfits before singling out your look for the day or used a few pans when preparing breakfast, clean it all up and put everything away before moving on
Every day, without exceptions, make your bed immediately you wake up
Don’t throw clothes over the chair or on the floor. When you take your clothes off or walk in the house, whatever you’re wearing should be put in the laundry basket
Keep your books and papers organized. Filing papers immediately and putting your bills in one-place takes less effort and helps keeps the house neat Don’t shoes thrown around the house, instead, take them off at the door and place them away in a closet or shoe rack Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink. Open the door and stick them in the dishwasher, and run them at the end of the day
Clean, dry and put away pots and pans after use
Typically, tiding up means putting things back where they are supposed to be and ensuring everyone else at home does the same.
Do a regular cleaning
Not all cleaning is made equal. While some cleaning needs to prioritize, some can wait until the next day or two. Start with the things making the biggest mess, those creating much clutter or the “must dos” that have to be done before bed. Here are some things you can do with your family to keep the house clean:
Set a 15-minute family routine cleanup every night. The kids can clean their rooms or help with small household chores while you finish cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, or folding and putting away laundry.
Wipe the sink, stove and countertops after cooking to prevent grime build-up, which, if left for a long time become almost impossible to restore to original condition
Do quick sweeps through the most lived-in rooms before calling it a night. Tuck away toys, blankets, or shoes and ensure kids backpacks are ready for the next day. You will thank yourself comes morning. Tackle a load of laundry each day
Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces such as light switches, drawer pulls, remote controls, banisters and doorknobs Clean your fridge every week
Do a quick clean up of your bathroom and set time during weekends to do a thorough cleaning
Run the dishwasher every night
Identify high traffic areas and clean them on a daily basis to prevent the spread of dust and dirt to the rest of the house
Get rid of what you no longer use
Taking the time to declutter will drastically cut down the amount of time needed to clean. You probably don’t need fifteen water bottles for a family of 4, and it is likely time to get rid of that shirt your son outgrew months ago. How about those 12 pillows on the bed?
Typically, the fewer items you have in your house, including on the surface tops, counters, beds, kids room, etc. the better the chances of cutting down on dusting and organizing, which make cleaning a lot quicker. So get rid of anything that you’ve not used for six months and are not planning to use them in the future.
The takeaway Although not everyone enjoys cleaning, we all love the feeling of coming back to a clean house. Incorporating these three little habits into your daily life will make cleaning your home less of a chore and more of a routine that doesn’t have to be hard to achieve.