The struggle of keeping a home clean and decluttered for just a few days has always been a source of frustration for most people. The struggle is so much that sometimes you may lack the motivation to clean up. As a result, cleaning becomes harder and time consuming. If you are like most people, the question on your mind is this: how do I keep my home cleaner?
The internet will throw all manner of tips at you when you ask this question. Some of the answers you find will be absurd or simply impractical. The good news, however, is there are a number of things you can start doing now to make your home cleaner. It is also good to note that you don’t have to make major investments to implement these tips.
1. Put everything back to where it belongs
Keeping your home cleaner requires something as simple as putting everything where it belongs. The main reason homeowners feel their homes are always in a mess is because they never take the time to put things back. As a result, the house starts looking messy and filthy day after day. It is your job to put everything back where it belongs. If you keep taking clothes from the wardrobe and leaving them on the bed or leaving books scattered over the table instead of placing them back in the bookshelf, it will only take hours for your house to go back to being a complete mess.
Even so, for this essential tip to work, you must have a designated space for everything. Start by making sure everything in your house has a specific place it lives in. Doing this will not only make the house cleaner but also get you more organized.
A bonus point to remember is this; the less you own the less you will have to organize. Most homes are in a mess because too much junk is not thrown away. You must take time to edit everything you own and throw away what you no longer need.
2. Be consistent with tidying
The best tip you can get on how to keep your home cleaner is to be consistent with your tidying. There is no shortcut to keeping the house clean. You have to be committed to put in the work every single day. Tidying up is a process that never ends. The best thing is it will only take you a few minutes to tidy up after a thorough cleanup. Devoting just a few minutes a day vacuuming and wiping things down will go a long way in making your home cleaner.
Being consistent with your tidying will help establish a healthy habit that will enable you to keep your house sparkling. Needless to say, it takes time to create a habit. This means in the early days it will be hard to wake up and clean the dishes, wipe your furniture down and do other cleanup tasks. The good news is with time everything will get easier and you will do it without even thinking.
3. Set a day for laundry
Dirty laundry takes up a lot of space in a home. While you probably wash your hankies, underwear and socks after a shower, the rest of your dirty clothes end up in a pile. Let’s be honest, nobody looks forward to laundry day. It is easy to ignore this pile for weeks if you are not careful. The heap, however, has to be cleared. Why not set a day for laundry?
Having a fixed day, every week, for laundry ensures you will have to clear whatever size of dirty laundry that has piled up. Whether there are only two dirty pairs of trousers or your entire collection, you have to do the laundry on the set day. Never make excuses else the pile will grow and subsequently cause your home to look untidy.
4. Add mats and rugs
While vacuuming your home regularly is important if you want to keep it clean and combat pests, you still need to add mats and rugs around the house. The reason for this is mats/ rugs not only add character to the ambience but also prevent debris and dirt from being tracked throughout the house. You need to make use of mats/rugs in the high traffic areas such as the entrance, along corridors and where children play.
The best thing about throw rugs is they are very easy to clean. What is more is that rugs/mats help protect your floors and carpet from being damaged by high foot traffic. Rugs can also be used to clean up spills immediately before any further damage is caused. The important thing you need to do is buy rugs that complement the existing theme.
5. Do the little things
Keeping your home cleaner doesn’t mean you keep doing the hard work like scrubbing the floors, doing repairs and applying a fresh coat of paint. Handling the little things will do wonders. Some of the things you should consider doing on a daily to maintain a clean home include the following:
- Make your bed immediately after getting up
- Hang up the clothes that are lying around
- Give the bathroom a quick clean everyday
- Dust surfaces and remove clutter
- Clear the sink and wash the dishes after use
- Open the curtains and windows to bring in some fresh air
- Wipe spills immediately
- Take out the trash
- Set the table
As you may have noticed, keeping your home cleaner doesn’t require you to slave away with a vacuum and mop every day. It is all about getting rid of the clutter, getting more organized and doing the small things. If your home is in a total mess and you are pressed for time, you don’t have to do everything on the same day. You can start cleaning up step by step. For example, you can start by getting rid of the things you don’t need, then get designated spaces for everything and so on.
