TOP 10 THINGS TO DO EVERYDAY TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE TIDY

If you are like me, you probably dislike a messy space, but hate cleaning. I guess it isn’t so much that I “hate” cleaning, I hate the amount of time it takes away from other things I would like to do with my life. I have do admit, there are times when I actually love cleaning! It can be a calming, cathartic, and satisfying process to watch your beloved home look sparkling new. It’s just so damn time consuming! Because I would rather “eat the elephant one bite at a time,” as the proverb goes, I created a list of the TOP 10 THINGS TO DO EVERYDAY TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE TIDY.

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO EVERYDAY TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE TIDY

MAKE YOUR BED: You have probably heard this before, but making your bed can be an important first step in motivating your to keep cleaning. After all, it isn’t hard to pull up your sheets and comforter, unless you are a wild sleeper and need to tuck in a few areas as you go. Making your bed isn’t just about looking neat and tidy – it can also be help with depression or other mental disorders. Completing this one task as soon as you wake up will help you feel as though you accomplished something even if you don’t get anything else done due to depression. There is a school of thought that making your bed can actually cause more dust mites and allergens, but if you clean your bedding on a regular basis, this shouldn’t become a problem, so no excuses…make that bed!

DO ONE LOAD OF LAUNDRY COMPLETELY: This rule makes more sense if you have a family, as there will be mountains of laundry, especially with children. I had 6 people living together and laundry quickly got out of hand if we didn’t keep up on it regularly! If possible, try to wash, dry, and put away one whole load of laundry a day to keep on top of it so it doesn’t become overwhelming. Once things start to feel overwhelming, we tend to procrastinate even more, so don’t let it pile up!

PICK UP AS YOU GO: You probably were taught this as a child, but you shouldn’t get something out until you put away something else! As children, this rule dealt with our toys, and as adults, this rule should still apply. Don’t make yourself a snack when you still have dishes on your end table from your last meal. Don’t leave your garbage sitting around waiting until “later.” It won’t take you very long to run to the garbage can or the sink, or follow the rule of never leaving a room empty handed – meaning always take something with you as you leave a room that needs to be put away. Things can clutter up your room quickly and easily, so it is best to try to maintain as you go.

KEEP YOUR KITCHEN SINK CLEAN ALL DAY: This one can be tough, especially if you hate doing dishes. There are several “hacks” I have learned to help keep your sink clean, but having a dishwasher is probably the best way to go. If you do have a dishwasher, just rinse and stack your dirty dishes as you go through your day. Items that shouldn’t go in the dishwasher (always check your labels!) can quickly be washed right away and then you can run the dishwasher when it becomes full or every night before bed. If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can wash all your dishes as you go. This is easier if there is only one person’s dishes to worry about or if everyone in your home is old enough to be responsible for their own. Another trick is to keep a plastic dish bin under your sink and fill it with dirty dishes to be hidden until you wash them. If you use this trick, do NOT leave those dishes under the sink for long…bacteria and smells will start to form quickly, especially in damp spaces. But even if you just need to hide some dishes before company comes over, using a dish bin could be helpful.

UNLOAD DISHWASHER: If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher, load it up throughout the day and run it when it is full OR start it just before you go to bed. In the morning, take 5 minutes to unload it and put it all away. I do this when making my breakfast. I usually make some quick 5 minute oatmeal on the stove and while it is cooking, I put away all the dishes, including any left in the dish drainer. It literally takes me less than 5 minutes! After eating my breakfast, I can start loading it up again! Doing this has saved our family from doing so many dishes and feeling cluttered by all the dishes in the drainer. My husband always did the dishes by hand because “there aren’t that many,” but I think we all enjoy doing it this way and it makes me feel like I have already completed several tasks before breakfast!

WIPE DOWN BATHROOM FIXTURES: This is another chore that I like to complete as early in the morning as I can, but after everyone has used the bathroom to get ready for their day. Using a Lysol or Clorox wipe, I quickly wipe toilet handle, door knobs, light switches, and the sink…any high traffic area. So much goes on in a bathroom that I just feel more comfortable knowing that at least “some” of the germs have been eradicated every day. Again, this also only takes a few minutes and makes deep cleaning the bathroom later on much easier.

DRY SHOWER WALLS: This is another chore that can help with cleaning later on. Wiping down the shower walls after use with a squeegee or a towel to remove excess water will help prevent mold buildup and limescale deposits. This is especially helpful on glass shower walls and doors, but even though you might not see it as much on white fiberglass, that buildup still accumulates. In a perfect world, you could have everyone who showers dry the walls off after their own shower, but in my experience it isn’t always easy to get everyone on board with this simple task. After wiping down the fixtures, quickly dry any wet surfaces, hang up your wet bath mat, and be grateful you won’t have to deal with moldy stains later on.

ZONE CLEAN: If you have the time, I would recommend that you choose one zone a day and clean it well. This works well if you are a stay at home worker or parent or if your area isn’t that dirty and you have some time. Zone cleaning is basically just breaking your home into zones or areas and then focusing on one a day instead of doing it all at one time. On a busy work day, I may clean my living room, because it is mostly just picking up a few items to put away and maybe running the vacuum if necessary. On my day off, I may pick the kitchen, because it needs a lot more attention and time to get it clean.

SWEEP FOOD MESSES/CRUMBS: This is one I forget to do often until I step on something sticky or gross! Whether you ordered take out or cooked a family meal, if you ate in your home, there are going to be crumbs and messes somewhere on your floor (especially if you have children!). To keep your home looking tidy and to keep pests and rodents away, grab a broom, Swiffer, or a vacuum and quickly clean up those messy areas. There is no need to be perfect, just get the crumbs picked up and save the mopping for another day.

KITCHEN COUNTERS/SURFACES: I hate waking up to the clutter on my kitchen counters, so I started making sure to clear off all the kitchen surfaces, including the stovetop, before bed. I feel overwhelmed immediately when I wake up and see something I should have done the night before. Plus, some mornings I want to make a big breakfast, but feel discouraged (and hangry) because I have to clean before I can get started! Wiping down the surfaces keeps your area free of clutter, pests, and bacteria and will motivate you to make that big breakfast!

As you can see, these tips are meant to be quick and easy to help make your home look tidy and to make it easier to deep clean weekly. All of these tips can be adjusted to meet you needs and priorities, but all of them are important and shouldn’t be skipped…we all have laundry, dishes, and dirt! Keeping your home tidy doesn’t have to mean hours of cleaning at one time and following these tips will make you feel more comfortable if someone stops by unannounced!

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