“House cleaning is my favorite activity,” said no one ever.
Cleaning the abode is something that must be done on a regular basis, and more than a few of us put it off as long as possible, then panic when the doorbell rings.
We all know people whose homes are sparkling enough to eat off their floors. They just aren’t us.
But we all can do better, especially if we’re moving into a new custom Florida home. With a little pre-planning and forethought, there are ways to lessen the chore aspect of house cleaning. All it takes is mindfulness and a willingness to do some things differently — and easier.
Read on for real-life cleaning tips for real life.
The basics will do
You can clean your home with less effort if you focus on basic chores rather than perfectionism.
For example, keep the kitchen and bathrooms tidy. Vacuum and mop floors a couple times a week. Do the laundry (don’t allow it to pile up). Clear clutter from countertops and tabletops.
Period. Forget dusting the tops of bookcases and washing windows. Anything requiring a ladder can be done quarterly.
Schedule it
We know — you have enough on your calendar. But what gets scheduled, gets done.
Many people tackle cleaning chores on the weekend, so figure out an hour or two when that’s possible. You want enough time to complete your cleaning tasks with minimal interruptions. It may not be the weekend for your household. Churning through a few laundry loads on weeknights may work better for you.
Time it
Once you try the scheduling tactic, you’ll know what you can accomplish in however much time. That helps you fine-tune your calendar.
It also helps you fine-tune your cleaning methods. Grab the ear buds or headphones, hit a favorite playlist, and whiz through the vacuuming with ease. You might discover you can vacuum the entire house in 30 minutes instead of 45.
Another option is to make cleaning a game, especially with other family members. The kid who finishes their room first — to your specifications, of course — gets a $5 certificate to the video game store.
If you’re a household of one and hit your target cleaning deadline, treat yourself to ice cream!
Get tools you’ll use
So important!
Dread mopping because you hate wringing an old-fashioned string mop after every use? Buy a new inexpensive version with a hands-free wringer attached to it.
If a robotic vacuum cleaner would help you make better use of your cleaning time, sell or donate your old one and splurge on the robot. Same with that silly toilet brush that looks like a cartoon character. But if it makes you smile when you swab toilet bowls, get it!
Once you’ve gathered your favorite cleaning tools and supplies, stash them somewhere convenient. It saves where’d-I-put-it exasperation, and might spark some extra effort.
