Results from a survey I ran with some of our readers show many of the households don’t have a cleaning system in place with many readers struggling to know where to start. My house cleaning routine constantly changes depending on my schedule. It is usually either cleaning once a week or if I have a spare few minutes I’ll clean one room every day or two. I don’t allow myself to spend too much time cleaning or fussing, I have created systems and routines so I can get in and get it done as quick as I can so then I can get on with the things I enjoy more. Below I’ve shared 7 tips to get your house cleaning under control so you can too enjoy time with your family or be doing other things that make you happy.
Struggling to keep the house cleaning under control? I can help! It’s all about being prepared and creating systems and routines to help you get through it.
1. CREATE A CLEANING KIT
Having all your cleaning supplies together in a bucket that you can carry from room to room will save you time. Keep it stocked with most general household cleaning items.
READ MORE: what I stock in my cleaning kit and in my shower caddy.
2. HAVE A SYSTEM
By having a cleaning system it takes the thinking out of where to start cleaning the home. Over time it will become a routine and you’ll start to save time .
- Before I start to clean I ask the kids to pick up all items off their floor and clear their tabletops, one less step for me to do in their room.
- I always start in the bathrooms, spraying cleaners over the shower and loo allowing the product to sit and soak while I clean the rest of the house.
- I then start at the front of the house and work my way through from left to right.
3. CLEAN TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT
Don’t make extra work for yourself by dusting tabletops, then dusting the ceiling fan or top of bookshelves to then have dust fall back onto the places you have already cleaned. The clean top to bottom, left to right is very much a ‘system’ as mentioned above, taking the thinking out of what to clean. Walk into the room, look up, clean then go around the room from the left to the right.
4. ONE THING AT A TIME
If your house has got out of control and your struggling to know where to start, pick one area. I always suggest it’s the room that you use the most, for me that’s the kitchen. Spend time cleaning and organising it, don’t spend too much time on it, it doesn’t need to be perfect. Follow me on the 20 Days to Organise and Clean Your Home eCourse (details below) and I can help you with this process. I’ll help you to create a system and tools to have the home you’ve always dreamed of and to put you back in control. And I will help show you how to get your family on board too – and enjoy it!
JOIN the 20 Days to Organise and Clean your Home Challenge – My 20 Days to Organise and Clean Your Home challenge combines these tried, tested and proven housekeeping tips with the physical tools to achieve organisational bliss – whatever your motivation and whatever your end goal. LEARN MORE HERE.
5. MAINTAIN YOUR CLEAN
Areas like the kitchen often need a lot of attention if you don’t maintain it can get out of control. ie. you may have made a bolognese that splattered over the kitchen splash back or onto the stove. If left this will require scrubbing, however, if you give your kitchen a general clean each day, instead of scrubbing you just need to wipe over the splatter. Plus I can’t express this more….. waking up to a clean kitchen puts you in a healthy mindset for the day.
READ MORE: 9 easy steps to maintain a clean kitchen
6. CREATING NEW HABITS
Making simple changes, to form new habits can make a big difference in your home. ie. the simple task of taking 1 minute to make your bed each day, changes the feel of the room from messy to closer to being tidy. I know I crawling into a made bed each night makes me happy, my reward. James Clear says:
Every habit you have — good or bad — follows the same 3–step pattern.
- Reminder (the trigger that initiates the behavior)
- Routine (the behavior itself; the action you take)
- Reward (the benefit you gain from doing the behavior)
7. CLEAR THE CLUTTER
Clutter can easily get out of control, be it ‘stuff’ over the kitchen benchtops, piles of clothes hidden behind closed doors or piles of items placed through the home. Having clutter around the house takes away from the feeling of being able to relax in your own home, especially when you don’t know where to start with it. Don’t think you need to clear our a room in a day, take your time, if you can just do a little each day soon it will become easier and you will see a noticeable difference.
Despite what you keep telling yourself- you can absolutely do it all.
Note: this post has been updated it was originally posted on 27th April 2016.
