Day to Day
- Try to put things where they belong right away so as to avoid handling objects twice and doing twice the work. For example, don't pile mail on the table to look at later. Keep an in box for bills, etc. and toss the junk mail immediately.
- When you are about to leave a room, scan the area for things that do not belong in that room. If you see something that belongs in the direction you are heading toward, pick it up and put it away.
- If you have a dishwasher, put your dirty dishes directly in the dishwasher. Storing them in the sink adds an unnecessary step to doing dishes. When you run the dishwasher try to empty it right away.
- While cooking, clean as you go. If you are waiting for something to simmer, clean out the bowl you just used to mix it up.
- Always straighten the shower curtain to avoid mold. Keep a set of bathroom cleaners in each bathroom ready to use. They do not go bad and having a set ready lessons the time moving about the house gathering supplies for that job that you would rather not do anyway. Also having cleaners handy in each bathroom makes it easy to wipe up when unexpected guests arrive.
The Weekly Clean
- Use a heavy duty apron (gardening aprons work well) to hold your cleaning supplies so that you will not have to dash back and forth to your closet.
- Dust first. Unless you have allergies or are expecting your mom and her white gloves to arrive, using a feather duster is perfectly fine for dusting. Make a game of how fast you can move (get some exercise too!) through the house and run your duster over all the surfaces and knick-knacks.
- Vacuum the upper levels first and work your way down. Move furniture as you go and put it back before moving on.
- Clean floors using an old towel dipped in cleaning solution rather than a mop. You can wash the towel afterwards and it's quite easy to skate through the room on the towel using your weight to scrub the floor. Use a different towel for each room to avoid transfer of germs.
- Doing the bathroom twice a week will actually make it much easier to do. If you put aside 5 minutes on Tuesdays and Fridays to run through the room with a paper towel and Pine Sol, you will find the chore less arduous. Keep an automatic toilet bowl cleaner in your tank to cut down on scrubbing time.
The Panic Clean
- Someone is coming to visit any minute now and you are not prepared. Nor do you have time for a full cleaning. Never fear!
- Grab a laundry basket or similar container and run through the house picking up clutter. Be sure to put the basket where you will find it later. Remember to go through the basket later and put things where they belong. You wouldn't want to lose your heating bill!
- Do a quick check of the bathrooms and use a paper towel and window cleaner to wipe down the obvious smears of toothpaste, etc. Use the same towel to quickly wipe the floor using your foot to push it around. Pour a little bleach in the toilet bowl and come back later to do a quick swish.
- Only vacuum the rooms your guest will see. Don't move any furniture; it's the high traffic areas that are the dirtiest anyway. If you have wood floors, use a Swiffer mop to get up the dust quickly. A quick spray of pledge floor cleaner will add a scent giving the illusion of clean.
- Finally, scented candles will complete the effect.