subject: Get A Clean Home With These Shortcuts [print this page] No one likes a dirty house; however, few people enjoy the daily chores that can go into keeping a tidy home. Follow these shortcuts designed to help you tackle a less than clean home.
Have the right tools: Your cleaning closet should be fully stocked with the cleaning essentials, including rubber gloves, scrub brush, spray bottle, disinfecting wipes, dishwashing liquid, baking soda, broom and dust pain as well as various cleaning solutions for different surfaces. You will be prepared when a mess happens.
Pace yourself: When your house looks like a disaster zone, you may have the urge to take on every chore at once ensuring each room sparkles. However, you will just overexert yourself and end up losing steam before your house is clean. Slow down and take your time with your household chores. Consider cleaning one room every day or doing just one chore every day. The mess won't seem as big to tackle once you start a cleaning routine.
Spend your time in the heavy-traffic areas: Short notice visits from friends and family could be cause to throw you into panic mode. If guests are just dropping in, spend your energy on the heavy-traffic areas like the hallways, living room and bathroom giving the illusion of a clean home. And, just to be safe, shut the doors to rooms you didn't have time to clean as a subtle way of saying, "Keep out!"
Spruce up the air: Invest in air fresheners for a quick and easy way to make a room feel clean. A fresh smell gives a sensory illusion that you have a clean home.
Cut back on the clutter: Try to avoid buying clutter in the first place as it tends to just fill up a space making the room appear smaller and untidy. If you are already committed to the stuff in your home, be sure it is all in its proper place. By putting items back where they "belong," you can alleviate the cluttered feeling in a room giving it an instant clean.
Multitask: Get several chores done at once. Drop in a load of laundry and start the dishwasher while you are vacuuming.
Don't procrastinate: No one likes to clean. When a spill or mess happens, don't wait to clean it up. Do it right at that moment. The mess won't go away on its own, and stains could set in giving you a bigger mess to worry about cleaning later on down the road.
