Keeping a home clean with a busy lifestyle can feel like an endless chore. Dirt, clutter, and mess seem to accumulate at lightning speed, and it can be overwhelming to try and keep up with it all. While completely eliminating messes isn’t realistic, using some professional cleaning tips can help maintain tidier spaces with less effort. By implementing a few simple strategies and creating good habits, you’ll find it easier to maintain a clean and organised home, so read on for these easy strategies to keep your home clean.
Create a Daily Cleaning Routine
Establishing a quick cleaning routine can take as little as just 10-15 minutes per day, but this short amount of time can make a big difference. Do a speed run through the house each evening, focusing on:
- Tidying clutter – Put away kids’ toys, school bags, junk mail, dirty clothes, tools, etc. Return items to their designated spots, which has the added benefit of making them easier to find when needed next.
- Kitchen – Wipe the counters, stove, and sinks. Load the dishwasher. Take out the rubbish and recycling.
- Bathrooms – Straighten up any clutter on the counters. Spray down mirrors and wipe sinks. Toss any rubbish away.
- Floors – Clear away anything lying on the floor, and sweep or vacuum high-traffic areas if needed.
Sticking to these quick daily tasks prevents mess building up and makes deep cleaning easier and much more effective when it’s done.
Use a Weekly Cleaning Checklist
Certain cleaning tasks only need to be done once or twice a week. Create a weekly checklist with items like these:
- Vacuum all carpets and rugs
- Mop hard floors
- Dust furniture
- Clean appliances and kitchen surfaces
- Scrub bathroom sinks, showers, toilets
- Change bedsheets
- Deep clean one room or zone
Customise the list based on your home and your family’s lifestyle. Check off tasks throughout the week so nothing gets missed.
Schedule Seasonal Deep Cleaning
Seasonal deep cleaning is when you tackle those jobs that only need doing a few times a year. Write these more extensive cleans into your schedule so they don’t get skipped:
Spring:
- Clean windows and window coverings
- Shampoo carpets and rugs
- Dust ceiling fans, baseboards, vents
- Wash outdoor furniture
Summer:
- Clean AC condenser coils and filters
- Clean appliances inside and out
- Wash walls, touch up paint
- Flip and rotate mattresses
Autumn:
- Clean gutters and downpipes
- Power wash outdoor surfaces like decks, patios, and driveways
- Touch-up caulking and grout
- Detail clean garage and your vehicles, too
Winter:
- Clean light fittings and lamp shades
- Purge unwanted items and donate them to charity
- Flip and rotate mattresses
- Clean out the fireplace and chimney if you have one, or check any heaters
While the above lists are just suggestions, apply the principal to your home to create a routine that works best for you. You can even work on one or two items each weekend so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Create Zones for Deep Cleaning
Divide your home into zones – like bedrooms, bathrooms, living room, etc. Assign each family member a zone to deep clean top to bottom every month or so. This prevents any room from being neglected. Have kids tidy and dust their bedrooms and make keeping common areas clean a group effort.
Declutter First, Then Clean
Trying to clean around clutter is frustrating and ineffective. Do a quick decluttering session before cleaning a room. Sort through items, purge what you don’t need, and put away what remains. With surfaces cleared off, cleaning will be quicker and more complete.
Use Cleaning Checklists for Rooms
Standardise cleaning tasks for each room with detailed checklists that help to build habits and routines. List all areas, surfaces, and elements that need addressing like:
Kitchen
- Clear and wipe counters and island bench
- Clean appliance surfaces
- Spray and wipe cabinets
- Clean sink, taps, and backsplash
- Sweep, mop floor
Bathrooms
- Wipe down mirror and counters
- Clean toilet bowl and base
- Wipe the bathtub and shower walls
- Remove soap scum and stains from surfaces
- Clean sink, taps, cabinet fronts
Checklists guarantee every inch gets covered during deep cleans. Post laminated lists as a reference in each room to keep the family helpers on track.
Take Advantage of Downtime
Unexpected downtime is a prime time to tackle cleaning. Even 15-20 minutes of focused effort makes progress and gives you results. Speed clean the kitchen, fold some laundry, or vacuum. Having an arsenal of quick cleaning tasks for snippets of time keeps the house in check.
Enlist the Family’s Help
Have all family members pitch in to lighten your load. Small children can put away toys and wipe surfaces. Older kids can vacuum, sweep, clean their bathroom, and handle other age-appropriate tasks. Getting everyone involved makes maintaining a clean home a shared priority and responsibility.
Make Cleaning Fun for Kids
Add some fun elements to get kids engaged in cleaning:
- Use colourful microfibre cloths and cleaning brushes
- Play music during cleaning sessions
- Set kitchen timers for quick tidying challenges
- Create a chore chart with stickers for completed tasks
- Alternate picking family dance party songs for after cleaning
Adding a spirit of play makes cleaning feel less like drudgery for kids and when they learn to clean from a young age, they’ll take greater pride in maintaining a clean home.
Take Advantage of Morning Energy
Aim to knock out some cleaning tasks first thing in the morning when energy is highest. Do a quick tidy of common rooms, make beds, start some laundry, empty the dishwasher and reload it. Accomplishing these small jobs bright and early helps to avoid facing a huge mess later.
Tackle the Tough Jobs First
It’s tempting to start cleaning sessions with quick, manageable tasks. But knocking out the most arduous job first gives a sense of momentum. For instance, scrub the bathroom first before dusting and vacuuming. Just forge ahead, and the worst will be over before you know it.
Set a Timer While You Tidy
Time yourself while tidying different rooms, like setting a timer for 10 minutes to clean up the living room and pushing yourself to meet the challenge. The time pressure helps focus your efforts to work efficiently. Use a countdown timer app for added motivation and tracking progress.
Create a “Launch Pad” by the Front Door
Place bins or trays near the entry to collect items you need to take or put away when leaving the house. Kids can ditch backpacks, you can drop mail and keys, and everyone remembers items that need to go out. Containing things in one spot prevents clutter and makes them easier to find when needed.
Designate a Recycling Station
Collect recycling in one dedicated kitchen spot until taking it out. A space-saving drawer sorter or bin under a sink can neatly contain bottles, cans, and paper trash. Centralised recycling is more organised than having it lying around throughout the house.
Always Put Things Back Where They Belong
Get in the habit of immediately returning items to their designated spots after using them. This takes the same time as setting something down randomly but prevents a gradual spread of disorder. Consistently putting things back where they belong eliminates the frustration of misplaced items.
Do a Final Tidy Before Bed
Take 5 minutes before bed to walk through the house straightening up. Pick up debris, wipe kitchen counters, straighten throw pillows, and check that doors are locked. Starting the next day on a blank slate means less morning chaos.
Conclusion
A clean house makes for a comfortable home and enhances your quality of life. But with busy schedules, staying on top of chores can be challenging. Enlisting help is not only okay, but it’s also vital to maintaining a clean home when you have a busy lifestyle. Brightarire Property Services offer reliable property cleaning services on the Sunshine Coast and can be contacted today for an obligating free quote. Remember, with the right strategies and the help of professional property cleaning services; it is possible to maintain a clean and organised living space even with a hectic schedule!