Simplify Your Cleaning Routine
After posting about glamour and crazy dreams last week, it’s time to get down and dirty. Literally.
Cleaning is a necessary part of simplicity. While it may be possible in theory, I haven’t yet discovered anyone with a relaxing, simple home that’s fabulously filthy. (If you are this person, please get in touch. There’s lots I could learn from you!) Until I hear otherwise, I’m stuck cleaning the house on a regular basis. If you don’t have an inner Monica Gellar lurking inside, then it’s worth your time to set up the most streamlined system possible. Here’s what I do:
- Stick to a schedule. If you clean at the same time each week, you can prevent a lot of the buildup that makes deep cleaning so gross. Plus, a schedule keeps you committed without you having to put a lot of thought into it. I tend to go with Saturday mornings (though I’m toying with Friday nights, when I have boundless energy). This accomplishes three things:
- Since it’s early in the weekend, I’m happy to be doing anything, even cleaning.
- I can enjoy a clean house all weekend long, when I’m there most.
- I don’t spend the whole weekend mentally putting it off and dreading it.
- Start big, end small. Hit the biggest, nastiest chores first. As your energy wanes, you’ll only have small things to deal with and you can phone them in a bit.
- Keep your supplies together. Put together a kit (a bucket is a good solution) and carry it with you from room to room. Include things like rags, cleaning solution, the omnipresent Magic Eraser, and so on. This means that you don’t waste time wandering around the house in search of supplies. You’re good to go. And when you’re done, stick the bucket in a hidden place, ready to pull out next time.
- Hit the most used rooms first. Just like starting big, you want to use your energy as efficiently as possible. Starting with the spare bath virtually guarantees that you’ll end half-assing it by the time you hit the kitchen.
- Get tools that actually work. I used to be a big believer in elbow grease. Then, I realized that the right tools make the job loads faster. There is no shame in having a better mop/vacuum/dust rag. (Beloved Dyson, of thee I write…)
- Add some fun to the task. I love blasting the music as I sponge, swab, and sweep the house. Maybe you like to mop the kitchen floor by sliding around in your socks. If you don’t have a fun habit, consider adding one. It really can make all the difference between doing chores and living your life.
Cleaning isn’t the most fun thing I do, but it creates room for me to have fun in tons of other ways. I love coming home to a clutter-free house, where I’m primed to relax and play. Clean often enough and it can get to the point where your actions become a form of mediation. Even if it doesn’t go that far for you, make your life simple by cleaning as efficiently as possible.
Any tips of your own? I would love to hear them, so please share in the comments below!
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:24 am
With two young kids (one baby and one homeschooled 7-year-old, it’s sometimes hard for me to do a large cleaning day. So, I schedule different rooms on different days.
I also buy multiple sets of cleaning supplies to store in the rooms I use them. The kitchen has its own supplies, and each bathroom has its own supplies. You don’t really spend much extra money, since you use the same amount of cleaner in the long run. I do want to get an extra scrub brush so that I don’t have to leave the room grab the one I have, but that’s only like… a dollar fifty. So, no biggie.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 am
One of the easiest ways I’ve found to simplify my cleaning routine is to try to do a little every day.
For example, right after we put my son to bed we do a sweep of the apartment putting his toys away and doing general tidying. It only takes about five minutes, but keeps things from getting too cluttered and creates a peaceful atmosphere for the rest of the evening. Also, it’s nice to wake up to a clean house!
Of course, that doesn’t replace the need for deep cleaning but it does help improve the condition of our home in between big cleaning days.
http://www.LivSimpl.com
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:35 am
My best tip… as soon as you can afford it, hire a cleaning service that would come twice a month and take care of the deep cleaning. It’s costly, but this is one area that to me is SO worth spending on, that I willing to save elsewhere in order to spend on this.
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Sara: Your wrote: “Cleaning is the most fun thing I do, but it creates room for me to have fun in tons of other ways.” I think you meant to write: “Cleaning is not the most fun thing I do. .. ” Or is it?
I hate cleaning. I have someone come in to clean and cook from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. In Central America this isn’t expensive.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Hi Sara,
I actually don’t mind cleaning, but want to have the proper tools. I love the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and Orange Glo furniture polish.
I actually would prefer to get all of my cleaning done during the week, so I can wake up to a clean house on Saturday, but that doesn’t happen too often.
Like Vered, hiring a cleaning service sounds like a great idea. And Marelisa….now she has the right idea. A cook and a cleaner. How sweet would that be?
June 24th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Good stuff. My favorite motivator for dreaded chores is to use a cleaning solution that I like. If it smells like grapefruits instead of toxic chemicals, then I won’t procrastinate to clean the bathroom.
June 25th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Ahhh, I love this post, I get excited when people talk about cleaning and organizing. I know, weird. Here are my tips: clean as you go. When I cook (no dishwaher) I make dishwater so as I create mess, I can wash mess. Instead of coming home and throwing your clothes on furniture, I take my clothes off in front of the closet. The stuff I can hang back up, I do, whatever needs to go to the laundry I throw it in there. I try to implement the only touch it once rule: Take care of putting stuff back right away. Don’t create more work for yourself by leaving something somewhere it doesn’t belong.Get or ask for help, my motto: If you live here, you clean here. No one person should have to clean up behind the entire household, kids, dads, grandmas, grandpas can do something to help. Sometimes I do clean up behind myself so fast that I create more work because I need that same item again a few minutes later. lol
oh and break up cleaning throughout the week. sunday clean the kitchen, monday sweep floors, friday clean the bathroom, tuesday grocery shop, weekend - rest.
July 4th, 2008 at 2:37 am
[...] Simplify Your Cleaning Routine :: On Simplicity [...]
July 13th, 2008 at 2:13 am
I love the idea of mopping the kitchen floor with your socks! I have an old pair of socks that I wer on really cold nights but I might start using them to clean the kitchen with ….. the dog will think I’ve gone mad!!
August 12th, 2008 at 5:00 am
hiring someone is not expensive where we live but i found out i enjoy doing it.i clean every tues or wednesday but i do a little here and there every day…
there are times i become busy with other things…i skip the week and clean the next week…it’s just okay. a little dust will not kill us.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I actually think you should start with the noticeable small stuff–gathering up dirty laundry or such. It makes such a big immediate difference you feel like your cleaning is doing something, and you are ready to attack more boring/less visible stuff…at least that is how I work! hehe.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
i find my home very relaxing and peaceful-and also very messy! clean houses are very stressful to me; i feel like i have to watch my every move lest i mess something up. my friends seem to feel the same :]
August 20th, 2008 at 8:32 am
get yourself a bottle of white vinager,pour some on papertowel on bathtaps leave overnight,hey presto limescale gone,ps place a plastic bag over the papertowel to keep vinager soaking
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
[...] Implement a basic cleaning schedule. [...]
August 23rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I make a game of cleaning by guessing how long it will take me to do a job, then I set my timer and if I finish faster, I break til the timer goes off (there is room for cheating here). If the job takes longer than I anticipated, I quit anyway when the timer goes off. BTW, my timer is a champagne bottle in a bucket of “ice”. Fun timer.
September 7th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Cleaning vigorously counts as part of an exercise schedule!
I think Friday evening works best as no one is snoozing having a lie in stopping me from putting the vacuum about!