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!
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This post has 18 comments
June 23rd, 2008
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 13th, 2008
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
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
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
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
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 23rd, 2008
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
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!
September 29th, 2008
i dont like cleaning but love to have a clean home,
so as i dont work and spend my days at home, everyday i dust and tidy each room, but once a month i clean each room cleaning out closets washing windows washing curtains going through each draw and getting rid of anything which isnt neaded, i do this over a period of 3-4 days and each day i will clean until i feel ive had enough but if i start a room i have to continue until its done. i find that this way everything has its place and i dont end up with draws or closets over stuffed with all sorts. i do find when im finished a get great job satisfaction knowing that its all clean and i know what and where everything goes which does make things easier as when it comes to the next time i find that there is very little out of place so i feel keeping on top of it like this is worth the effort
September 29th, 2008
Angela: The satisfaction is wonderful, isn’t it? I like your idea to stretch it out, but you stop when you’ve had enough. Good way to balance your needs!
May 2nd, 2009
I love the magic eraser! Any more tips please email ecg211@lehigh.edu !!
August 30th, 2009
There are three things I can do fairly quickly, but they make a big impact:
- Collect all dirty dishes (or anything else to go in the dishwasher, like scissors). Load dishes.
- Any dirty clothes/linens to the laundry room. Start a load.
- Pick up anything around the house that can be trashed. Combine trash cans and bring the full bag to the dumpster.
These three things take care of a large percentage of our “stuff” around the house, in 30 minutes or less.
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