Most people find house cleaning to be frustrating and time-consuming. Yet it’s something that must be done. So the question is, are there ways to make it easier and less difficult?
4 Tips for Effortless House Cleaning
If your house is dirty or unkempt, you aren’t alone. According to one survey of Americans, 6 percent of adults ay their house or apartment is “very” cluttered, while 21 percent say it’s “somewhat” cluttered. In other words, more than one in four Americans have a clutter problem.
Clutter is a word that’s typically used to describe a combination of disorganization and a lack of cleanliness. And if 27 percent of people are admitting they have a problem, the number is likely much larger.
Out of all the reasons people’s living spaces are cluttered, intimidation and laziness are two of the most common culprits. In other words, people believe it takes too much time and effort to maintain a clean house or apartment. But this simply isn’t true.
Please check out these simple, efficient strategies you can use in your own house to maintain a cleaner domain:
- Buy the Right Cleaning Supplies and Equipment
You can be very intentional about adopting the perfect mindset for keeping a clean house, but if you don’t have the right cleaning supplies and equipment, all of this mental effort will be for naught. (Think of it like a carpenter. It doesn’t matter how much experience he has – or how many skills he possesses – if he doesn’t have the right tools, he’s worthless.)
- Supplies. You need a good all-purpose cleaning solution that can be used on a variety of surfaces and household items. It’s also good to have an arsenal of surface-specific cleaning agents. (This includes products for stainless steel, granite, wood floors, etc.)
- Equipment. If you live in a house or apartment, you need a good vacuum cleaner. There are tons of options on the market, but consider a Miele vacuum cleaner. These models are great because they work on numerous surfaces (including hardwood floors) and are considered less susceptible to breakdowns than other models on the market.
Depending on the type of living space you have, your list of supplies and equipment may differ from the next person, but at the very least, you can count on needing these.
- Prevent Dirt From Entering the House
If you can cut down on the amount of dirt that enters your home from the outside, you’ll find your pursuit of cleanliness to be much less challenging.
“One of the biggest mistakes you might be making is wearing shoes inside the house,” LeisurelyDoesIt.com explains. “Shoes track in all sorts of dirt and grime from outside so leave them at the door and enforce a ‘no shoes’ policy. Not only does this help to prevent the build-up of dirt, it also helps to protect your floors from scuffs and scratches.”
Another good strategy is to keep all pets outside. There’s nothing wrong with having a dog or cat, but letting them have free roam of the house is doing nothing but contribute to your mess. Give them the backyard, a screened porch, and maybe a laundry room – but that should be it.
- Do a Little at a Time
There’s a huge psychological component to cleaning and organization. When viewed from a 30,000-foot level, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by everything you have to do. That’s why we recommend zooming in at a 500-foot level and doing a little bit at a time. The more digestible you make it, the more likely it is you’ll actually take practical steps towards accomplishing your organization goals.
- Give Each Family Member Responsibilities
If you have multiple family members living in your house, give each person responsibilities. For example, you might clean the kitchen, your spouse might clean the bathrooms, each child is responsible for their bedroom, and then you all pitch in to tackle common living areas.
Take Back Control of Your House
You don’t have to maintain a pristine, immaculate house that looks like it’s being preserved in a museum. But if you’re willing to implement some of these tactics, you’ll discover that maintaining clean and tidy spaces isn’t nearly as arduous or time-consuming as it initially seems.