With kids running around the house and toys everywhere sometimes our homes look like a tornado just went through it. It is hard keeping a house clean with children around, I get it. Today I am going to share with you some of my secrets to keeping a clean house. These systems will take a while to set in, but once in place, you will find your rhythm and soon will see the difference these make to your life and space.
THE SECRETS TO KEEPING A CLEAN HOUSE ALWAYS
Everything has a home
Analyse your space and storage and decide on an appropriate place for everything. Every item in the house should belong somewhere. As much as is possible design your space keeping in mind all the little bits and bobs you own and where each item will be placed. This way every time you use something you know where it goes back. There should be no item just sitting there waiting for you to find it a place.
Getting such systems in place needs a little bit of prior planning. If you are one who finds organizing hard to do and wonder how to keep your house clean and organized, you must check The Organized Home e-course. This course helps families simplify organizing, make cleaning easier, and have a home that is guest-ready with minimal effort. Don’t believe me, check the program here for more details.
Clean as you cook
All of us dread the mountain of dishes that pile up at the end of the day. The only way to reduce that load is to clean as you cook. You will be thankful at the end of the day about the reduced load. Chop something, wash the chopping tray and knife, and put them to dry. Finished using up bowls and plates for cooking, immediately wash them, and put them back where they belong.
The rule in our house is the one using the kitchen will leave the kitchen as it was before he/she went in to cook. This helps to have clean countertops and fewer dishes in the sink for the end of the day.
Weekly cleaning routine
A simple 30-minute routine every weekend can make your home look fresh and new. I usually do this when my son sits down to watch his weekend cartoons. It takes me hardly 20 minutes to wipe down all surfaces and countertops. I use a multi-purpose spray, like this one to make my work go quicker and finish by the time my son finishes his episode.
You have a baby? Work around nap time and keep a baby monitor close as you work.
Minimal furniture
The easiest way to give the illusion of a clean house is to own less furniture. The more open space in the home, the more cleaner it looks. Keep this point in mind when you first set up your home. Buy only furniture that’s needed. Think about all the cleaning and maintenance you need to put in when you select the furniture pieces for your home.
We invested in minimal furniture for our home and chose furnishings in the color white. These reflect light back and create a more open, well lit, and welcoming space.
Easy to clean furniture
A big point to consider when investing in furniture and countertop materials for the home is how easy is it to clean? Choose smooth and easy to clean surfaces. The more intricate the design the more it has room to catch dust.
Laundry routine
Having a laundry routine is key. Especially in a house with kids. Do not let laundry pile up. You will hate yourself and procrastinate even more seeing that mountain staring back at you.
For a family of three, we run the washing machine every alternate day. For larger families you may need a daily wash routine. But do not procrastinate on laundry. It is one of the easiest tasks to push ahead and the one that you will regret soon after.
Night time clean up routine
Put 20 minutes each night to a quick clean-up routine. A night-time clean-up routine is more a run-through of the house putting things back or rearranging things. This simple exercise keeps the home looking fresh and neat. Mess doesn’t pile up and you don’t end up with messy corners or chairs with a mountain of clothes lying on them!
Get organizing
Depending on your needs and type of home look for organization systems. Some organization tools that I found very useful in our home are:
Cuddlycoo Products for stackable toy storage, book racks, and more. Get 5% off using code CCOPHIRA.
Get everyone involved
Keeping the home clean is not a woman’s responsibility alone. Get everyone involved and make routines around cleaning up after eating, playing, and using spaces in the house. Involve children as young as toddlers in chores around the house. This makes the child independent and self-sufficient from an early age. For the bigger cleaning tasks divide chores between your partner and yourself. Do not shy away from asking for help, one person cannot do it all.
Declutter every 6 months
Every 6 months take stock of what items have been lying around unused or seem useless. There are always things to declutter. If the item is in good condition, donate it. Here is a post I wrote on how I declutter my wardrobe in one day. You can use the same tips to declutter your home too.
Honestly, there is no real formula for an organized home. Just a few mindful habits for a clean home.
Here are some of my favorite cleaning products
Laundry
Home cleaning (for more of my favorite brands with individual reviews read my blog post on natural home cleaners)
Dishwashing
Cleaning tools
Coconut coir dishwasher scrubbing pads
I hope these tips on keeping your house clean and organized help you. If you need any more information on the products I use or systems do comment below with your questions.
Hey ophira, great post definitely things to keep in mind. Can u tell a little about the organising home ecourse you mentioned. Thank you so much
This post is amazing Ophira! The point on night roUtinE for cleaning is spot on. I realisped the days i leavE that out i Become even more lazy and procrastinate. Then that mess keeps piling up.
Amazing things to learn . I also follow the weekend rule , it really helps.
These are WONDERFUL hoMe cleaning tips.
ThAnk You!