Clean and Tidy the Easy Way

With the current shortage of magic wands, most of us mortals must rely on person power to get the house looking neat and tidy.

If you’re the one who does most of the tidying up, you’ll know what a chore it can be and just how often it needs doing.

We’ve rounded up a few tips and ideas to make it easier to stay on top of housework while saving time and energy in the process.

Little and Often

Unless you really like long housecleaning sessions, regular bursts of short duration are the way to go. It’s surprising how much you can get done in only a minute or two, and how much it can help keep things looking good.

What kind of jobs take so little time?

• Wiping down kitchen surfaces.
• Disinfecting or bleaching the kitchen sink.
• Scooping toys into a basket.
• Making a bed (straightening the duvet not changing the sheets).
• Cleaning the toilet.
• Straightening cushions and curtains.
• Emptying bins.
• Sorting and tossing junk mail.

This list isn’t exhaustive by any means, but you get the idea. Just keeping on top of the little jobs will keep the house looking nice and smelling fresher.

Organise Your Cleaning Products

Get yourself one of those little caddies with a handle across the top. Fill this with basic cleaning products such as furniture polish, multi-surface cleaner, air fresheners, scouring cleaners and cloths. 

Use as few products as you can get away with, so you don’t create a heavy cart, and then it’s easy to carry the caddy from room to room. You’ll save lots of time when you don’t have to go looking for the product you need.

Clear Out the Clutter

If you ever find you can’t start one job because you need to do another first, it could be because you’ve too many random possessions lying around.

While you don’t need to adopt a minimalist lifestyle, being more selective about which items you give house room can make cleaning up much quicker and easier.

A storage unit can help you keep the clutter down, and the cost of self storage could be less than you imagine. Ask at your local facility about the range of room sizes available so you don’t rent more space than you need, then fill it with all the things you’re not regularly using.

Some people like to take a seasonal approach. It makes room in closets for summer gear when it’s not full of winter coats and boots, but aside from clothing, there are DIY tools, sports equipment, hobby gear or forgotten toys that could be stored away to make tidying up easier.

Get Everyone to Muck In

Is there one aspect of cleaning that really frustrates you or gets you down? If so, is there a way to break it down so it’s more of a series of shorter tasks rather than one big one? 

Or maybe it’s a repetitive task that you just hate doing so keep putting it off. Emptying the dishwasher maybe? Or filling it back up after a meal?

Try including family members in your quest for an easier time with cleaning and tidying up. Maybe someone else could take charge of the dishwasher, or whatever task you find particularly irksome. If you have kids, one way of getting them to do more might be to introduce a reward system. There are some nice reward ideas here, that don’t involve lots of money.

Whichever way you tackle it, identifying specific jobs you really hate and then delegating them will free you up to do something else. At the very least, get the family on board with tidying up their own muddles. No more dropping socks on the bedroom floor or leaving shoes on the stairs, for instance.

Designate Spaces

A place for everything, and everything in its place! It’s an old-fashioned idea, but it works and encourages all the family to put things where they belong.

• Have somewhere for coats and bags in the hallway.
• Have a dish or hook for car and house keys.
• Have a letter rack to keep the post or flyers organised.

Anywhere in the house where muddle accumulates, try and figure out a way to prevent it so you don’t have to waste time sorting things out. It can be challenging to get people to use a new system, but with a bit of patience and reminding it’ll stick eventually.

Hiding Places for Everyday Clutter

Storage furnishings can help with controlling all the everyday items that end up littering surfaces.

• Swap out standard occasional tables in the living room for ones with shelves or drawers and use these to hold myriad little items. 
• Use divan beds upstairs to hide away spare linens, toys, sporting kits or hobby tools. 
• Pop a plastic drawer unit in the bottom of the wardrobe for additional storage of smalls, shoes or accessories.

Storage is a big part of making housework feel lighter and easier to get through. From extra space through self storage rooms to finding alternative solutions for smaller problem areas, there are ways and means. Use some of these tactics or let them be the springboard to personal solutions. 

It’s worth it for an easier way to keep the house tidy.