Wondering how to clean your house in 15-minutes a day or think it’s just not possible? Well you’re in for a treat. The tips and insight I give you below will open your eyes to what it takes to clean your house in just a few minutes a day.  Even if your home goes by the street name Casa de Catastrophe.

To get started, let’s borrow a quote from the business world that’ll take your mind exactly where it needs to be if you want to clean your house in just 15 minutes a day…

That’s right.  People with the cleanest homes are not slaving away spending all their time cleaning!  As a matter of fact, people with clean homes don’t have to clean nearly as much as people with messy homes.  Yep.  Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side!

So here’s the real golden nugget – if you want to clean your home in 15-minutes a day, it’s not about moving super fast.  You’re more than likely just going to look silly.  I know I look silly when I try to move fast.  Maybe because I’m old.  Who knows.  

What you seriously need to do is make sure that 15-minutes is spent cleaning the just right things so you have something to show for yourself.  

For example, if your entire house is a mess, cleaning out the junk drawer is not going to get you to clean.  Not that you shouldn’t clean it out.  It’s just, there’s a hierarchy of sorts when it comes to what should be cleaned first in your home.  

You don’t want to spend 15 minutes cleaning your house only for no one to notice that you just sacrificed 15 golden minutes of your life cleaning right?  Super deflating.  And yes, it’s happened to me.

Instead of giving you fluff bunnies, I’m going to give you the real deal on what you need to actually clean your house in just a few minutes a day and make sure your hard work it’s totally noticeable by anyone that enters your domain.  What’s wrong with getting noticed?

Disclaimer / I ended up writing way more tips than I expected so the first 7 below will be considered *Part 1* and the rest of the tips will be posted as *Part 2*. You may continue scrolling!

The non-negotiable things you need to do if you really want to clean your house in 15-minutes a day  

Tip 1 /  Cleaning your house in 15-minutes is not about being able to clean fast

How long does it take to clean a 3 bedroom house? How about a 6,000 square foot house? When it comes to being able to clean your home in a few minutes a day, size does matter guys. The bigger the home, the more minutes or time you’ll have to dedicate to cleaning. And the same goes for people. The more humans – and animals – you have living in a house, the more you’ll need for cleaning.

So here’s a simple way to help you think about how much time it really takes to clean your home and keep it clean. One thousand square feet of space should take about an hour to clean. However, when we get to around the 4,000+ square feet, start adding in some extra minutes. Trust me. It’s about an hour and 30 minutes for each additional1,000 sq. ft. of space over 4,000.

And in case my explanation left you confused /

• 1,000 sq. ft. house should take about one-hour
• 3,000 square foot house should take around 3-hours
• 5,000 sq. ft. house should take around 6-7 hours

So with that in mind, cleaning your house in 15 minutes a day really comes down to two simple ideas: 

(a) cleaning the right things at the right time and 

(b) cleaning efficiently or basically not wasting time or energy and getting 100% out of the cleaning sesh.  

I don’t need to write a paragraph on this because a few of the following tips build on this idea.  So prepare for a few instances of she already said that.  (Because it’s that important.)  

Tip 2 /  The 5-Unforgiving Chores are heartless…get to know em’

Ever heard of the 80/20 rule?  Of course you have.  Only 20% of what you do really matters – or something like that.  Google it. 

Before you focus on 15-minute blocks of hardcore cleaning, make sure you’ve mastered the 5 unforgiving tasks – aka the universally agreed up cleaning tasks that if left undone for days or even just hours in some cases, will spawn unspeakable herds of clutter, chaos and mess all throughout your home.   

These small tasks account for 80% of the mess you probably see in your home but if kept under control, will only account for 20% of your time.  Ewww, the truth hurts.

Sidenote / if you clean your house and it still looks messy, you might want to take some notes my friend. 

Here are the 5 (unforgiving) tasks:  

• laundry
• dishes
• tidying up
• trash 
• toilets 

Bottom line /  Don’t bother with real cleaning if the dishes, laundry or other essentials are out of control. Center your daily 15-minute cleaning sessions (more time if you’ve got it) on the 5 unforgiving chores for a few weeks so that you can get these areas under control once & for all.  

Now, if you’re really in the mood to clean random things around the house, head on over to my post, How to clean a flat screen tv so that it’s streak-free. Because the big screen is no place for a smudge to hang out.

Tip 3 / Make a chore list, a cleaning schedule or cleaning plan so you’re not being a total random 

15 minutes isn’t a long time but you can do a lot in those 15 minutes if you plan.  Make sure those minutes are well spent by knowing exactly what you want to clean today.  What you clean today will affect tomorrow.  

You don’t want your cleaning sessions to be cleaning whatever catches your eye.  Go about cleaning that way and you’ll end up realizing the whole house is actually disgusting, and in walks anxiety and overwhelm.  And you don’t have time for that so let’s make a cleaning plan instead.   

When it comes to making a cleaning schedule, keep things simple and use a daily, weekly or bi-weekly cleaning list.  

Sidenote /  a cleaning schedule, cleaning plan, chore list or even a cleaning plan are all kind of the same thing so you may see me use these words interchangeably.  Just didn’t want to confuse ya!

Here’s a super simple sample weekly cleaning schedule / 

Monday – Bathrooms (Full cleaning)

Tuesday – Kitchen (Full cleaning)

Wednesday – Dust

Thursday – Vacuums 

Friday – Mop Floors 

Saturday 

Sunday – Prep & Plan

And just like that, you’ll have focused cleaning sessions that’ll keep you from bouncing around from place to place.  Instead, you’ll clean what needs cleaning and have a very productive 15-minute cleaning session.  Cheers to that. 

Tip 4 / Clean your house in 15 minutes. Or maybe 20?

Goal gettin’ has been a heck of a movement but no matter what anyone tells you, you cannot clean your whole house in 15 minutes. Unless it’s a tiny house.  Maybe.  I need to see one in real life to really know for sure though so err on the side of caution with those as well for now. 

Point is, the last thing you want to do is set a big lofty goal for whatall you can clean in 15-minutes.  Why?  Because if you can’t do everything you thought you could, you’ll probably be bummed out. And bummed-out-you is less inclined to stick with your daily 15-minute cleaning blocks.  And your messy house troubles will ultimately return. 

Tip 5 /  Make big spaces bite-sized

Everyone has their own cleaning speed.  Same way we all have our own walking pace.  Some people walk slow and some people walk fast.  God’s plan right?  But regardless of your speed, some spaces will just be too much to clean in a 15-minute span.  Let’s look at an example.  

Can you clean your bathroom from top to bottom, including vacuuming and mopping in 15 minutes?  Umm, if it’s a half bath – definitely.   But a full-on master bath with yucky super soaker jacuzzi blasters and a tile-and-grout walk-in shower speckled with mold & mildew spots like the 101 dalmations – probably not.   

So how do you handle areas that are a bit too much for a 15-minute cleaning session?  I’m glad you asked.  

You have permission to break big jobs down into smaller bite-sized chunks.  But I know you were already thinking that.  Sometimes it’s just good to have someone validate the genius thoughts you have in your head so your welcome.  

With that being said, it’s ok to break the bathroom down into the smallest bits you can handle and clean the tub – or all the tubs – today.  And the shower tomorrow.    

Here’s a sample schedule for cleaning your bathroom in just 15 minutes a day /

• Monday – sweep, vacuum, spot clean floors and take out trash
• Tuesday – clean the bathroom sink, counter, cabinet doors
• Wednesday – wipe down all the baseboards,  doors and wall fixtures
• Thursday – clean the tub
• Friday – clean the shower

So yeh, it’s one week in the shower but you’re basically doing a little every day, sometimes less than 15 minutes to keep your bathroom super clean. 

And now my moment of truth: I actually clean the bathroom surfaces on one day and then the bathroom floors (vacuuming & mopping) on the day I vacuum and mop the entire house.  There’s no wrong way to do it.  Thank goodness. 

Bottom line / Instead of trying to cram as much as you can into your 15-minute cleaning session (and only getting half of it done), plan to clean less than you think you can.  You’ll be surprised by how good it feels to accomplish an obviously-accomplishable cleaning task. 

But the real magic is that it’ll naturally lead you to say, dang, I can do more!  And that’s the energy you need to stick to cleaning your house in just 15-minutes a day for the long haul.  

Tip 6 / Don’t let clutter punk you…

Since this post is about how to clean your house in 15-minutes a day, we have to talk about clutter.  If you’ve got a lot of it, it’ll definitely slow you down if you don’t know how to handle it. 

For starters, it’s not always immediately obvious how you should handle a cluttery situation.  Whether it’s the floors, bedroom dressers or the bathroom counter, should you:

(a) move everything off,  clean the surface and then put it all back

(b) clean around all the knick knacks or 

(c) pretend you don’t see it and move on to the next area

Interestingly enough, any of those answers could be right.  And yeh, I know that’s not super helpful but what I want to highlight is that you should have a plan for clutter.  Not having a plan for clutter is an invitation for overwhelm.  Trust me.

The second thing I want to mention is more of a rule.  And that is, don’t let clutter hijack your cleaning session.  

Set aside a block of time just for decluttering the bathroom cabinets.  And a time just for scrubbing bubbles. Staying focused on cleaning during your cleaning sessions will give you the result you’re looking for – a house that looks clean.  

Bottom line / There’s a time for clutter and there’s a time for cleaning. (Said in my cowboy voice) Create dedicated time blocks just for tackling clutter and likewise, time just for cleaning your home.  (And by cleaning I mean vacuuming, mopping, dusting and all that good stuff.)

Tip 7 / The 3C-Mafia

To clean your house in just 15-minutes a day, procrastination has got to go! If you let the messes stack up for days without getting checked in the spirit of *I’ll get to it later* well, you can kiss the dream of a 15-minute clean goodbye.  

To make quick & sweatless cleaning sessions a reality, here are three different strategies you can stack to keep your house clean enough so that when it’s really time to clean, you can breeze right though it.  

Introducing the 3C Mafia!  Inspired my favorite rap group when I was a youngling fresh from Germany, these 3 cleaning strategies work together so that you can have hyper-productive 15-minute cleaning sessions: 

• Dedicated cleaning sessions to one particular task a few days out the week (vacuuming, mopping, dusting, etc.)
• Cleaning as you go for example, clean the kitchen & wash dishes while you cook. Or scrub the toilet right after you do the doo…
• And lastly, spot cleaning. Make it a point to wipe up spilled juice and foods now while they take less than 2-minutes to clean up. The longer certain types of messes sit, the sticker and grippier they get to surfaces. And old messes are a quick way to blow a 15-minute cleaning session.

Bottom line / Cleaning your house in just 15-minutes a day sounds wonderful but it’s nothing more than a pipe dream if you aren’t doing other things to make it a possibility.

Let’s wrap this up /

Finding a painless way to keep your house clean is a journey.   But it’s the type where you learn so much along the way that it makes you a better version of yourself.  I say that to say, don’t beat yourself up if you’re struggling to keep your house clean.  You’re not alone.   And I promise, as long as you know why you want to keep your house clean and are willing to put yourself first, the rest will fall into place.   Not the advice you were expecting huh? 

Ready to get your home under control once & for all? 

Quickly find your zone of clean so that you can create a home you’re proud of and reveal the blueprint to a home that stays clean, cleaner or cleanish all the time in just 7-days.  Check out the Clean Vibes Kit & Caboodle today! 

Best Selling Items This Week:

• Dye Catchers Cut down how long it takes to do laundry with these! Toss everything into the washing machine and get on to all the other things. Without worrying about those whites turning pink.
• Scotch Brite Non-Scratch Scrubbers If I have to choose between these & my husband, I’m definitely taking the scrubbers. They seriously do allllllll the work when it’s time to clean. Unlike him.
• Window/Glass Cleaning Cloths Ok, if you believe it’s impossible to have streak-free mirrors or glass, prepare to be impressed. You don’t even need window cleaner with these things. Just a little water & shizam. All clear.
• The Roboroc Robot Vacuum It sweeps, mops and is soo smart, it avoids both cat puke & dog terds . If you have pets, you know that’s huge. It’s also $30 off right now.

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later. And get a little clout by showing others you always find the good stuff:-)

The post Clean your house in 15 minutes a day. Seriously. appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Spring cleaning: Not just for spring anymore

A clean, organized workspace can help improve your focus, stabilize your mood, and give you that creative boost you desperately need. According to the South China Morning Post “[C]lutter can make us feel frustrated by the way it invades our home, which, for many of us, is our safe space.” Look around at your home: Did it become messier during the last several months of quarantine?

The answer? Declutter that mess! It may seem hard to get started, but once the clutter has been reorganized and everything is put in its place, that sense of frustration will dissipate. You may even find that if you do work from home, your productivity will get a boost since your focus is on the task in front of you instead of the clutter in the corner of your eye. (It also doesn’t hurt to also spend some time sanitizing your living space, as research shows that cleaner homes promote healthiness and physical activity.)

In addition to a thorough decluttering, a deep cleaning from top to bottom will serve you and your home well as you prepare to hunker down. Work from top to bottom, and get into the nooks and crannies to ensure you’ve addressed every space and crumb. If you’re feeling less than inspired to take this on, why not splurge and outsource to a professional? The experts at The Cleaning Club can take your home from dirty to dazzling, giving you more time to work on prettying up your space. 

Comfort central: Cozy up your couch

One thing you can do to ensure maximum comfort is to turn your attention to furniture and decorations. Add a colorful rug or two in the bathroom and kitchen; apply fabric deodorizer to curtains and, if you’re feeling especially motivated, dust the blinds. Does that recliner in the corner look a little drab? If you know how to crochet or knit, easy accent pillowcase patterns provide a way for you to add a personal touch and splash of color to your living space. 

Of course, if your furniture is structurally sound and simply needs a bit of a sprucing up, reupholstering is always an option. Maybe that floral print from the ‘70s isn’t doing it for you anymore, or the cat stretched with claws-out too many times — whatever the case, choosing a new fabric can be an exciting way to welcome a “new” chair or couch into your space. Don’t forget to factor in budget when researching chair upholstery pricing. On average, the cost to reupholster chairs can run anywhere from $350 to $1,000, including labor and fabric costs, depending on the design.

Internet capability: Stress-test your Wi-Fi

Stanford University researcher Nicholas Bloom noted that for those Americans working from home, internet access is not as ubiquitous as it should be. Before the next round of quarantine, even if you’re not working from home, be sure to metaphorically dust off your Wi-Fi router and make sure your plan can handle increased usage. Visiting internet speed test sites like SpeedTest.net can give you an idea of what kind of load your pipes can expect to successfully carry. You can even contact your internet service provider and ask if they are ready for the increased usage.

Don’t wait

Your home should be your sanctuary — especially now. Don’t let indecision keep you from creating the most comfortable shelter for your needs. Before the next round of lockdowns, take the time to address any concerns you may have with your current space, so you can meet this year’s extraordinary challenges with one more arrow in your mental-health quiver.

The post Three C’s of Quarantine: Cleaning, Comfort and (Internet) Capability appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

A nighttime cleaning routine designed to help you keep your house remarkably clean yet still give you plenty of time for some well-deserved beauty sleep!

You come back to a messy home after work feeling drained, stressed and overwhelmed.  With a long list of to-dos, children tugging at you, a messy house and zero energy, you get the feeling that this whole week will be a bust. And it’s only Monday.  

So how do you get out of this cycle of misery?  A smart nighttime cleaning routine!

Whether you work a full-time job, are a stay-at-home mom or even work from home, you know better than anyone that nighttime is the bonafide best time to get anything done.

Wait a second, let me walk that back.

I think all moms know that nighttime is the ONLY time to get anything done! Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard your house let out a sigh of relief when you finally put your kids to bed! lol

But like you, I want to do more than just clean my house clean at night.

I know you want to work out, get lost on Pinterest, binge-watch See on Apple+ TV, or just sit down without feeling guilty about it. That’s why I’m so excited to share the framework of my nighttime cleaning routine with you!

It’s the other half on my daily cleaning routine. Yep, there’s a quick morning cleaning routine to go along with this if you really want to keep your house under control!

So how do I know this night cleaning schedule will work for you? Because no matter how crazy your life gets, this cleaning routines makes sure you’re doing the most impactful cleaning tasks at the right time.

That means that even if you can’t get everything done, as long as you do the most important tasks, you will still reap the rewards of a clean house without sacrificing your entire life – or weekends!

YOU MAY WANT TO READ // The Super Simple Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms if you’d love an easy-to-follow plan that will help even the busiest mom keep a house spic and span! It’s the other half of this daily cleaning routine you’ll find here.

Why A Nighttime Cleaning Routine Is The Key To Keeping Your House Clean //

The close of each day is just as important as the start.  If not more! 

By following evening & nighttime cleaning routines or just routines in general, you can prep for the next morning, create a clean home that really feels like your sanctuary and have a much better chance of getting things done throughout the day that are important to you.

In her book, The Chaos Cure, Marla Cilley says //

Waking up to a messy home isn’t the most motivating way to start your day. Without regular sessions cleaning up and putting things away, you’ll find your place quickly in disarray.

Thankfully, spending just a few minutes a night tidying up will help reduce stress in the mornings and help you avoid marathon cleaning sessions on the weekends. If there’s only one thing you can do every evening, clean and shine your sink. Like making your bed in the morning, this one task will give you a sense of accomplishment.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Ultimate Fail-Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms.  Why?  Because if you follow it right, your house will stay clean most of the time –  even if you don’t have time to clean! Use the schedule along with this routine to create a home that always stays clean with minimal effort!

My Evening & Nighttime Cleaning Routine Detailed //

Task 1 // 6pm | Drink 8oz of water to rehydrate | 20 seconds 

Note // Because I am also trying to drink more water, I use that as a trigger event to jump-start my pre-nighttime cleaning tasks.

Task 2 // Put the clothes into the dryer | 2-3 minutes 

Note // I put the clothes into the washing machine in the morning, so I’m putting them in the dryer now. Once this is done, I do all sorts of things from chasing my kids to chatting with my husband.

Task 3 // Clean the kitchen while cooking dinner | 30 minutes

Note // I don’t have a hard time for dinner but it’s typically between 6 and 7pm. No matter what, while I’m in the kitchen cooking, I’m cleaning it so that once dinner is done, so is the kitchen – for the most part.

Task 4 // 9pm | Fold the clothes & put them away | 15 minutes 

Note // At this point, my kids are bathed and in the bed. The house is quiet and I can really start cleaning without interruption. I always start with the laundry – so I can finally sit down for a sec!

Task 5 // Run the dishwasher | 3 seconds

Note // I have to add this task specifically to my routine because it is super important to do and I forget to do it all the time!

Task 6 // Pick One | choose a weekly or spring cleaning task | clean bathrooms, catch up on a missed chore, etc.

Note // You can do something different every day of the week. There’s no right or wrong chore you can do. Use a master checklist so you can keep up with what needs to be cleaned. Set a timer for 20-40 minutes.

Task 7 // Scrub your to-do list

Note // The power of knowing what’s ahead & planning for it is huge – all you need is 5 minutes!

Task 8 // Stage items for tomorrow

Note // Find your keys, purse, bookbags, diaper bag, papers and anything else you’re gonna need in the morning. You’ll start your day off feeling like a rock star!

Task 9 // 10:15-10:30pm | Go to bed 

Note // Bedtimes aren’t just good for kids. Get rid of those bags under your eyes and get some sleep. You’ll thank yourself when you look in the morning!

Keep your routine simple! I only have three hard times in my evening routine // 6pm + 9pm + 10:30pm. There are a few things I need to do at 6pm so that once my kids go to bed, I can easily jump into my full cleaning routine at 9pm. From there, I have from 9 until my bedtime to clean & prep for the next day.

Note 1 | This nighttime cleaning routine is meant to work with a morning cleaning routine. 

You’ll notice that some of the tasks on here are half the task.  That’s because my daily cleaning routine has two parts: a morning and nightly routine. Like the laundry for instance – I start the load in the morning and finish it at night.  But seriously, do whatever works for you! Tailor it to fit your life. 

Note 2 |  You need to build out a full evening routine – which is easy!  

Add times and other specific activities that you need to complete each evening.  For instance, if you go to the gym in the evenings, you’ll need to write that in. 

But with that being said, every task doesn’t need a hard time. Just the important ones that will help keep you on track throughout the evening.

THE PERFECT TOTAL HOUSE CLEANING CHECKLIST // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Schedule For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists make it easy to keep your house clean. Just pick tasks from the checklist to plug into your daily cleaning routine!

Supercharge Your Nighttime Cleaning Routine With These Tips //

Tip 1 // You Must Learn The Art Of Cleaning As You Go!  

That will eliminate having to add things to your to-do list.  The most impactful place to practice this is in the kitchen. You’re already in the kitchen cooking so while pots are on the stove, wipe down the cabinets, counters and appliances. Put food into tupperware once it’s finished cooking and wash the pots right then. You can have the kitchen almost completely clean before you even sit down to eat!  

Tip 2 // Your Family Should Either Be Helping Or Out Of Your Way.

This is important because to be honest, it’s really hard to clean with people in the way – and impossible with young kids!.  So even if they aren’t sleepy, they just need to be out of your way. This will allow you to get the items on your to-do list done quickly and without interruption.  What a luxury!  

And if you have older kids or people in the house, everyone can join forces for just 10-15 minutes to knock out designated tasks!   Everyone is busy so don’t let anyone off the hook because of that excuse. It’s just 10 minutes.

Tip 3 // If You Can Only Clean One Thing Every Night…

This one was tough for me but I’m actually going to second Flylady’s opinion that the kitchen or more specifically, the kitchen sink should be the one thing you clean if you can’t clean anything else. 

You can read more about it in her book Sink Reflections if you’re interested.  

Personally, I believe this is a great idea for one reason.  In order to complete the task of cleaning the sink, you have to do something else first – clean the dishes or at least load them up in the dishwasher.  

But on another note, the most important thing to do is run the dishwasher every night!

YOU SHOULD READ // How To Clean Your House Super Fast if it takes you all day and night to get your house cleaned!  You’ll learn the strategies and techniques you need to get the job done faster!

Bonus Tip 1 // What About Tidying Up?

Tidying up is crucial!  Just 5 minutes of picking up the house can make a huge difference. The only reason I don’t have it on my routine is because when I start my main cleaning task at 9pm, decluttering or tidying up is always the first part of it.

Bonus Tip 2 // The True Key To Keeping Your House Clean Is Time Management!

Use a physical planner, binder or posted signs to keep up with your routines.  Make sure you keep them out in the open so that they are always visible. And I mean always!  You don’t have to be all cute and conventional about things either. Personally, I LOVE sticky notes on everything.  

I also set reminders on my phone to help me stay on track.  I most definitely went through a phase where I kept forgetting to turn the dishwasher on in the evening and had to set a reminder for it…there’s no shame in that! 

Bonus Tip 3 // Things Will Be A Little Weird At First

Your routine will feel unnatural for a while. You’ll probably take longer to do things than you want and may feel like your routine just isn’t working.   This is totally normal and lets you know you’re on the right track.    

But once you learn the routine, you’ll be moving on autopilot. Try to stick with your routine for at least 1-2 months to give it a chance to really sink in.

Of course, you should make tweaks as needed to make your routine fit with your life and goals.  Your life will constantly be changing so be flexible and flow with the changes.

You may also want to read this super interesting book called Habit Stacking to really dig deeper into how to effortlessly form new habits like a habit-forming-goddess! It truly helped me get a handle on my new mom duties and life.

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post A Simple Nighttime Cleaning Routine For An Ultra Clean House appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

I am beyond thrilled to share my simple morning cleaning routine with you! It’s the bare minimum you need to do to tame your crazy mornings! Get up earlier, clean your house and do whatever else you want to do to start your day on a high note!   

And I promise it can be done no matter how chaotic your mornings are or how much of a not-morning person you are! 

To be honest, it is my heart’s desire to be a morning person.  But I just believe God had other plans in mind for me! *lol* Seriously, I am a total night owl and that worked without issue for most of my life – because I was single and childless.  

But once I started my family, I realized quickly that not having a simple, thoughtful and impactful morning routine was an absolute death sentence! 

So that’s why I am also happy to let you know that while I still hate mornings, making sure that I start my day off with some sense has made a world of difference!  And I am 100% sure you will see a big transformation in not just your house, but your entire day with these super simple morning cleaning routines!  

The Super Simple Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms

Morning routines are meant to simplify your life. Mornings are already hard enough after all. Following complex, unrealistic routines doom you before you even start. This routine is ridiculously simple. You will have your mornings running on autopilot in absolutely no time because while simple, it is powerful!

Each of the tasks listed below are there for a reason – they are the most important things you can do to keep your house running smoothly. Consider them the VIPs of cleaning tasks!

Get up at least 30 minutes before your kids get up to start your morning cleaning routine. And when I say get up, you need to be out of the bed – like all the way out. I’m watching you young lady!

THE 20-MINUTE MORNING CLEANING ROUTINE //

STEP 1 // Drink 8oz of water to energize your body | less than 1 min.

STEP 2 // Make your bed (if occupied, save for last) | 3 minutes

STEP 3 // Start one load of laundry | 2-3 minutes 

STEP 4 // Unload the dishwasher | 5 minutes

STEP 5 // ONE specific cleaning task or room | dust all the common areas, clean your bathroom mirror & counters, catch up on a missed chore from yesterday, etc. | 10 minutes

Got more than 20-minutes to spare in the morning? If you have an extra 10 minutes, do it! 20 minutes of impactful cleaning is fantastic, but 30 minutes is even better!

Let’s Talk For A Second // Notice I said make your bed. Why? For starters, it’s right there…like literally it’s in front of you and super easy to do! A fresh-made bed is chicken noodle soup for the soul – and your room! So consider it like a form of self-care and make your bed!

I don’t suggest going from room to room making beds first thing in the morning for many reasons. It’s a time killer. Kids will be in the way – blah, blah, blah. You want these 20 minutes of cleaning to be spent on impactful things that will make the house flow smoother.

NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Checklist For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!

YOU SHOULD READ // A Simple Nighttime Cleaning Routine For An Ultra Clean House if you want to keep your house clean, mornings stress-free and actually sit down for once without feeling guilty!  Use this post as a guide or inspo when creating your daily cleaning routine.  

YOU MAY WANT TO GRAB // The Ultimate Fail-Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms! Why?  Because if you follow it right, your house will stay clean most of the time –  even if you don’t have time to clean!

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girls Guide To A Clean And Organized House | 10 Actionable Tips for more ideas on how to create and keep your house clean and organized! 

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // 15+ Smart Mom Hacks To Keep Your House Clean With Young Kids if you want to take a realistic, practical approach to keep your house clean!

The Tips You Need To Rock Your Morning Cleaning Routine!

Tip 1 // You can’t have a morning routine without a night cleaning routine! 

If you simply invest 20 minutes every evening into doing impactful things, it’ll literally make you unstoppable!  Things you should do in the evening include having a quick night-time cleaning routine, going over your to-do list for tomorrow or simply staging everything your kids need in the morning by the door.  These simple quick tasks will make your days run soo much smoother!  

Tip 2 // Your kids need to have a bedtime.  

The point is simply to get them out of the way so that you can clean – or more importantly take a breather!  Oh, and you need to go to bed on time as well!  This will help keep you in a good mental space and able to handle the house, work and kids from a place of rest!  And everyone knows if mommy is feeling good, life seems so much better!

Tip 3  // Meal planning will save you a ridiculous amount of time in the kitchen if you have a hectic schedule!  

Personally, I love using meal prep dishes to keep everything organized but do whatever works for you!  Try grab-and-go items for breakfast & skip using dishes whenever possible. For instance, opt for disposable products to make clean-up after breakfast a breeze since you’re probably short on time – or just have other more pressing matters to get to!

Tip 4 // If you can only do ONE thing in the morning -unload the dishwasher.  

Unload the dishwasher.  Unload the dishwasher.  That’s how important it is – I had to say it three times!  Now with that being said, you absolutely have to run the dishwasher at night in order for this to work!

Tip 5 //  Make time for your cleaning routine!  

When do you really need to get up to make this work?  You still have to tend to everything else like getting dressed for instance. Simply examine your life, determine what the magical time is that you should get up and then work towards that time each week.

But don’t panic!  No one is expecting you to start happily waking up an hour earlier overnight!  A great starting place is getting up just 10 minutes earlier every week until you reach your magical wake-up time. But remember, half the battle is going to bed on time!  

I think Lauren at Simple Well Balanced has more great tips for making a cleaning routine work you if you’re a working mom!

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post The Super Simple 20-Minute Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Kids can also bring unapologetic destruction of your home (and tummy) in every way shape and form!  Ok, maybe not that much destruction but enough to make you want to cry yourself to sleep – sometimes.

That’s why I put some serious thought into this question, looked at my own household as well as my clients and created some fabulously simple ideas, tips and hacks you can use to keep your house clean – most of the time! 

17+ Realistic Ideas To Keep Your House Clean With Young Kids

1 // Keep Baking Soda On Hand

For all the random markings on the wall, to get their dirty little clothes super clean, to keep your house from smelling like a diaper pail odors and more! Baking soda is my number #1 favorite thing to keep on hand for all the weird messes kids make!

Let’s talk potty training accidents – every parent’s worst nightmare. I clean the carpet with an enzyme cleaner, either a DIY or store-bought solution to get rid of the stain and odor. Then I sprinkle a little baking soda on the stained area as a backup to make sure there’s not a trace of funk left behind! Let it sit overnight and vacuum.

My Odor Busting Kit // Baking Soda + Vinegar or Enzyme Odor & Stain Remover + Small Brush

2 // Get Your Children Involved In Cleaning ASAP

Kids, especially when they are young, are constantly categorizing things and organizing the world in those big heads. *lol*  They won’t take offense if you enforce boundaries for them by having designated areas just for them and their toys.  But it doesn’t stop there.  

Make it easy for them to help clean up.  Get baskets with labels and teach them which toys go into which baskets. From there, have them bring their own dishes to the kitchen once they finish eating.

Cleaning up after your kids is a real drag because you can find yourself cleaning all day long. And you’ve got too much other stuff to do. So imagine if your messy kids could clean up behind themselves? How much time and energy would that save you? Hmmm…

My kids are 3 and 4 y/o respectively and when they spill something, I get multiple towels. One for me and one for them so we can clean up messes together. The sooner you get them in the habit of doing these simple things, the stronger and more independent they’ll be. #Amen.

Simple & Effective Drool-Worthy Solutions To Organize Your Children’s Toys // Storage Cubes With Labels + Large Woven Baskets + Beautiful Wood Storage Organizer With Bins

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girls Guide To A Clean And Organized House | 10 Actionable Tips for more ideas on how to create and keep your house clean and organized! 

NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Checklist For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!

3 // Become A Permanent Marker Stain Removing Ninja

It’s going to happen. Someone is going to take a permanent marker and leave their mark on – clothing, wood furniture, a wall, the carpet, a leather sofa – basically anything that can’t run! There’s no need to panic. There’ s a ton of great hacks out there to remove permanent marker, ink pen, highlighter, crayons, nail polish, etc.

Just keep a few of these items on hand to get rid of these stains. But remember you need to dab the stain, don’t rub it!

Remove permanent marker stains from almost anything with one of the following you probably already have at home //

• Rubbing alcohol
• Hand sanitizer
• Aerosol hairspray
• Nail polish remover
• WD-40
• White vinegar
• Cream of tartar
• Lemon juice
• Regular toothpaste (not gel)

4 // Be More Intentional With Your Time

You’re busy but you have got to make time to clean your house point-blank.  There’s no way around this one but luckily it’s easier to do than you think. Just 30 minutes before you go to bed and 30 minutes in the morning before everyone wakes up will go a long way towards keeping your house clean. 

But you have to adjust your schedule – find home, life & work balance – so that you’re not overextending yourself to make this happen.  

My Super Effective Hack To Keep Up With Everything? I Write Everything Down! // Simple but effective! There is really something about writing. I keep my planner out where I can see, which is super important and as a backup, I add reminders to my phone to make sure I don’t forget anything!

IF YOU NEED A SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE, 5-STAR PLANNER // Try The Circle Studio Planner This planner has pages for all the right things including a water tracker! After all, who isn’t trying to drink more water?

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Ultimate Fail-Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms.  Why?  Because if you follow it right, your house will stay clean most of the time –  even if you don’t have time to clean!

5 // Sometimes You Need To Fake A Clean House

When you have days like that, you need baskets in all the right places so that you can quickly toss – hide –  toys, clothes and all the random things that your kids dumped out the diaper bag for no apparent reason.   Oh you thought you were the only one huh?

If you’re having unexpected guests, quickly fake a clean house by doing the following //

Tidy up by throwing items into baskets.

Fresh vacuum lines: the one thing that will really make your house look even if it isn’t.

Open windows to let fresh air in.

Clean the toilets.

Use These To Quickly Hide Messes Anywhere // Large, Super Cute Woven Storage Basket + Unique White Plank Storage Chest

BONUS TIP

In the spirit of getting rid of or hiding messes quickly, here’s a peek at how I basically eliminated having to spend lots of time cleaning up potty training accidents throughout the day.

My Potty Training Set-Up For Quick & Easy Clean-Up // disposable puppy pads or washable pee pads + realistic potty + spray bottle with a 50:50 mix of vinegar and dawn to wash the potty down at night

6 // Wake Up 15 Minutes Earlier

This one may sound strange but do you notice how the day seems to flow so much smoother when you get up early – or on time – and have a moment to think about the day and what’s ahead?   Having that quiet time before the start of the morning chaos can help you get into a good mental space.

Use that time to unload the dishwasher, tidy up an area or just have a cup of coffee in peace.  It’ll go a long way towards helping you keep the house clean.

Umm, I feel like I should mention that in order for you to have a fighting chance at waking up earlier, you should plan to go to bed a little earlier than usual. The Netflix show you want to binge can wait until the weekend.

THERE’S POWER IN GETTING UP EARLY // The Super Simple Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms if you’d love an easy to follow plan that will help even the busiest mom keep a house spic and span!

7 // Meal Prep Every Weekend

This is another tip geared towards helping you make smarter use of your time so that you’re not always running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  The more you meal prep, the less you have to cook, the less the kitchen gets destroyed and the less you have to clean.

All that translates into one huge win.  Especially if you’re already strapped for time. I typically plan & cook my meals on weekends so that I only have to cook a few items during the week. And when I do cook during the week, it’s nothing epic which makes kitchen clean super quick!

Keep Your Fridge Nice & Neat When Meal Prepping //  Drool-Worthy Glass Tupperware  + Plastic Meal Prepping Kit

8 // Take The Headache Out Of Doing Laundry

One load of laundry is a whole lot easier to fold and put away than say 10 loads at once don’t you agree? What I like to do is start one load in the morning before I leave, and then when I get back home, dry, fold and put it away that evening.  But wait, there’s more…

I keep a separate basket just for towels and linens because I don’t sort those items by color. Whenever that basket gets full, I wash it and to be honest, this has also helped me keep my laundry under control in a major way.

Use These To Save Loads Of Time When Doing Laundry // Heavy Duty Laundry Cart With Hanging Bar + Dryer Balls to reduce drying time and prevent wrinkles + Dye Catching Sheets to safely wash mixed loads together

NEED SOME POWERFUL LAUNDRY TIPS?  You may want to read 7 Laundry Tips You Can Use To Get Laundry Under Control.  These tips are perfect for busy moms and those that are absolutely drowning in laundry!

9 // Banish Small Annoying Toys

Nothing makes me want to pull my hair out more than picking up small toys so you know what I do?  I aggressively limit or deny them entry into my home altogether. Anything cheap, small and annoying that makes it into my house gets the boot if I have to pick it up. 

It takes soo much time picking up lots of small toys so unless you really have the time or just don’t mind cleaning up those types of items, don’t even go that route.

I’ve never heard an adult say their life was ruined because they weren’t allowed to have toys from McDonald’s so I think the kids will be okay!   

10 // Declutter While Folding Clothes

Instead of decluttering the closet, declutter the laundry basket!  When it’s time to fold laundry, grab an empty box. As you fold clothes, remove the items your children can no longer wear – anything that’s too small, worn, stained, etc. – and throw it in the box. 

From there you can decide what to donate or sell and what to toss. Once Upon A Child and Goodwill are my usual destinations. 

Where Can You Donate Or Sell Clothing  // Goodwill + Salvation Army + Once Upon A Child + Facebook + Have A Yard Sale + Let It Go + Local Consignment Shops 

11 // Bedtime Is Life 

I put my toddlers to bed around 8ish every night and I must say, as soon as I close that door, the entire house seems to let out a sigh of relief.  Ahhhhhh… While your kids may not go straight to sleep, at least they are finally out of the way, letting you pull yourself and the house together!  

I also use a sound machine to serve as a bit of buffer so that I can run the vacuum, clean the house or do whatever without disturbing my kids once they are down.  The ones I have are not fancy but they are a must-have. If you are in a small home or apartment it will be a lifesaver – believe me!

Use This So That You Don’t Wake The Kids // The Dohm Sound Machine

YOU SHOULD READ // A Simple Nighttime Cleaning Routine For An Ultra Clean House if you want to keep your house clean, mornings stress-free and actually sit down for once without feeling guilty!  Use this post as a guide or inspo for your daily cleaning routine.

12 // Clean The Kitchen While You Cook

This is probably one of the most important things you can learn to do when you are a busy mom.  While you’re cooking in the kitchen, you should be cleaning out the fridge, wiping cabinets down,  washing the dishes, etc.

This is called cleaning as you go!

By the time the last item is finished cooking, the kitchen should practically be clean.  When you hop into the shower, spray the walls down with a non-toxic cleaning product and wipe everything down before you hop out!   You can do it everywhere if you think about it…

13 // Use The Touch Rule

If you’re pulling your hair out trying to keep the house clean, make sure you are the living example of what you want everyone else to do.  The Touch Rule is very simple: basically, when you touch something, put it away…simple right?  Instead of focusing on what everyone else is or isn’t doing, focus on yourself and what you can do.  

Think about it, are you putting your shoes away when you walk into the house?  Are you leaving your personal items in places where they shouldn’t be? Remember, if you want your house to stay clean, changes will have to start with you.  Now repeat after me, “When I touch something, I will put away.  Once you get it down pat you can get everyone else on board!

14 // Place Cleaning Products In Strategic Locations

The same way Starbucks made it a point to be everywhere you are just in case you might want some coffee, you need to make sure your cleaning supplies are always right there in case you get an itch to clean something! 

It’s easy to do, just make sure your cleaning supplies are easily accessible in the areas that need it most.   So instead of storing your cleaning supplies in a random closet or the laundry room, store cleaning products in each bathroom for example.  Keep a vacuum cleaner on each level of your house. Easy right?

 My Epic Fail-Proof Cleaning Caddy // all-purpose cleaner + apron + bucket + caddy + disposable gloves + extension cord + floor cleaner +  furniture polish + glass towel + high duster + microfiber towels + mold & mildew remover + mop + pumice stone + scour sponges + small trash bags + soft scrub + stainless steel polish + tile & grout brush + vacuum 

15 // Plan Outfits The Night Before

And here’s another tip that will indirectly help you keep your house clean.  By planning your outfits in advance, yours and your children’s, you limit the amount of clothing that’ll be thrown on the floor or around the room in search of outfits in the mornings.  This, of course, helps keep things nice and tidy and translates into one less mess you have to worry about.  

One thing I like to do is keep a large basket in my closet just for clean clothes that I tried on but didn’t work.  I just throw the clothes into the basket and take care of them in the evening. That’s my hack for getting rid of random piles of clothing all the room aka morning chaos!

16 //  Stop Using So Many Dishes

Coming home to a mountain of dishes is depressing!  If you stay at home, washing dishes all day sucks! So what’s a girl to do?  It’s simple, stop using so many dang on dishes! *lol*   Not every snack for the kids needs a plate – a napkin will work just fine for things like crackers and sandwiches.  

Paper plates or even napkins work just fine! Be smart about the meals and snacks you provide. Dry foods tend to make for easier clean-up so keep that in mind.

Here’s An Eco-Friendly Idea For Using Fewer Dishes // Biodegradeable Plates + Forks + Spoons + Knives Set

17 // When You Have No Time To Do Anything, Wash The Dishes

With kids, your plans are always subject to change. But no matter how crazy the day was, before you go to bed, there is at least one thing you should do. Since most families revolve around the kitchen, the one thing you should do is make sure the dishes are washed and the sink is clean. That’s it.

18 // Get Outside Help

There is seriously no award given to moms for trying to do it all.  You’ll only end up burnt out, overwhelmed and looking older than you really are!  With that being said, remember that you are still capable of having everything you want in life – even if all you want now is a clean house with kids!  You just have to be more deliberate about how you spend your time and understand that getting help isn’t you failing – it’s you being a boss!   

Your new favorite word should be delegate – and you should try to do it whenever possible!  

Let people you trust or a daycare watch your children so that you can get caught up. If you can afford to pay someone to come in and do the cleaning, hire them. Setting up subscription services so that you spend less time shopping, is the same as hiring someone to do your grocery shopping.   Smart right? You betcha!

Skip The Lines & Save Time & Delegate // Amazon Prime Subscribe & Save + Order Online At Most Major Grocery Stores +  Hire A Cleaning Service

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girl’s Guide To A Clean & Organized House – 5 Drool-Worthy, Must-Have Things You Need To Get Now!  Who should read this?  Anyone that wants to learn smart ways to set up their home so that it stays clean.

Recap // Here’s a list of the smart mom hacks you can use to keep your house clean with small children!

1| Keep Baking Soda On Hand

2 | Get Your Young Children Trained Now

3 | Edit Your House

4 | Be More Intentional With Your Time

5 | Sometimes You Need To Hide Messes

6 | Wake Up 15 Minutes Earlier

7 | Meal Prep Every Weekend

8 | Do One Load Of Laundry A Day

9 | Banish Small Annoying Toys

10 | Declutter While Folding Clothes

11 | Bedtime Is Life

12 | Clean As You Go

13 | Use The Touch Rule

14 | Place Cleaning Products In Strategic Locations

15 | Plan Outfits The Night Before

16 |  Stop Using So Many Dishes

17 | When In Doubt, Wash The Dishes

18 | Get Outside Help

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post 17+ Smart Mom Hacks To Keep Your House Clean With Kids appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

But that’s where you’re messing up. Bringing order to your house by decluttering can bring order to the rest of your life in unexpected ways.  Invest time in yourself by decluttering your house and the benefits to you will pour in from so many different directions!

1 | The act of decluttering forces you to look at what’s going on in your life.  

A cluttered, unorganized house can be a direct reflection of your life and personal things you have going on. For example, your house may be a mess because you’re an emotional wreck. And a lot of times, it’s very common that when things in your life aren’t right, it shows in your home.

Decluttering your house forces you to be current in your own life. By going through items lying around the house, you’re forced to deal with things you may be putting off for one reason or another as well as do some introspection and figure out how you got here in the first place.  

2 | Decluttering helps you figure out what you really like & what you’ve outgrown.    

According to our friends at The Spruce, if you hold on to every material thing you’ve ever had, you probably think you still like or need them all. But that’s unlikely. In reality, decluttering helps you to see what you actually prefer in your clothing, décor, hobbies–-even food. Think about it: a cluttered closet or living room can hold a bit of everything, leaving you with an undefined bunch of things you were drawn to at one time or another. 

But a pared-down, carefully considered wardrobe or home makes you choose the items you love the most. It’s how you learn that you love bright patterns or look best in neutral colors or prefer suede to silk. Once you understand these things about yourself, you can be more decisive and waste no time when selecting what you like in the future

3 | Decluttering is one of the secrets to having a house that always looks clean.    

Some people clean their homes faithfully but surprisingly their house never looks clean!  The reason is usually clutter.  Stuff in your house being in the wrong place is like wearing your clothing inside out – it just makes things look off.  That’s why it’s important to put things away, right away.  

Decluttering and cleaning go hand in hand but there is something you need to know that I think you already know in the back of your mind. A house that is clutter-free always looks clean – even when it’s not.  Again, putting things away, right away is the key to making this your reality!

READ | How To Have A Clean House For Life.  It’s a huge list of simple ideas & habits you can start using literally today to help you have a house that virtually stays clean forever!

4 | Decrease your cleaning time with a clutter-free home.  

Think about it.  If you want to clean your bathroom counter but it is covered in clutter, you have to spend time moving all of the clutter and then you can start wiping the surface clean. Not to mention, the time you have to spend putting it all back in place.  

As busy as you are, I understand you want a clean home but don’t always have a lot of time.  The fewer the number of items you have on surfaces, the faster you can clean and be done with it.

If you want to learn the secrets to cleaning your entire house fast, you should check out my post: how to clean your entire house in 2 hours! It’s a game changer!

5 | Decluttering your home can be a great way to help others in need. 

According to our friends at The Spruce, decluttering your stuff doesn’t exactly have to be a “throwing out” process – your unwanted or unneeded objects can be very useful for people in need. This fantastic list of 101 places your clutter can do good is a great place to start, with in-depth sections on general goods, clothing, children’s items, electronics, books, musical instruments, eyeglasses and more.

6 | Decluttering sharpens your mind.  

You can ease up off the brain games!    According to our friends at goodnet.org, research from Princeton University has found that decluttering your work and living spaces helps your brain focus. Put simply, the research found that clutter competes for your attention. In turn, organized environments lead to a sharp, productive and concentrated mind.

7 | Decluttering forces you to be more decisive.

When you have to be selective about the objects you keep around you, you necessarily have to choose them more carefully. This tends to bleed over into other areas of life. Why waste time seeing a movie you don’t want to see, or reading a book you’re not interested in, or talking for hours to someone who bores you?

8 | Decluttering your house can be a fantastic way to make money!  

As you begin to go through your house, sorting what to keep and what to give away, you will find that some items deserve a second life.  And some of those items can bring in a surprising amount of cash.  

From clothing and shoes to furniture and kitchenware, there are many exciting options for selling your stuff so you should be able to find at least one that works for your personality and lifestyle.  Online or offline, just make sure to be safe and take good photos. Then watch the money roll in!  

9 | A decluttered home makes moving easier, less stressful & cheaper.

I don’t know about you but spending weeks packing up junk only to spend weeks or even months unpacking it in your new house is soul-crushing.  Whether you’ve only moved once or are an experienced mover like me, moving can be both anxiety-inducing and thrilling at the same time.  

But it can also be manageable – emotionally and financially – or a downright nightmare based on the amount of stuff you have. Save money and precious time by decluttering months before your move.  

10 | Decluttering gives you more space (mentally + physically) to be productive. 

Space to think, to work, or to dance around the living room. Sometimes clutter can physically obstruct your path in a hazardous or irritating way. But at other times, the problem is mental. 

If you are actively working on new goals or projects yet continually failing, you should make sure the space is decluttered & inspiring.  If the space you’re in is messy and full of clutter, you may be self-sabotaging.   

Bonus | Decluttering can make you feel better.   

When you perform actions that will directly improve your life, it can be wildly empowering!  It boils down to you looking at your home or life, deciding you don’t like what you see and then realizing you have the power to do something about it.  

By removing piles of unorganized, mess, junk or crap from the wrong place and putting it where it belongs, you’re essentially taking life by the horns.    When you start creating the home & life you deserve, you can expect a definite mood boost!  

IF YOU’RE READY TO START DECLUTTERING YOUR HOUSE BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START, START HERE

If you’re feeling excited & ready to have all the wonderful benefits of decluttering rain down on your life, check out this post I wrote that explains my perfectly practical method of decluttering! In this post, I even tell you exactly where to start so that you can stop overthinking & start decluttering now! Oh & there’s a ginormous list of things you can declutter in there too – Declutter Your House Now With This Simple Pragmatic Method!

SUMMARY

The benefits of decluttering go far beyond having clear surfaces in your home – which actually sounds kind of boring.  Here’s a quick recap of the surprising reasons you should start decluttering right this second: 

1. The act of decluttering forces you to look at what’s going on in your life.  
2. Decluttering helps you figure out what you really like & what you’ve outgrown.    
3. Decluttering is one of the secrets to having a house that always looks clean.    
4. Decrease your actual cleaning time with a clutter-free home.  
5. Decluttering your home can be a great way to help others in need. 
6. Decluttering sharpens your mind.  
7. Decluttering forces you to be more decisive.
8. Decluttering your house can be a great way to make money!  
9. A decluttered home makes moving way less stressful and cheaper.
10.  Decluttering gives you more space (mentally + physically) to be productive. 
11. Decluttering can make you feel better. 

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post 10+ surprisingly colorful benefits of decluttering revealed appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

We are all so busy these days so it’s easy to get burned out on life.  I believe feeling depressed & even overwhelmed, can lead to not having the motivation to clean your house which is also common.  I’m a working mom myself so I have been exactly where you are chic.

For me, the fact that I could not figure out why I was unmotivated was – well – unmotivating.  Maybe you can relate. And seeing everyone else post photos of their perfect houses didn’t help either.  In fact, it made me feel like a total wreck. 

But what worked for me and what I know will work for you is to approach your lack of motivation to clean from a few different angles.  After all, if you find yourself here again, you do want to have the tools to kick off these blue vibes easily right?  

So let’s get started!  The keys below are a mix of simple strategies & very smart life hacks that will definitely help you get the motivation you need to finally clean and declutter your house!

Why does a clean house feel good?

To find the motivation to clean your house, look at how the current state of your house makes you feel.  Think for a second. How do you feel when your house is messy, disorganized or in chaos? And, how do you feel when your home is clean, organized & put together?  

Did you have an ah-ha moment?  The answers are in the questions.  The state of your house is a clue to what’s going on inside of you.  When you are mentally in a state of chaos, so is your house & vice versa.  

So of course, that can also mean when your house is in order, you are too.  A clean house makes you feel good because it’s like an extension of you. Think of it as a  reflection of how you feel on the inside.  

Put simply, having a clean house is like wearing a brand new pair of show-stopping shoes that you got on sale – it makes you feel like you got it going on!  #Winning

Buy seriously, how can I get motivated to clean my house?

I know that when you scroll through Facebook or Instagram, it seems like you’re the most unmotivated, can’t-get-it-right person in the world — but that is so not true!  It’s natural for everyone to go through periods of feeling burned out, tired overwhelmed & completely unmotivated. 

Regardless of how long you’ve felt this way, the list below has a mix of lifestyle hacks and simple strategies to help you find the motivation to clean your house.  If ready to make the effort, this list of 9 creative ways to motivate yourself will help get you there sooner rather than later! 

1 | Are other areas of your life bringing the vibe down?

Exploring other areas of your life may help you find a connection between life events and your current state.  Did you recently suffer a setback? Are you unhappy with a job or relationship? Are you overwhelmed with other responsibilities?  Burned out?

Grab a piece of paper and brainstorm.  You may be surprised by what you write down & how freeing it can be.  Once you know where the real, or deeper issue is, you can begin to clean up your life, & your motivation to clean your house will magically reappear!

UPDATE: I want to recommend the 6-Minute Journal to anyone serious about getting out of a dark mental space & wanting to create an aura of bliss! I’ve been practicing gratitude exercises for a few months & they have worked wonders for me – getting me out of long periods of gloom & doom lol. With that being said, this journal is a healthy mix of gratitude & science-backed habit-building strategies – perfection!

2 | Remind yourself that you deserve a clean house.

You look on Facebook & Instagram only to find that apparently, everyone else in the world has a clean house.  Which basically makes you even more depressed – go figure! But you can turn those negative vibes into motivation to clean.  

Just as you like to do things that make your loved ones feel special, you need to take time to do special things for yourself as well. You deserve a clean house & you’re worth the effort.   And you have all the power to make it happen now.  Remember that. 

3 | Take a terrible selfie.

There’s nothing worse than a terrible selfie but in this case, it can be just what you need to give you the spark to clean.  Take selfies in different rooms of your house but be sure to capture the background. How do they look? Terrible? Good.

The messy backgrounds are ruining your selfies!  Fix the backgrounds & take your selfies again. Are they better now that you’ve tidied up?  Getting the perfect selfie may be the very thing you need to get motivated to clean.

4 | If you touch something, put it where it belongs.

Sure, you’re not in the mood to clean now but you can focus on what you’re doing now.  Instead of thinking about cleaning the whole house, commit to simply putting whatever you touch away when you’re done with it.  

Let’s start with something easy.  Wash the one coffee much you used instead of adding it to the pile of coffee mugs in the sink. Put the clothes you just took off in the basket instead of tossing them on the floor with the rest of the afterthoughts. Focus on your current actions and you’ll find yourself motivated to clean your house as if by magic.

5 | Force the motivation by inviting someone that you trust over to your house.

If you’re like most people, there’s nothing more anxiety-provoking than house guests!  And of course, you guessed it – this is something you can use to your advantage when you’re unmotivated to clean.  Who doesn’t want a perfectly clean house for guests?

Have a friend come over just to chat about life. Or go the pro route. Call a company to schedule an in-home estimate for house or carpet cleaning.  People coming over may put just the right amount of pressure on you to get motivated to clean.

6 | Buy cleaning products and tools that excite you.

When you’re in a rut, something new and exciting may be all you need!  Trying a new restaurant, visiting a different part of town or in this case, buying new cleaning tools may be just what you need to get the cleaning party started. 

What are some things you really want to try?  A new line of non-toxic cleaners? The vacuum cleaner that is also a robot? (Fun!)  Or maybe just some new cleaning towels. Remember, cleaning is a whole lot easier with the right stuff!  

7 | Pretend your house is clean.

Fake it till you make it baby! This one catches a lot of flack but so many people swear by this strategy so it’s worth a shot. Raising your vibrations and all that law of attraction type stuff has become really mainstream. People swear by it so here are some ideas you can try to manifest a clean home in your life.

#1. Be thankful for a clean house.

And while you’re at, be thankful for anything else you can think of. Even if it hasn’t happened. Instead of focusing on *lack* and what isn’t going right, you create an *abundance mindset* which raises your vibration. With your vibrations raised, your should have an easier time walking into the thing your heart desires. Even if it’s just a clean house:-).

#2. Have very vivid daydreams about your clean home.

Kind of like meditating, but instead of clearing your mind, you’ll be focusing on your clean home. (Again, going to your fantasy place where your house is already clean).

What it’s like to live in it. Be in it. How do you feel? What’s it smell like? What’s on top of the counters? Focusing on the teeny-tiny details is what the gurus say is the key to making this work.

#3. Script about your clean house.

This is a hybrid between the first two techniques. So yes, you’re still pretending, but you need to write all about your clean house. Layer in the details and the thankful vibes. You need emotion to make this work.

Once you got your script written – it can be a paragraph – read it twice a day for the next 30 days. And yeh, we’ll see what happens after that my friend.

You may want to check out my very popular Daily, Weekly & Monthly Cleaning Schedule With A Simple Morning Routine (built into the schedule).

8 | Give yourself permission to make progress and drop the idea of perfection.

Ok let’s face it. When we have something to do that we definitely don’t want to do, the task suddenly becomes bigger than it really is. But there’s an easy fix.

Sure, you need to get the house clean but no one said you have to clean the whole house at once!  Make things easier on yourself by choosing one small task to complete. Dust your bedroom. Throw old food out of the fridge.  Vacuum. A little goes a long way.

9 |  Treat yourself to something nice. It can be anything.

Whether you have to overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed, depression or lack of motivation, cleaning your house has been a bit of a struggle that I know you will win!  And while the prize is the clean house, I think you deserve an extra treat at the end of this.  

What’s something you really want to do or have?  There are no rules here – just be sure it’s something for YOU. Whatever you decide, write it on a sticky note & place it where you can see it & be reminded of what you can look forward to at the end of this journey to a clean house!  It’s been a long road & you deserve it!

What’s the fastest way to clean a messy house?

So you’re motivated to clean the house and you want to do it fast!  I’ve got an incredible post here on how to clean your house super-fast that you should check out!  But below is a quick snapshot of what you’ll need to do.

START HERE TO CLEAN FAST

• Make a plan so that you know what you’re going to clean and in what order. 

• How much time do you have to clean?  Set a timer so that you can pace yourself. 

• Check your supplies to make sure you have everything you need.  

• Get rid of distractions.  Put your phone on airplane mode.

• Decluttering should be the very first thing you do in a messy house.

• Clean task by task to get through the entire house quicker. 

NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Checklist For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!

How do I stop being so messy?

Believe it or not, being messy is not as hard to stop doing as you may think!  It will take a conscious effort on your part & embrace the fact that baby steps, not huge unreachable goals, will get you there.  

This is something I love to talk about so you should check out my other posts. How to keep your house clean and organized or How to have a clean house for life.  But here are a few quick tips to get you started. 

THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STOP BEING MESSY

• Declutter small areas daily.  It’s easy to do and you can do it today because I’m willing to bet you will be making another trip to the fridge! Let’s try this – go to your fridge and throw out anything that is old, expired or unrecognizable. That’s it. This small task can be completed quickly and can help you get into a serious cleaning mood! For more on how to declutter, check out my insanely practical method in this post.

• Follow the Touch Rule.  Whatever you touch or come across, you handle. More specifically, put things back where they belong, but do it immediately. For example, when you change out of your work clothes, take them straight to the hamper or the basket – not the floor.

• Clean as you go.  Make your bed as soon as you get up.  Wipe down kitchen counters while you’re in the cooking.  Scrub out the toilet after you use it – number two of course – not every time you pee.  That’d be weird but you get it!

It’ll take time for these tips to become habit so start slowly.  Choose one tip to start with. Focus on performing it every day for a week and then add the second tip the next week.  You’ll be erasing bad habits and replacing them with good habits one by one – and enjoying a house that almost always stays clean in no time! You may want to check out my post 71 Things You Can Do For A House That Stays Clean Forever for more game-changing tips!

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post Find Motivation To Clean Your House With 9 Out Of Pocket Tips appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Discover How To Easily Keep Your House Clean With 70+ Ideas /

I know you want and, more importantly, deserve a clean house.  Who seriously wants to walk into a messy house after a hard day of work or life? Absolutely no one! 

So guess what?  I’m going to show you what you need to do in order to keep your house clean and tidy — for life.   

But before I tell you how to get a clean house, I’m going to tell you what the number one issue is that’s keeping you from having a clean house.  Are you ready? 

the problem is – take a deep breath – you. 

Your house is a mess because you are working against yourself. You want a clean house but your habits say otherwise. And by not lining up how you live with your goals, your house will always be messy & you will spend the rest of eternity looking for cleaning tips & hacks to clean your house.

So take a deep breath. This is a hefty list of places you can start right here, right now to get back control of your home. All you have to do is choose one.

By making simple swaps, following routines & stopping certain bad habits, you’ll be amazed by how easy it is to ALWAYS have a clean house!   

Lifestyle Changes That Need To Be Made

1 |  Purge (#Declutter)

If you’ve ever moved, then you know what it’s like to start going through your stuff and realize how much of it is actually random crap that should have been thrown away a long time ago.

ACTION PLAN:

• Every 3-4 months, make it a point to go from room to room looking for items to give away or trash. 
• This includes items in excess, that are broken or simply no longer work.
• Do not forget to declutter drawers, closets and kitchen cabinets.

2 | Embrace The Spirit Of Minimalism

The true spirit of minimalism is making an intentional effort to only posses items that bring value to your life.  If you had to leave your home forever but could only take one carload of items, what would make the cut?

The 50 coffee mugs in the pantry or all the random papers & bills probably won’t make it. What else is in your house that really is either excessive or simply serves no purpose? Look around — you’ll be surprised.

Some people have made minimalism technical & centered on having a specific number of items in the home which is unnatural in my opinion. However you practice minimalism, it should be a reflection of your personality & done in a way that brings you happiness.

3 | Don’t Live In The Entire House 

Think of it this way – the fewer areas you use, the less you have to keep clean.  It doesn’t matter whether you live in a one-bedroom apartment or an eight-bedroom mini-mansion, the same principle applies.  

ACTION PLAN

• Create dedicated spaces that you enjoy for everything from eating to crafts & hobbies. 

• Make some areas off-limits or only allow certain activities to take place in designated areas. 

4 | Buy Cleaning Products & Tools You’ll Enjoy Using

If you hate cleaning, this is especially for you. You can make the actual experience of cleaning more enjoyable by buying products & tools that are high-quality or even fun.

Kinda like riding in a car — a Honda will get you where you need to go but a Ferrari will have you speeding down the highway, whipping your hair back and forth and enjoying every second of the ride!

CLEANING ITEMS YOU WON’T REGRET SPENDING A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY ON: 

• vacuum cleaner

• broom (just don’t buy a 6-inch wide broom!)

• floor mop (get one that has a washable mop head)

BUYING TIP:  Make sure you are buying floor tools that are appropriate for the size of your home.  And be sure to have the right tools based on the condition of the floors you’re cleaning! 

5 | Keep Your Cleaning Supplies Close

Let’s face it, if you keep your toothbrush in the laundry room, will you really brush your teeth twice a day?  I seriously doubt it.  It would be too far away — a total inconvenience.  Location (or accessibility) is everything!

MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES:

• Keep cleaning supplies for a specific area in that area.

• For example, store your bathroom cleaning products in the bathroom.  Make things easy on yourself & keep a toilet bowl brush in each bathroom.  

• Keep extra trash bags in small trash cans so that you can quickly remove trash & replace the liner without extra effort.   

6 | Cleaning Routines Actually Work

Supercharge your cleaning efforts by building mini cleaning routines into your day.  The more small routines you have, the easier it’ll be to keep the whole house clean.  

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE A ROUTINE WORK FOR YOU: 

• Follow a schedule!  You need to plan out when you want to perform your routine & stick to it!  If you’re interested, I have a 3-in-1 daily, weekly & monthly cleaning schedule that you can swipe!

• Think about how long your routine should take from start to finish.  Remember that when you first start, you’ll probably take a bit longer than you want until you get the hang of it.  

• 60 days makes a habit!  Practice makes perfect!  You get the idea!  Perform your routine as often as possible so that eventually it becomes second nature and not a chore.  

7 | Get Everyone Involved 

If you have a family, this is a powerful idea that will change your home for good —  everyone that lives in the space cleans!  No exceptions!  

No amount of activities, homework or resistance changes this requirement!  These days, everyone is busy but by working as a unit, you can accomplish more with less effort.  

IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED: 

• If there are 4 people in the home and everyone spends 15 minutes cleaning, that’s literally an hour’s worth of cleaning done in 15 minutes!

• A great time to try this technique is when it’s time to clean the kitchen!  (You can actually use this technique in any community area.)

• Grab a timer and really put the pressure on & make things kinda fun! 

8 | Mix Style With Functionality

You’ve heard this before and it’s smart – buy furniture that does more than just look good!  You want it to double as hidden storage or serve another useful purpose around the house.  The key here is to do more with less.  Just remember extra storage is not for storing more junk.

GREAT IDEAS FOR FUNCTIONAL FURNITURE

• Hidden storage coffee table

• Behind the door storage cabinet

• Foldable storage ottoman/bench

9 | Create Landing Zones aka Command Centers

Keys, mail, random papers – where do they all go? Create one designated area for these items to be temporarily stored. 

GETTIN STARTED WITH A LANDING ZONE

• It can’t be a drawer!  Drawers have a tendency to turn into the upside-down (junk drawers) and that’s not what we want in our lives. 

• A cute basket or some sort of shelving system will be perfect for these random items.

• Return to the landing zone regularly to sort through all the items you dropped off.  The last thing you want is for this area to become cluttered!

10 | Clean As You Go

After you brush your teeth, wipe out the sink.  Just finished eating?  Go ahead and wash your bowl and spoon.  After you use the toilet, swish the brush around with a little cleaner. You get it right? None of these tasks take more than one minute to complete.

The more you clean after yourself in the midst of creating the mess, the less you have to do later — point-blank.

Set Rules For Yourself & House To Keep It Clean

11 | Don’t Half-A** Laundry

Wash, fold & put away in one day – no exceptions guys.   Now on the bright side, you don’t have to do all of the laundry in one sitting.  If you can only handle one load, then one load it is.

LAUNDRY TIPS

• Not everything needs to be washed after one wear or use.  This is especially true for jeans, pajamas & outerwear.  

• Bath towels can be used for 3-7 days, but you must be sure to hang your towel after use so that it dries properly between uses.  

• A routine or laundry schedule will keep your laundry from getting out of control. I hate doing laundry so the smaller amounts keep me motivated to see it through.

• How much time do you spend sorting laundry? Use a laundry sorter to save a ton of time! This is super useful if you have a family and lots of laundry. You can find durable, drool-worthy laundry sorters on Amazon!

12 | Do Not Leave Dirty Dishes In The Sink Over Night

You never want to leave dishes in the sink overnight.  But I get it, sometimes you have to. Instead of just leaving the dishes in the sink as-is, take 30 seconds and blast food off. This one step will make clean up a whole lot easier in the morning!

I think that having a high-pressure kitchen faucet is game-changing! I could blast cement off a sidewalk if I wanted to – yeh, my faucet is ridiculous. If you have a low-pressure faucet, fix it & thank me later! This swap will save you so much time in the kitchen.

13 |  Clean Spills, Stains & Spots Immediately

If you’re not already doing this, what are you waiting for!?! Sticky floors & unsightly stains on your carpets & upholstered furniture can make your house look dirty even when it’s not!

GOOD WAYS TO PREVENT STAINS

• If you have small children, when they spill something, grab a cloth or some paper towel and sing the clean-up song.  Make it fun & they’ll love it — and become responsible human beings at the same time for the win!

• Keep a good stain remover on hand. There are plenty of good options in stores as well as some solid DIY options. I’ve found baby wipes to be pretty darn good at removing stains on the fly!

• Treat your upholstered furniture with a stain repellant to be proactive. With three toddlers running around, this has saved me soo many times!

14 |  Children & Toys Stay In Certain Areas

If you let your children have free reigns to your house, you will pay for it later.  Just think of the amount of time you waste having to clean crayon off the sofa or gathering toys from all over the house.   

IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED

• Not only are boundaries good for them, they are good for you and your house!  Toys should stay in the room they are stored. Use large baskets for quick clean-up!

• I’m not a huge fan of meticulously organizing toys. I think it takes a lot of time & small toys drive me crazy. Once playtime is over, I want everything thrown into the large, loosely organized baskets so that we can move on.

• Even washable crayons & markers don’t always clean up easily so limit where your children color. Color at the table or on hard floors to make clean up cinch!

15 | Empty All Trash Cans Daily To Prevent Odors

From food to diapers to lady products, trash cans are an obvious source of major odors. You may want to check out this post all about odors & how to make your house smell good!

Anyone that comes to your home will get a good strong whiff of whatever you’ve left brewing in your trash cans as soon as you open the front door if you’re not emptying trash cans on a daily basis. 

HOW TO PREVENT TRASH CAN ODORS

• Keep trash bag liners in all of your trash cans, not just the one in the kitchen!  Doing so will keep the actual trash can free of dirt and grime so that it looks clean as well as prevents odors from absorbing into the trash can’s surface.

• When something spills in any of your trash cans, you must wipe it out!  Especially in the kitchen. 

• If your current trash can is in bad shape, replace it with a new one but commit to keeping it clean inside and out.

16 | Eat In One Place

I am guilty of indulging in a bowl of ice cream on the couch only to have the special moment ruined when I look down and see a big chocolate ice cream stain looking back at me.  #BuzzKill

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• If you have small children, keep them at the table when it’s time to eat. Don’t let them roam & eat. That’s crumbs everywhere guaranteed!

• If you are going to stray from the dining table, take precautions like using a small portable table.  

• Use a fabric protector on your sofas and couches so that when you spill red wine, you won’t sweat!

17 | Create A Legit Entryway

If you don’t have a mudroom, focus on sprucing up your entryway so that you can collect & organize shoes, bags, jackets, etc., easily. You’ll also be stopping dirt, sand, and grime from being tracked all over the house which will shave minutes off your cleaning time and extend the life of your floors and carpets.  

A FEW TIPS TO FOLLOW

• Make sure the doorway does not turn into a mountain of shoes by either investing in a shoe rack or some other organization system.

• Baskets are your best friend. A few baskets at the front door are a great place to hide & store big bulky backpacks and jackets!

• A welcome mat on either side of the door will also help to contain dirt brought in on shoes. 

18 | Vacuum Carpets Weekly

When you see fresh carpet lines, the room immediately screams clean!  For an instant pick me up, set aside 15 minutes to vacuum your carpets and rugs. Carpets can become downright disgusting & stinky if neglected so don’t ignore this one.

GET STARTED VACUUMING

• Vacuum high traffic areas daily if possible. 

• Low traffic areas should be vacuumed weekly and unused areas of the home should be done on a monthly basis.

• Sprinkle baking soda on carpets before vacuuming to absorb odors and amp your vacuuming game!

NEED A SIMPLE BUT COMPLETE CLEANING CHECKLIST FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE? // You should check out my  Room-By-Room House Cleaning Checklist For Year Long Clean Vibes!  Realistic weekly cleaning, deep cleaning & spring cleaning checklists for every space makes it even easier to keep a clean house!

Quick Cleaning Routines Work If You’re Always Busy

No matter how busy you are, you always have time for the things you want to do! And if you want a clean house for life, short cleaning routines are a great way to achieve that.

I like cleaning routines because they keep you focused & productive which is very useful if you get distracted easily.

Is the bathroom a major headache for you? I wrote an awesome post that teaches you how to clean your bathroom – and how to do it fast! If you want to read the post, click here to read: How To Clean Your Embarrassingly Dirty Bathroom Fast – And Keep It Clean!

BELOW IS AN EXAMPLE OF A SIMPLE 30-MINUTE CLEANING ROUTINE | ITEMS 19-23

19 | Declutter The Living Room (10 minutes)

Grab a basket or a box and collect everything that is somewhere it doesn’t belong!   Think of this as an intensely rapid decluttering session.

20 | Fluff Pillows, Fold Blankets, Straighten Objects (10 minutes)

Take the pillows on your sofas and beat them together like tambourines!  This will put a little life back into worn down pillows and make the sofa more inviting.

DON’T FORGET THE FOLLOWING

• Blankets in the living room make things cozy but they can make a room look messy if not placed properly.  Either hide your blankets or fold them when not being used.

• If you are not the best decorator, simply straighten objects so that they are lined up – think of a military formation.  It’s pleasing to the eye.

• If pillows are a little too deflated, simply replace them or stuff them with filling from any craft store.  

21 | Sweep/Vacuum Floors (10 minutes)

Floors are one the most neglected parts of the home but they really need more attention than almost anywhere else! You ever noticed how much better your house smells after cleaning the floors?

ADVICE FOR CLEANING FLOORS

• Whether you are vacuuming or sweeping, always clean the corners or the edges first, and the inside of the room last.

• Please do not use floor polishes — they are often more work than people expect. And can make your floors look horrid if not maintained properly.

• Most hardwood floors are finished so you can actually mop them with water. Just use a damp mop. Too much water & they streak.

22 |  Clean Toilet Bowls (5 minutes)

It’s super quick to do & will definitely deodorize the bathrooms & house. I like to leave a little cleaning product in the toilet after I clean it for long-lasting freshness.

TOILET CLEANING TIPS

• Make sure you have a toilet bowl brush for each bathroom.

• Use a pumice stone for stubborn stains.

• If you have time, grab a cleaning towel and be sure to wipe off the seat and around the hinges.   

23 | Empty Trash Cans (2 minutes)

Empty every single trash can and be sure to put extra liners inside the trash can. Simple enough right?

You may want to check out my very popular Daily, Weekly & Monthly Cleaning Schedule With A Simple Morning Routine (built into the schedule).

Spring Clean One Thing Every Week

Instead of waiting for some magical time of the year to do a huge spring cleaning of my house, I make things easy and slip in spring cleaning tasks every week. I may literally have a few minutes and will use that time to wipe down, not just dust, baseboards or something in one room. Then the next week I may clean the windows in that room. Breaking the big cleaning up into smaller tasks makes it more manageable and doable even for the busiest person.

24 | Sweep Or Vacuum Under Furniture Once A Month (10 minutes)

When you sit down at your dining room table, make it a scan your house – what do you see on the floor under your furniture? Chances are, there will be dust bunnies, trash and just random crap if you get down on all fours and take a peek. Either shift the furniture to the left of right for easy access to the floor or use a broom or a flat mop to clean that area.

25 | Seriously Declutter Paper, Books And Magazines (30 minutes)

Grab a shredder, get an idea of where you can donate your books and magazines and then get to work! Scan and upload papers, then toss or shred them. Gather up the unread books and mags, and send them off to a new home!

26 |  Dust For Cobwebs Along The Ceilings & Corners

You’ll be surprised at how much dust you’ll see when you look up & when you look down!  Once those high areas are done, you can concentrate on the low areas. Grab a high-duster or broom and run it along the ceiling & corners of every room followed by the baseboards.

Get a little momentum going by just doing the whole house at once! Just hold the duster or broom up to the ceiling and walk…it’s that easy!

27 | Tighten Kitchen Cabinet Knobs (3 minutes)

Very small things can make a huge impact on how your house looks. Plus keeping your house in tip-top shape will make you feel proud of your home – and actually want to keep it clean. All you need is a screwdriver – or a pair or scissors will work as a hack to tighten the screws. While you’re at it, be sure to knock out the bathroom cabinet knobs as well!

28 |  Clean The Inside Of Your Dishwasher To Keep It Smelling Fresh (10 minutes)

Luckily the dishwasher doesn’t need much since it’s constantly getting washed. But with that being said, you do need to do a little to keep it from stinking. Don’t worry, it’s super quick and easy to clean.

Remove the bottom rack, and wipe the floor of the dishwasher. You want to remove any food that may be lurking causing it to stink. Remove the filter, rinse it off and put it back. Spray and wipe down the inside of the door, sprinkle some baking soda inside and run it. And you’re all done!

29 |  Declutter Clothing While You’re Folding Laundry (20 minutes)

Decluttering your closet can be a huge undertaking. Make the task easier by decluttering on the fly. As you do laundry, you see the clothing that’s too small, stained or worn right then. Don’t put those clothes back in your room!

Just make two piles – one for donation and one for trash. Socks with holes and worn clothing go straight into the trash pile. Other, gently worn items can be donated. Be sure to put the clothing ready to be donated in the car and drop them off within 24 hours!

30 | Clean The Frames & Glass Of Pictures (2 minutes)

Once a picture gets hung on the wall, it basically becomes invisible — so to speak. I’ve seen epic amounts of dust on frames and the poor glass is so not HD quality! But never fear, really make your house shine by first, dusting the picture frame & glass, then actually cleaning the glass. Just use your favorite glass cleaner & paper towel.

Remember, you only have to clean a few pictures a week – you can do one room at a time. Once they are done, you don’t have to do it again for another 1-4 months!

Clean The Whole House Fast

31 |  Unplug When It’s Time To Clean

I’ve seen so many people spend the day cleaning only to realize they could have finished hours sooner had they not been distracted. Set a timer for however long you want to clean. It’ll help you stay focused.

YOU SHOULD READ // How To Clean Your House Super Fast if it takes you all day and night to get your house cleaned!  You’ll learn the strategies and techniques you need to get the job done faster!

32 | Work Task-By-Task Not Room-By-Room

Because there is an endless number of tasks you can complete when cleaning, you need to make a hit list of the things you want to clean.  And then pick a task and stick to it until the end!

STAY FOCUSED

• Do not jump back and forth from cleaning bathrooms to dusting and back to cleaning bathrooms for example.  Either dust all the rooms or clean all the bathrooms first.

• The completion of one task in its entirety will be a huge morale booster which will help push you along to your next task.

33 | Use A Timer When You Clean

Bet you weren’t expecting that were you!?

Seriously, if you want to clean your bathrooms in 1.5 hours and you have 3 bathrooms, set a timer and give yourself roughly 30 minutes per bathroom. The timer puts the pressure on you to move and helps you stay laser-focused on the task at hand!

The key to keeping your house clean isn’t cleaning it for hours every weekend. By following short, daily & weekly routines, you don’t allow your house to become messy.

Cleaning In The Morning Is Powerful

YOU MAY WANT TO READ // The Super Simple Morning Cleaning Routine For Moms if you’d love an easy to follow plan that will help even the busiest mom keep a house spic and span!

34 | Make Your Bed As Soon As You Get Up (2 minutes)

Making your bed first thing in the morning is a terrific way to start your day! It’s like your very first act of the day is a productive one which can set the tone for the rest of the day.

WHAT I DO BEFORE I MAKE MY BED

The very first thing I do before I get out the bed is I think about everything I should be grateful for – and I do that for 1-2 minutes. This is really helpful when my mood is crappy. Then I chug an entire bottle of water. Now that wakes me up! I’m not a morning person, but I’m working on small changes to eventually become one. My days are just soo much better when I get up early – after getting a good amount of sleep of course.

35 | Tidy Your Night-Stand

The night-stand has a tendency to turn into the upside-down if we don’t keep it clean.  Remove trash, take dishes to the kitchen and straighten the other items on the night-stand surface.

36 |  Get Up 5-Minutes Earlier Than You Usually Do

I know you’re already struggling to get up but I’m telling you, it is totally worth it if you can do it! You don’t need to get up super early in order to do impactful cleaning. Part of being able to wake up earlier is going to bed on time so, let’s set a decent bedtime, get 7-8 hours of rest and get up ready to rock-n-clean a little before the kids get up!

37 | Skip The Dishes & Opt For Disposable Products

In the morning, things tend to get a little crazy no matter how detailed and thoughtful of a planner you are! Make life easier on yourself by doing grab-and-go style breakfast options more often and using paper plates or napkins so that clean up is a cinch! You don’t want to come home after a long day at work to dirty dishes from breakfast, do you?

38 |  Empty The Dishwasher (7 minutes)

Don’t huff – it has to be done at some point.  While you’re making coffee, start unloading the dishwasher.  When you come home in the evening, you’ll be so glad it’s already done!

Just think, the same amount of time it takes to brew coffee is about how much time you’ll need to unload the dishwasher!

You may want to read my post How To Clean Your House Like A Pro if you don’t know where to start cleaning your house or if you’re unorganized and need a little direction.

Wrap Up the Day With A Little Bit Of Cleaning In The PM

39 | Clean While You Cook

Ok, get your game face on!  Everything goes straight from the stove into glassware or plasticware.  And yes you heard me right!  This means you will be washing the pot not sitting it in the fridge!  

HOW TO CLEAN AS YOU GO

• While you’re waiting for your food to finish cooking, you should be at the sink washing the utensils and tools you’ve used.

• Cleaning counters or even better, cleaning out the fridge to make room for this evening’s leftovers is a fantastic idea! Get rid of anything you don’t recognize that’s hiding in your fridge or freezer.

• Oh and if you didn’t empty the dishwasher this morning, now’s the time to do it.

40 | Vacuum One High-Traffic Areas

Ok so how often should you really vacuum?   To answer that question, I have to ask you another question.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU VACUUM

• How many people are in the house? 

• Whatever that number is will tell you how many times per week you should vacuum high traffic areas.

• If you have 4 people in your home, the high traffic areas should be vacuumed 3-4 times a week.

• Low traffic areas only need to be vacuumed once per week or even every 2 weeks. 

41 |  Run The Dishwasher

It is very easy to forget to start the dishwasher so make it a point to always start the dishwasher at the same time every day. Set a reminder on your phone – that’s what I do because sometimes things get hectic around here but I don’t want to forget to press that start button!

Make sure you are not putting dishes with food on them in the dishwasher!  That’s a one-way ticket to a clog and Stinkville! 

42 |  Prep Anything You Can The Morning

Planning in the evening gives you the early morning win you need to coast throughout the day!

THINGS YOU CAN PREP FOR A MORNING WIN

• Every evening, scrub your schedule to see what’s on the agenda for tomorrow. Oh and check your bank account.

• Locate your purse, car keys and any other items you’ll need when you head off in the morning. Put them in the car or by the door.

• Meal prepping is always a bonafide win!  Whether you’re single or have a family, cooking ahead & dishing everything out in perfectly sized portions will give you insane amounts of extra time during the week. If you need containers, check out this set that I got for my husband. 

• We already talked about planning your outfits but here’s one more mention for the road.

43 | Fold One Load Of Laundry

All it takes is one load of laundry a day to keep the doctor away! Seriously, the bigger your family, the more overwhelming laundry can be. One load a day is easy and manageable for most people. Be sure to get your family involved – spouses & older children – to make the task even quicker!

44 |  Take The Trash Out

Once it’s time to shut the house down for the evening, let’s take the trash out so that we can start fresh in the morning. Waking up to a fresh house will definitely give you a little pep in your step throughout the day.

Have Mini Cleaning Sessions In The Bathroom To Keep It Clean

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // How To Clean Your Dirty Bathroom Super Fast – And Keep It Clean for my advice on cleaning thoroughly in the fastest, smartest way possible.  It also comes with an ultra-deep cleaning routine + checklist that will transform your bathroom!

45 |  Clean At Least One Thing In Your Bathroom Every Day

The bathroom must be cleaned regularly to keep it in order. But like you, I get busy sometimes and have to do what I can when I can. If you can set aside just 3-5 minutes to clean something while you’re already in there, it’ll make a world of difference.

46 | Get Rid Of Urine Smells

If you notice your bathroom smells like urine you only need one thing to clean it. Not an all-purpose cleaner and not bleach. You need vinegar.

Urine needs an enzyme cleaner to break up the molecules responsible for the smell and thankfully, vinegar is nature’s answer. Using straight vinegar or a 50:50 mix in a bottle, spray the area that smells like urine & let it sit 20-30 minutes. Then wipe it clean. That’s it!

And don’t worry, the vinegar smell will disappear as well. Whenever there’s urine, grab vinegar!

47 |  Clean 1 Toilet Bowl Every Day

A lot goes on in this spot – it only takes 10 seconds to scrub away any evidence you were ever there.  Plus a fresh bowl really freshens up the entire bathroom. 

If you have unsightly rings in the toilet, a pumice stone is the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed.  Easy to use and non-toxic, it’s full of surprising uses for around the house!  

I actually use the pumice stone frequently in my cleaning business. It’s our go-to for toilet rings and a total lifesaver when cleaning inside ovens!

48 |  Clean The Shower While You’re In The Shower

If it’s in the shower, you can easily spray and wipe down surfaces when you hop in. Of course, it’s best if you use something non-toxic since you’ll be in the middle of all that cleaning action!

GOOD THINGS TO DO IN THE SHOWER

• Remove product bottles once they are empty.

• Consider getting a hair catcher or at least wipe the hair out of the shower once you finish.

• A squeegee is great to use on the shower for glass doors to prevent scum build-up.

• Run the ventilator in the bathroom or open a window to remove excess moisture which leads to mold.

49 | Clean Hair Off The Bathroom Floor Daily

Hair is like a gift and a curse!  And while we’d all prefer to keep our hair on our heads, unfortunately, quite a bit can be found on the bathroom floor graveyard.

THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD DO IT

• Keep a small vacuum cleaner or broom close by to remove hair.

• Vacuum or sweep the floor before you get into the shower or get the floor wet.  Wet hair is almost impossible to clean up!

• Hair falls from the counters to the floors so knock hair off the counters before cleaning the floor.

50 | Wash Bath Mats Every 3 Months

Shake them out regularly, vacuum them if possible and replace them when needed. Bath mats are overlooked but if you give them regular TLC, you’ll extend their life greatly.

51 | Wash Shower Curtains & Liners Monthly

You can always clean shower curtains and liners by hand – which is a hassle even for pros, or…you can put them in the washing machine! All you need is a minimal amount of detergent, a normal spin cycle & then you’re done.

52 | Swap Bar Soap For Liquid

If you use bar soap, you’re making your life harder than it has to be!   If you wonder where the thick film in your shower is coming from, that’s the main culprit.

Swap the soap bar for liquid soap to help prevent excessive soap scum in your bathrub or shower ASAP! 

53 | Get A Hair Trap For Your Shower

Hair in the bottom of the shower is not only unsightly but leads to clogs which are no fun!  Hair traps are an easy way to collect and remove hair.   If you know someone living in a dorm, this is a must-have!

54 | Prevent Mold & Mildew In The Shower

No matter how clean you are, mold and mildew do not discriminate – it loves warm, wet places and unfortunately, your shower is the perfect escape!

HOW TO STOP IT

• Buy a mold inhibitor and treat your shower regularly. 

• Another alternative:  hand wipe surfaces dry in the shower or use a squegee.

55 | Wipe Out The Sink After Brushing Your Teeth

Yes, I know you will be rushing in the morning, but if you can take just 5 seconds, grab a paper towel and wipe excess toothpaste out of the sink.  Doing this on a daily basis will help keep your sink from turning into a bowl of grossness.

Oh and totally skip the charcoal toothpaste if you want to keep your bathroom cleaner. Let’s just say charcoal toothpaste splatter is not as forgiving as regular toothpaste splatter.

56 | Declutter Beauty Products & Other Items In The Bathroom

If your counters have lots of loose items, there’s a strong possibility that things can get a little unsightly from time to time.  Plus, it can make cleanup difficult or even impossible.

If you want to do some serious decluttering, check out this post. It’s a refreshingly pragmatic method for decluttering the whole house!

If You Can Keep The Kitchen Clean, You’ve Won

57 | Follow The Kitchen Rules

First, you have to make a few rules & then you have to follow them. Staying motivated is the key here. No one typically likes “rules” but just remember, you are only doing this to get rid of bad habits that are making the house dirtier than it has to be.

58 | Get Rid Of Old Crap In Those Cabinets Monthly

Always, get rid of anything that is peeling, chipping, broken, or solo. That means old pots and pans, dishes that you can’t eat off of, plastic containers without lids or plates not in a set are all items that can go on the chopping block. I don’t know anyone that isn’t wishing for more cabinet space so purge monthly to make some!

59 | Empty Out The Fridge & Freezer Weekly

The contents of your fridge are like an expression of your life.  If you look inside and realize it’s a mess, you’ve got some work to do my friend!

Keeping your fridge clean will reduce random odors and waste, help you stay on your food plan and make you feel good in general. I’m a huge fan of using natural odor absorbers in my fridge in addition to wiping it out a few times a week, just to keep things sparkling clean.

60 | Change Dish Towels Often

Do not leave dirty dish towels or sponges filled with food and grease balled up on your sink. Rinse them out after each use so that they are clean. Then fold them and hang them on the sink to dry – or just place in the hamper if they are dirty.

61 | Run The Garbage Disposal Every Day

Another major source of odor is the garbage disposal.  Simply rinsing dirty dishes is how a lot of the food ends up just sitting there, so be sure to run the disposal regularly. 

A FEW GREAT TIPS TO FOLLOW

• Be careful to keep silverware and other small objects from falling into the disposal so that you can avoid having to make costly repairs. 

• I also like to use garbage disposal cleaners from time to time just to make sure things are nice and clean down there.   

62 | Scrub The Sink Clean

Don’t wipe it out. Keep a scour sponge & soft scrub (my favorite product for this is Bar Keepers) close by to easily scrub the sink clean in the evening. I promise you, scouring makes a day and night difference in your sink.

SIMPLE ADVICE

• Keep the drains clean and clear by running hot or pouring boiling water with dish detergent down the drain.

• Run the garbage disposal daily to make sure food isn’t building up in the disposal which may lead to a clogged sink.

63 | Swap Carpeted Kitchen Mats For Rubber Ones

Carpeted surfaces in a kitchen hold on to everything from grease to odors.  The best way to clean them is to wash them regularly. But most of us don’t have time to do that so let’s just swap the carpeted mats for a rubber mat that can easily be wiped clean.

64 | The One Floor You Must Mop At Least Once Per Week

So much happens in the kitchen!  Just look at the floor! By not cleaning it daily, you’re just spreading crumbs & gunk throughout the entire house. This is definitely a high-traffic area so you should sweep the kitchen floor every day and mop it weekly at a minimum.

65 | Keep The Oven Clean – The Easy Way

One of my secrets to keeping a clean oven is a pumice stone. When I need to do a light cleaning, I just use that stone and in 1-2 minutes, the oven is perfectly clean without the use of heavy fumes or lots of scrubbing.

And my other favorite oven cleaning hack? Just run the self-clean option! Be prepared to wipe out a little ash after the cleaning cycle completes. Run it regularly to keep the oven maintained.

Let’s Talk About Laundry

66 | Establish A Laundry Routine

Whether you’re going to do all of the laundry on Saturdays or dedicate Tuesdays & Thursdays to this task, having a routine will definitely keep your laundry under control. Personally, I aim for a load a day and use Wednesdays as my catch-up day! That’s when I wash an extra load or two.

67 | Keep A Separate Hamper Specifically For Towels

Towels are bulky so they take up a lot of space plus they can make it seem like you have much more dirty laundry than you really do! Keep a separate hamper just for towels because even though they take up a lot of space, they are super easy to wash, fold and put away compared to clothing.

68 | Wet Clothes Need To Be Washed ASAP

Let’s have a moment of truth here – have you ever smelled your workout clothes?  Do it once and you’ll never wait to wash your gym clothes again. Wash workout clothing or sports uniforms as soon as possible because the longer you wait, the stronger they’ll smell.

69 | The Laundry Room Needs To Be Decluttered & Cleaned Weekly

The laundry room can easily become the eye-sore of your house if don’t put energy into keeping it clean, organized & decluttered. If you are using your laundry room as a catch-all with no organization, here are a few simple things you can do to clean that space up a bit.

START HERE IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM

• Identify the items you’re putting in there that have nothing to do with “laundry.” Is there a better place for these items?

• Once identified, remove everything that should have a new home or be trashed.

• Organize what’s left & be sure to clean your laundry room every two weeks.

70 | Swap Powder Or Liquid Detergent For Pods

If it’s normal to have powder or liquid detergent spilled everywhere in your laundry room, you should switch to pods which are 100% mess-free. I alternate between all 3 but I can say pods save me so much time since I can’t make a mess with them.

71 | Officially Organize The Laundry Room

Getting this room organized is a great way to kinda get your feet wet when it comes to organizing! A laundry room is a small space so if you can get this space organized, the rest of the house will be a piece of cake. Best advice I’ve heard when it comes to organizing? Invest in baskets that are similar for a seamless, designer look without much effort!

BONUS TIPS | Other things you can do to keep your house clean forever!

• What do you have a lot of in your house? Things in excess mean you probably have more than you really need. Getting rid of excess items keeps your house helps your house look tidy.

• What are you doing with excess papers, mail & bills? Collect papers every week and have a shred day. Stores like Staples shred papers for a fee so that’s also an option.

• Have a hard time getting rid of items because of their sentimental value? Wearing gloves may help block your sense of touch & trick your brain into believing the items aren’t so important after all.

SUMMARY

Guys, this is a big list so do not try to do all of these tips at once! (That would actually be impossible!) Instead, simply choose 1-5 to ideas to follow every week and build on that over time.

If you fall off the wagon (and everyone does), figure out what happened but don’t dwell — keep moving forward! By changing your habits, little by little, you will truly be able to enjoy a house that stays clean!

Good things are meant to be shared! Save this to your Pinterest account so you can actually find it later and so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

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