Let’s kick things off with a big, fresh dose of truth…

Getting your house clean and keeping it clean will take a little upfront work. But once you get into a good rhythm, you’ll feel as if your house is working with you to stay clean & organized. And speaking of help, if you’ve got a family, setting up your house so that it’s EASY for them to know where what goes, where they can leave stuff and where they can’t, who needs to do what and when, is also a biggggggg factor in getting your family on board with keeping the house clean. And there is a way to do it without acting like a psycho drill sergeant from the Upside Down lol. We’ll talk a litte more about this further down the post.

Since you’re reading this, I’ll bet your house doesn’t stay clean for very long because you’ve been focusing on the wrong things. And it’s time to switch things up a bit my friend.

Detox your brain of all your old thinking so you can make room for some very practical tips used by people that pretty much always have a clean house. Skim the list. See what resonates with you. And give it a try.

1. Go with easy-to-use over cute

To break through the constant cycle of mess, stop focusing on your messy house as a whole and shift gears a bit.

Turn your attention to smaller things that I’ll admit, don’t seem helpful, but are insanely impactful: like putting what you use away. Mind-blowingly small right?

You already know you should do this but obviously, it’s not as simple as it seems. Whether you’re naturally unorganized, have ADHD or dealing with an illness of some sort, putting things away neatly can be as perplexing as Game of Thrones.

So forget about making things cute and instead go the route of zero resistance if you want to keep your home clean and organized. Basically, rig your house so that it’s literally messy-proof for lazy people!

Think no lids on plastic containers or open baskets in all the right places so you can just toss stuff in. Genius right?

One of my favorite examples of this at play is using a spice basket.

I have a gazillion spices, but seriously only have 3-4 regulars. Eh, I’m a pretty boring cook. But anytime I need my roasted garlic or sea salt, I destroy the entire spice cabinet trying to pull them out.

And it’s totally not necessary… Ready for the mess-eliminating secret?

All you need is a small basket on your kitchen counter where you can keep your VIP spices. It’s also where you’ll toss them back when you’re done.

No messy spice cabinet. No cluttered counters. Ahh, what a relief…

Get more ideas – perfect for naturally unorganized people – in this post: 5 Ideas You Can Use To Keep Your House Clean & Organized All The Time!

2. Unless you’re a nudist, you’ll never have ALL the laundry done

Laundry sucks. There I said it.

When we talk about keeping the house cleaner, laundry is usually seen as a separate situation from the house. But that’s so not true. When it comes to getting your home clean, laundry is very much a part of the deal.

Point is, if you can keep the laundry managed, you can keep your house clean or under control. It’s like a gateway skill that opens the doors to wondrous magic in your life. Or something like that.

Here are a few quick tips to keep your laundry under control (painlessly):

• One load of laundry a day keeps the boogy-mountain monsters away. Not to mention, it keeps things flowing at home instead of getting stgnatOne load is manageable for even the busiest people and it takes the pressure off of trying to have all of the laundry done. Which is technically impossible anyway. Unless you join a nudist colony or something.

• Have a spare laundry basket ready for items that need to be “washed now.”  Think your workout clothing, the kids’ team uniforms or super soiled clothing in general. Just get them out the way why dontcha?

• Your jeans really don’t need to be washed after every wear.  Unless they are terribly smelly, spray them with a fabric refresher (I LOVE the Love + Home + Planet brand!) & hang them up – you can get at least 2-3 wears between washes.  

• Oh and keep a separate basket for bath towels!  Those plush high count threads have a way of making it look like you have way more laundry than you really do.

• Skip the sorting and wash all of your clothes together! Ok so for me, brand new clothes are the exception to this rule. But everything else is pretty much a go. To keep colors from bleeding, I wash on cold and use laundry color catchers. Works like a charm every time.

• Drastically cut down on your laundry time by using dryer balls! This is my favorite hack because it saves me time and money but helping my clothes dry so much faster. I alternate between tennis balls and these wool dryer balls to get the job done.

READ | 7 Epic Laundry Hacks That’ll Save You A Load of Time

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!

 3. A dose of minimalism will help you keep the house cleaner

The true spirit of minimalism is simply having items that bring value to your life & discarding what no longer serves a purpose in your life.  Yes, you can still keep your crazy Harry Potter mug collection – you just don’t need twenty!

I like to think of minimalism in terms of my spending habits. It helped me curb my impulse spending. My weaknesses? Food & beauty products. Now, instead of buying whatever catches my eye on a whim, I only buy a new product once I’m officially done with my current one. (Err, most of the time lol.) Can this approach help you too?

The real benefit of minimalism is that having less stuff means less cleaning. Pow! So even if you don’t want to be a *minimalist per se*, chunking crap more often will only help you keep your house clean in the long run.

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. 

4. Say yes to cleaning products that make your heart skip a beat

If you hate cleaning, prepare to hate it less! Having cleaning products you feel good about using – whether you’re into the non-toxic scene or just whatever works – will help you overcome the feeling of doom and gloom you feel whenever you think about doing some hardcore cleaning.

PURCHASING POINTERS

• Your vacuum cleaner, broom and mops, should make cleaning easier – and be able to bring a smile to your face.  Always buy wide or XL mops & brooms so you can clean more surface area in fewer passes. That means you’ll be able to clean your floors a heck of a lot faster!

• There are a lot of great non-toxic cleaners available. Something about using natural cleaners makes me feel good inside. I actually love Method and Mrs. Meyer’s all-purpose & wood cleaning products!

• The Shark vs Dyson debate has a clear answer – in my humble opinion.  If your home is mostly carpeted, get a Shark.  If it’s mostly hardwoods, get a Dyson.  Just be sure to shop around because prices for these bad boys vary wildly from store to store.     

• Get inspiration for how you are going to organize certain areas before purchasing containers. Make whatever area you want to organize beautiful by buying pieces or sets that are complementary to your home and current decor. Large baskets always come in handy!

CREATE AN 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 + tile & grout brush + vacuum

5. Put yourself in cleaning routine *bootcamp*

Remember, the key to having a clean and organized house is building good habits. Following routines are the intentional way to do that – basically, you’re setting aside time to do something over and over again until eventually, it becomes a habit.

Set aside 30 minutes a day to clean something in the house. Set aside 30 minutes a day to make sure everything is still organized in a particular area of the house – like your desk. Mine get’s crazy so I have to stay on top of it!

Just remember that you’ll need to perform the routine quite frequently in order for it to really “stick” and become natural. 

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

MAKING CLEANING ROUTINES WORK FOR YOU

• When following a routine, try it as-is a few times and see how everything flows.  From there, mold and tweak that routine until it’s a perfect fit for you!

• Don’t overload yourself with too many routines at once!  In your quest to get your house (life) together, take it one step or routine at a time.  If you take on too much, you’ll run the risk of not making any of your routines stick or worse, abandoning all the routines and making zero progress.  

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!

6. Buy furniture that can do something besides look cute

It’s a great idea to buy furniture that doubles as storage, but I want to give you a word of caution.  Sometimes, having too many storage options can turn into trouble so just make sure you’re storing items that add value to your life and not junk.

However, if you approach this wisely, it is a great way to keep items in your home neat, tidy & organized. Below are four ideas for furniture & decor that are both beautiful & functional!

• Storage benches and ottomans are an absolute must-have.  Luckily there are plenty of trendy options available which means you can really have fun with these options & use them anywhere in the house!

• Storage baskets — I truly can’t live without baskets! They are in every single room of my home. Big, small, short, tall – they are the secret weapon to creating a more organized home. When in doubt about where something should go, drop it into a basket!

• Clear containers are also huge for organizing. If you’re like me and have a hundred pairs of shoes, clear containers are heaven sent! Wait, I also use clear containers in my pantry & bathroom cabinets. Ok, so I stand corrected – clear containers are life-changing!

 7. If you’re always short on time, you must become a master prepper

To keep a clean & organized house requires time. If you’re not organized – I’m talking about your life here – you probably feel like you never have enough time to do anything, but you do.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN PREP TO HELP BALANCE WORK + LIFE + HOME FOR BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT

Getting outfits ready for the week, meal prepping, gathering everything you’ll need in the morning at night and planning out your days more precisely with time blocking are excellent ways to prep. Doing these things give you more time to balance work, life & home which is absolutely necessary for a clean house.

 8. Get a really, really good stain remover

No matter how clean or messy your house is, stains will always stick out like a sore thumb!  The next time you get a stain on your shirt, sofa, carpet or where ever, be ready by always having a stain remover ready to grab.  Stains scream dirty so let’s make sure we don’t let stains hang around! 

TIP | PREVENT STAINS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN

• Do yourself a huge favor and pretreat upholstered furniture in the home with a stain repellant so that stains don’t get a chance to set in!  The application process is usually pretty straightforward and will greatly extend the life of your furniture or carpets.  A mega win in my book!

• Here is a great, 5-star option for a stain guard product that you may want to take a look at called Trinova Stain Guard from Amazon. I have three kids running around so this or a little 3M is always close by.

9. A house without rules is a headache that never ends

Your home is your castle, but that doesn’t mean you can live without order, your majesty!  If your house is unorganized and dirty, you can easily get it cleaned once you know where to start.  But in order to keep it clean and organized, you’re going to need to set some rules! 

A FEW GOOD HOUSE RULES TO HELP KEEP THE HOUSE CLEAN

The people you see that have seemingly perfect homes don’t get them by wishing for them – they work for it but it’s easier to do than you think!  Here are a few good rules to follow:

• Keep shoes at the door to help cut down on dirt and grime tracked throughout the house.

• Limit eating & drinking to designated areas. This cuts down on the chance of stains and other avoidable messes.

• Make your mornings easier by making sure dishes are placed in the dishwasher or hand washed every evening before going to bed.

• Personal items in common areas at the end of the day is a no-no. Take your crap to your room.

• Toys are a pain to clean up so limit them to bedrooms or toy rooms. And make sure your kids get into the habit of picking up after themselves.

10. Let’s go label crazy

Creating new habits to create a clean & organized house is exciting & fun – until you get busy, start to forget, lose enthusiasm, forget it was even a goal, and then wake up one day with the goal to get your house clean & organized once and for all – again lol.

Regardless of what anyone else says, the #1 key to keeping a clean and organized house is labels – oh and signs too.

WHY YOU NEED LABELS ASAP

When you see that label, not only will it stop you from dropping an item in the wrong place, you’re going to want to find the perfect home for it. Thus a spot will be picked & a new label will be created just for that item.

If you want to get in the habit of turning on the dishwasher every evening at 7pm, make a sign & plaster it everywhere. Want to get into the habit of making the bed every morning? Make signs & you guessed it – plaster them everywhere! Labels and signs are powerful hacks that will help you keep your house clean & organized all the time.

IDEAS FOR USING LABELS & SIGNS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN & ORGANIZED

Use a paint pen to quickly & easily label containers – this is so cute!

Easily recreate this super cute look even if you’re short on time! All you need are Paint Pens + Glass Jars With Airtight Lids!

Who would think that one of the wildest places in the house, the linen closet, could be tamed with chalkboard labels + baskets!

This is a fabulous example of doing more with less! You don’t need a ton of baskets & containers to tame your wild spaces. To pull off a look this look, all you need are chalkboard labels + small square baskets + large square baskets + a hamper + an over-the-door hook!

If you want an idea of how to use signs, boom! Create attention-getting signs anywhere in the house with chalkboard or dry erase boards. I’ll do this when we move into our new house.

What I love about chalkboard signs is that they go with almost any decor & they have a way of making your house really feel like home. If you want to recreate this look you can try chalkboard paper so that you turn any surface into a sign or just grab a chalkboard sign – oh, and don’t forget to get chalk markers!

I’ve counted the coins & these are the best selling items for this week from this blog /

• 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 so others can see you’ve got all the good stuff!

The post THIS Is How To Keep Your House Clean & Organized All The Time appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Discover how to clean your very dirty bedroom fast with this (fail-proof) step-by-step guide. But first…

I LOVE walking into my room and feeling like it’s saying oh hey girl, you’re back – I missed you! But I’m not gonna lie. I like to come home to that but that’s not always the reality. I’m married and naturally, we share a bedroom. Which I also believe is the most insidious idea in the world! I don’t want to roll my eyes at my husband every day for the rest of my life because he doesn’t make the bed when he gets out of it and leaves dirty (and clean) clothes wherever. And did I mention the q-tips? They’re everywhere. He should be free to live however he wants. Just not in my sacred space.

I get sloppy too. My closet stays in a state of emergency. And when I think about it, I don’t like the pressure of having to maintain it daily for someone else. I’d rather everyone have a space to be free. But keep the community areas on point. Like 24-7. Rain, snow, sleet or hail. I might be a dictator of sorts.

But I’m venting so let me stop. Why is your bedroom dirty? Before we talk about cleaning, you should really ponder this for a second. Knowing the answer will help you keep the room cleaner in the future. And who doesn’t want that am I right?

So before we dive into the tips, I need to give you a golden nugget to kick things off so that you can get in and get out with a clean bedroom fast.

Skip doing a total closet detox or major decluttering project – save that for another day.  Instead, let’s focus on surfaces that are visible. The bed, furniture surfaces, floors, making sure the blinds are pointing in the same direction, stuff like that. As long as you can remember that, you’ll be able to whip that room into shape in just a few minutes. And with that, let’s get to it!

Clean Your Bedroom Fast & Keep It Clean | 7-Steps

Step 1 //  Everything that doesn’t belong must go! 

Let’s talk trash, dishes, and other undesirables that belong somewhere else in the house – not in your room.   Simply grab a trash bag for the trash and a basket or a box for the rest.  Spend a minute or two collecting everything and when you’re done, just set it all outside the door.  You can put that stuff away later. 

This may be super helpful if your whole house is a wreck! // 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!

You might need to read this // How To Clean A DISGUSTING Bathtub – And Make It Look Almost New – FAST!

Step 2 // Strip the bed – or make it!

Now’s the time to wash those sheets if it’s been a minute.  Strip the bed, and start the washer so the sheets can get cleaned while you’re cleaning the room – multitasking at its finest.  

Skip the stripping and instead make your bed if your sheets were recently cleaned.  For a perfect, (botox) smooth bed, pull everything off then remake the bed from scratch.  A made bed gives the whole room a new vibe! 

If you need to clean your room fast, making your bed is the single most important thing you can do to give your room an instant face-lift.

If you want to deep clean your bedroom, take this time to flip or rotate your mattress.

Step 3 //  Separate the clean from the dirty-ish clothes!

Clothes lying around your bedroom can be dealt with quickly – even if they’re everywhere.  What’s clean and what’s dirty?  Sort everything into 2 piles.  Clean items get placed neatly on the bed and dirty clothes on the floor.  

Once you’re done sorting, dirty clothes go straight to the hamper.  Wherever that may be.  Clean clothes will be put away the lazy girl approved way – now’s not the time for any Marie Kondo style folding.  

Loosely fold items and tuck them into drawers.  Hang as much as your closet will allow. The biggest key to getting your clothes put away quickly is staying focused – that means you need to put your phone on do not distract mode. 

Step 4 // Let’s cut through the surface clutter!  

You should be seeing some real progress at this point so let’s start focusing on surfaces.  A little tidying, organizing, and straightening need to be done to pull the room together. Think dresser surfaces, nightstands, floors, desks, etc. 

If stuff is kind of everywhere, make things easy on yourself by putting like with like.  Books with books, photos with photos, hair stuff with hair…stuff.  You get it! That’ll make it easy to find a home for everything. 

If you have a lot of stuff on your surfaces to the point that you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, grab a basket and clear the entire surface.  Consider the basket a temporary storage solution.  You can put things away from the basket when you have time.

READ THIS // 5-Painlessly Simple Things You Need Now To Keep Your House Clean

Step 5 // Don’t just dust. Clean furniture + surfaces!

An all-purpose cleaner is usually all you need to clean your bedroom fast.   Be sure to use a slightly damp towel so that you can actually clean surfaces – remove drink rings, stickiness, and dust – in one swipe.

Pay attention to commonly overlooked areas: the bottom of furniture, headboards, doors, mirrors, picture frames on walls,  light switches, and ceiling fans. These things make your room look flawless when done!

Quickly clean the surfaces in your bedroom by working from left to right, cleaning a section at a time.  

If you want to deep clean your bedroom, now’s the time to clean the blinds and baseboards as well.  You always want to clean from top to bottom so be sure to clean the blinds before you clean surfaces in your room.  

Step 6 // Clean floors using the FOIL method!

Whether you have carpets or hardwood floors, you need to clean your bedroom floors using the FOIL method.  Actually, use this when cleaning floors anywhere in the house!

If you’re a millennial, you might remember FOIL from a math class – first outside, inside last.  Finally, a real-world application lol  Use this method whether you’re vacuuming, sweeping, or mopping.  

When cleaning the floors, focus on the edges or outer areas of the room first.  You can follow the baseboards or walls of the room. Once that’s done, cover the middle and rest of the room like normal.  This is the quick-n-easy way to have perfectly clean floors from corner to corner.  Your bedroom will be so clean, they’ll swear you hired a cleaning service!  

Step 7 // Keep your bedroom clean with a simple nightly cleaning routine!

Prevention is the best medicine and when it comes to keeping your room clean, a daily routine is a fail-proof remedy.  Every evening, set aside 10 minutes to declutter your room and plan outfits for the next day. Once per week, do a little light cleaning to keep the clean vibes strong – you’d only need 10-15 minutes.   Easy to manage right?

Here’s a nightly routine you can swipe // 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. 

How to clean your bedroom step-by-step //

I updated this post on 12/3/2020 to add a checklist you can swipe.

Step 1: Grab a trash bag & a basket or a box.

Step 2: Starting at the doorway, work your way around the room collecting trash from the floors first – can’t clean anything if you can’t walk – and then the furniture surfaces. Set the bag outside the door.

Step 3: Now grab your basket or box to collect items that don’t belong in the room like dishes, papers, toys, etc. Set it outside the door when you’re done collecting randoms. You’ll sort the basket later. AFTER you’re done cleaning.

Caution: If you decide to put the items in the basket away first, you may never get the room cleaned. A rookie mistake I’ve been super guilty of making a time or two.

Step 4: Strip the sheets from the bed & throw them into the washing machine. If your sheets are clean, just make the bed.

Step 5: If you’ve got clothes everywhere, this step is all about sorting. Put clean clothes in a designated place to deal with later or if you’ve time, start hanging them up now. You know where the dirty ones go.

Step 6: It’s time to do a little dusting and cleaning. Grab a high duster, towel & all-purpose cleaner so you can hit the ceiling fan, wipe down the tops of your dressers, headboard, etc.

And this is the point where you can stage the room – make it look at insta-worthy;-) You don’t have to give your paycheck to Target to give your room a magical touch. Simply make sure all your blinds are pointing in the same direction, pictures on the walls are straight, and if you don’t know how to decorate, just arrange things from tallest to shortest. That always works.

Step 7: Are the sheets ready to be put back on the bed? Either make the bed now or swing back around to this later.

Step 8: Vacuum or sweep, then mop. Easy enough right? Just make sure you get along those baseboards and under furniture – as far as you can easily reach – and you’ll pass with flying colors.

Step 9: Repeat all – or most – of the steps above weekly-ish to keep your room tamed.

And if you’re kinda serious about getting your home under-control…

You can easily keep not just your bedroom clean, but the entire house – without taking a long boring course. Even if you work a full-time job or have a house full of sometimes (or never) well-behaved children.

The secret to keeping your house clean isn’t a new vacuum – although I will admit I love taking a new vacuum for a spin around the old block. To manage your home so that it doesn’t feel like a struggle, you simply need to get organized. And unlearn messy habits. And the trick is to do it in a way that works for your personality & schedule.

The Clean Vibes Planner Kit has the very simple tools you need to create simple but totally doable cleaning schedules & routines that work for you. As well as other life bettering tools like a meal plan kit to help you take deer-caught-in-the-headlights-look out of dinner time. And who doesn’t need help with that?

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 How To Clean A (Very) Dirty Bedroom Fast | 7-Steps appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

From the moment you greet your guests at the door to the time they leave, not only will they feel comfortable and cozy in your clean house, even you’ll be impressed by how you got it going on this holiday season! 

1:  DECLUTTER SURFACES BEFORE DECORATING

Have you ever cleaned or decorated your house only to be disappointed by the fact that for some reason it still looks dirty?  Unkept? Disorganized?  Not magical whatsoever?  You’re not alone and the culprit sabotaging your house cleaning efforts is right in front of your face:  clutter. 

WHERE TO START DECLUTTERING YOUR HOUSE

• Getting rid of as much clutter as possible is key to having a house that sparkles with cleanliness and I really got my life together magic year-round!  Grab a trash bag, pick a room & get to work. Just 15 minutes a day per room will make a huge difference!

• Decluttering before and during the holidays helps to ensure you have space for all the stuff you’ll receive as gifts in addition to your own impulse shopping!  (We all splurge friend!)

• Start in the main areas of your home, with items that are out in the open and then work your way into drawers, cabinets and then other areas of the house.  

PRO TIP:  A good rule of thumb to follow when decluttering your house is, out with the old and in with the new!  Anything that no longer serves a purpose, is broken or no longer brings you happiness needs to be tossed out!  Focus on the main areas of the home first and then work your way to bedrooms. 

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!

2:  CREATE A COMMAND ZONE FOR PURCHASES

From receiving gifts & holiday shopping (or impulse buying – guilty as charged), we often end up with way more stuff than we need or even have room for over the holidays.   

That stuff typically ends up all over the house and eventually, you look around wondering “where in the world did all this crap come from?!  And where am I going to put it all???” 

Stay ready for last-minute guests as well as keep your house nice & tidy by keeping all of your random purchases in one designated location.

 HOW TO CREATE A COMMAND ZONE OR DROP ZONE

• Choose one safe place in the house where all of your new purchases that need to be gifted away, put away or returned to the store can wait.  If you have small children, make sure it’s safe from their curious fingers!

• Some places that make good landing zones include closets and partially or unused rooms in the house.  Unused formal dining areas are a fantastic landing zone option.    

• In addition to having a drop zone for purchases, go ahead & create a nicely appointed spot for your keys, purse, mail and all the other random things you like to throw down as soon as you walk into the house.  This is a gamechanger that everyone needs year-round. 

3:  MOP YOUR FLOORS STARTING WITH THE CORNERS FIRST

You already know regularly cleaning over the holidays is a must but if you are short on time (and have guests coming over with literally no warno), the one thing you can do to make the biggest impact on your house is clean your floors! 

Why is that?  Because believe it or not, nothing screams clean like freshly vacuumed carpets and immaculate floors!  It really livens up the whole house, like seriously. 

GOOD FLOOR CLEANING TIPS

• There’s a lot of bad information about mopping hardwood floors so just know that most homes have finished hardwood floors which means it is perfectly safe to mop your floors. 

• Wring the mop out well because too much water will lead to streaks.  Instead, plan to mop the floor twice with a damp mop to ensure it gets a good cleaning.

• Skip the “polish” at all costs!  They don’t typically mix well with most cleaners and become huge headaches down the road.  If you want your floors to be shiny, buy shiny floors or have them professionally finished. 

PRO TIP:  Corners, corners, corners!  Do not forget to clean out the corners of your floors.  Your eyes are naturally drawn to corners due to the intersecting of the lines which means, dirty corners are eye sores!  And we can’t have that!

4:  WET WIPE ALL SURFACES IN YOUR HOUSE

If you skipped taking a shower for a week and wore the same clothes every day, do you really think spraying a little perfume on will keep everyone from smelling how musty you are?  Of course not! 

If you think you’re fooling anyone into thinking your house is clean by spritzing a delectable scent into the air, well – you’re not. 

HOW TO ADD WET WIPING TO YOUR HOLIDAY CLEANING ROUTINE

• Ditch the dry towels and dusting spray.  A damp towel and your favorite all-purpose cleaner are all you need to clean furniture!   Just be sure to buff the surface with a dry towel after cleaning. 

• Wipe off your upholstered furniture on a weekly basis to keep odors from settling and to stay on top of stains.  Just mix water and your favorite detergent or cleaning agent, dip a towel into the mixture, wring it out and get to wiping!  

• Do not forget to wipe doors and ceiling fans with your favorite all-purpose cleaner.  You’ll be surprised at the scent–sational difference it’ll make throughout the house. 

 PRO TIP:  To make your house smell good, the first and most effective way is to simply clean it!  But you gotta do it right!  Wiping all of the surfaces in your house with a wet towel and all-purpose cleaner will ensure everything is actually clean, deodorized and holiday party ready!

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

5:  KEEP YOUR TOILET CLEAN & READY FOR GUESTS

With the holidays comes lots of delectable foods which also means lots of long, awkward trips to the bathroom to deal with indigestion and bubble guts.  Yikes! Having to do the #2 at someone’s house can be embarrassing but you can make your guest feel at home by spending a little extra time in the bathroom.  

HOW TO MAKE YOUR BATHROOM GUEST READY & BEYOND

• Poopouri!  It’s basically potpourri in a small spray bottle that hides the stink.  Put a bottle in your bathroom by the toilet and your guests will forever sing your praises! 

• Toilet bombs are a fun, entertaining way to clean the toilet.  Just put some in a bowl by the toilet and your guests can drop these bombs if they have evidence that needs to be cleared away. *wink * wink

• A toilet bowl brush and cleaner may be just what someone needs to handle embarrassing streaks.  Just make sure that they can be easily found in the bathroom. 

• Make sure there is a trash can in the bathroom.  And be sure that there is a liner in the trash can so there aren’t yucky messes to clean up later.

• Keep paper towel & an all-purpose cleaner or cleaning wipes under the sink.  Again, people are often eager to clean up after themselves so help them help you!   

PRO TIP: If you do this right, you will also spare yourself from having to clean unsightly messes in the bathroom after everyone leaves.  And that’s why this tip is genius!

6: CLEAN AROUND MESSY DECORATIONS

Fly-away glitter, broken snowflakes, and renegade pine needles can have your floors and surfaces looking a bit messy.  But never fear, a few simple tips will make it easy to keep things fresh and clean while ensuring your holiday vibe stays on full blast.

WHERE TO START CLEANING

• For tight spots and surfaces with messy decorations, use a lint roller to quickly remove small flecks of randomness that may be taking away from your vibe. 
• For low hanging decorations that are on the floor, take your time and lift them up to safety so that you don’t accidentally suck your decorations up when vacuuming!
• Be proactive by actively caring for your live décor.  This includes watering, dusting and checking them for problem areas.   

PRO TIP:  Don’t let decorations stop you from cleaning!  Just go around them.  A dirty house with a lot of decorations simply looks like a holiday mess!

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!

7:  MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMELL GOOD QUICKLY

Nothing spells holiday disaster like a stinky house so if you’re short on time and you know your house does not smell good, here are a few awesome hacks to make your house smell magical!

I’m always going to say that if your house stinks, the first course of business is to clean it!  But of course, if you’ve cleaned and it still stinks, it’s also a good time to put on your investigator hat! 

IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMELL GOOD QUICKLY

• There is absolutely something magical (and powerful) about the smell of coffee and it is an excellent odor eliminator, even if it is just temporary.  Brew some!

• Candles or melted wax has a way of gently warming the air with lite, yet cozy aromas.  What I love about candles is that they also create an inviting ambiance and really set the mood.

• If it’s a urine smell you can’t get rid of, try an enzyme cleaner.  Enzyme cleaners will always win in this department because they actually break down the molecules causing the odor. Vinegar works too!

• Odor eliminators are a great secret weapon to keep in your home!  You can go the DIY route with baking soda or check out some cool options on amazon like charcoal odor absorbers.

• Open a few windows to let fresh air in and bad odors out!  I actually open my windows on a daily basis because I hate stuffy air – especially during cold months.

PRO TIP:  Look around the house and check weird places to see if you can figure out where the odor(s) may be coming from.  Places and things to look for include the garbage disposal, toilets, rotten food in a cabinet or even plants. 

Bonus Holiday Cleaning Tips!

I just couldn’t let you leave without sharing just a few more cleaning tips! Consider your house beyond holiday-ready with these bad boys:

• Outside of the house needs love too! Make sure the doormat, door, porch & walkway are welcoming by making sure they are clear of debris & leaves.

• Sit where your guests will sit so that you can see what they will see. Notice dust bunnies, crumbs and random objects under furniture?

• Ceiling fans tend to get dustier during the colder months so be sure to give them a quick wipe.

• Make sure the dishwasher is empty before guests arrive. This will make cleanup a lot easier for you afterward.

• Let your guests know they should leave their shoes at the front door. This will SAVE your floors — especially carpets. Just be sure to keep the floor clean and free of spills. Wet socks suck!

• Keep stain remover handy. Especially if you plan to have a party. Need I say more?

• Give the sofa some TLC! Wipe it off using a little water and detergent and vacuum the cushions to bring them back to life.

• Light a few sweet-smelling candles to really set the mood. Aside from them making your house smell good, nothing spells warm, welcoming and cozy like candles!

The Most Popular Blog Posts This Week /

How To Clean Your House In 2-Hours

How To Clean a Very Dirty Bathtub Quickly

The Smart Girl’s Guide To A House That Stays Clean & Organized All The Time

The post 7 Super Legit Holiday House Cleaning Tips appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

In case you’re wondering if these tips and ideas will be a waste of your time, let me tell you how I know for a fact that they won’t be!

I have twin three-year-old boys and a two-year-old daughter – that means we’ve been knee-deep in poo diapers and potty training misfires for the past 3 years. *lol* Yet anytime I have guests, one of the first compliments I receive is “Wow, I did not expect your house to smell soo, not like children…what’s going on here?” That’s how you know these tips work!

 1 // Clean Out The Fridge 

We’ve all opened the fridge door and had to ask “what is that smell!”  Unfortunately, that terrible smell is released into the air each time the fridge is opened which is no bueno. 

As a rule of thumb, anything more than 10 days old needs to go straight into the trash can. Be sure to wash the shelves off with your favorite dish detergent or all-purpose cleaner.  Use airtight containers with foods that “stink!” And please wash those bins out regularly.

Prevent The Fridge From Stinking // Utopia Kitchen Glass Tupperware + Super Popular Hinged Glass Tupperware + Better Than Baking Soda Fridge Deoderizer

2 // Use Baking Soda

It’s a powerful odor absorber and ridiculously affordable.   While most of us grew up seeing a box of baking soda in the fridge, it is great for cleaning and absorbing odors all over the house! I actually didn’t start using baking soda to deodorize until around 2016 – when my twins were born and I had a constant flow of poo diapers! *lol* I have not looked back since and use it as my go-to odor buster!

Here are a few ways to use it. Pour some into the garbage disposal and let it sit overnight. Sprinkle a bit onto carpets prior to vacuuming to deodorize the room. Add baking soda to your washing machine when washing stinky laundry to give your detergent an odor-fighting boost!

Purchasing Tip // I get my baking soda from Sams – they have the hands-down best price on this stuff!

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!

 3 // Keep Small Amounts Of Fresh Produce On-Hand

If you want your home to smell enchantingly fresh, trust me on this one.  Keep an eye on your fresh produce. Once these items go bad, the smell can be off-putting to put it mildly. Try to buy as much fruits & veggies that you’ll need for a week – not enough for two or three weeks. That way you can have a chance to eat it all before it has the chance to go bad.

In general, make sure to keep fruits and vegetables where you can see them.  One time, I placed potatoes in a cabinet and completely forgot about them. Two months later, my entire family searched our house for an assumed dead animal–it was the potatoes.  *smh*

Check Out These 5-Star Gas Absorbers // Produce Preserver Packets + Bluapple Produce Saver + Veggie Life Extender

4 // Clean Upholstery More Often

Believe it or not, upholstered furniture and fabric hold on to odors.  Think of things like your sofas, snuggle blankets and curtains. Luckily, most of these items can go into the washing machine.  And anything else can be wiped off using your favorite cleaner and water.

I like to get a warm, damp towel, lightly spray it with a cleaner, and wipe my sofas off on a daily basis. I have small children so yes, daily *lol*

Noteworthy, Natural Upholstery Cleaners // Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner + Huntson Stain & Odor Remover + Saving Grace Carpet & Upholstery Deoderizer

5 // Keep The Bathroom Fresh

Yep, you read that right.  While the entire house needs to be cleaned regularly, keeping the bathroom clean will go a long way towards making your house smell clean.  (Afterall, a lot of smelly things go on there.) 

Easy Ways To Keep The Bathroom Smelling Fresh

• Scrub the toilet bowl daily. Then make things smell amazing by pouring a bit of your favorite all-purpose cleaner into the toilet bowl.

• Wash the bathroom rugs every two weeks or at least monthly. If you have fabric curtains throw them in there too!

• Get rid of any urine odors with vinegar. Just spray, let it sit 20-30 minutes and then wipe!

• Let’s get very personal for a sec. If it’s that time of the month *ladies* make sure your sanitary items are wrapped up tightly and disposed of daily! The blood being exposed to air is what causes that funky odor.

Here Are Things I Love For The Bathroom // Poo-pouri + Dawn & Vinegar For Cleaning + Dried Lavender Flower Buds

6 // Keep Air Moving

Walk into a house that’s been closed up for a while and the first thing you want to do is get some fresh air inside the place! Make sure you are allowing your house to breathe so that terrible smells are not trapped inside. Thankfully, it’s way too easy to keep the air moving in your house!

Run the air conditioner. Open the windows daily. Turn your ceiling fans on. Or get fancy & buy an air purifier! I don’t have one yet, but I’m doing my research right now. They remove allergens from the air including pet dander as well as odor so I’m really interested in getting one. I’ll link to the three I’m looking at & will give an update later once I purchase one.

Top Rated Air Purifiers On My Wishlist // PureZone Air Purifier + Dyson Pure + Alen BreatheSmart Flex

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!

7 // Keep Your Trashcan Clean

Trash cans are a major source of odor so aside from taking out the trash every day, be sure to clean those bad boys regularly.  The inner linings of most are plastic which means they hold on to odors. Rinse out the inside regularly or just replace your trash can if you feel like it is beyond saving.

I used to use odor absorbers in the boys’ nursery, our trash cans and in diaper pails throughout our house. Basically, the fragrance was kind of strong at first but would disappear in about 24 hours if I’m not mistaken. From there, I’d smell nothing. No fragrance & more importantly, no lingering poo smells from all those diapers.

You may want to toss a few into your trash can if you have a lot of smelly items going into your trashcan.

A Natural Odor Absorber Worth Looking Into // Bamboo Charcol Odor Absorbers + Fresh Wave Odor Absorbers

8 // Get Rid Of Pee Odors

My twin boys are 3 and my daughter is 2 which means we have potty training issues – like lingering “pee” smells. I use vinegar since it’s nature’s enzyme cleaner and I must say it works just like store-bought products. I wash the potty with vinegar and dawn every 2-3 days and clean up pee spills with vinegar in a spray bottle.

If you want something store-bought, get an enzyme cleaner specifically for urine odors. Regular household cleaners don’t have the enzymes needed to break down urine molecules that cause odors. I almost forgot to mention if you go the vinegar route, spray it on the area, let it sit for 20-30 minutes & then clean the area.

Products You May Want To Check Out To Get Rid Of Urine Odors // Nature’s Miracle + Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Remover + Vinegar, Water & A Spray Bottle

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ //  How To Clean Your House In 2 Hours (Or Just Super Fast!)  Perfect for people that ironically, never have time to clean!

9 // Clean Your House

While this isn’t the most clever or glamorous hack, it is the single most effective thing you can do to get rid of odors. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed by this one but trust me! If you are not regularly cleaning your home, thick, unpleasant odors are to be expected.  

If you could literally only clean three things to make your house smell good, I’d say clean your floors, the kitchen sink including the garbage disposal and the toilet bowl. Oh, and if you’ll let me sneak one more thing in there, take out the trash! *lol* But let’s get one thing straight – you need to be cleaning the whole house for it to smell clean!

My Favorite Delicious Smelling Cleaning Supplies // Almond Scented Wood Cleaner + Mrs. Meyers Lavender All-Purpose Cleaner

10 // Add Drops Of Essential Oil To Air Filters

All of the air in your home passes through an air filter. It’s the perfect place to infuse something that smells wonderful that’ll cover the entire house. As with everything, quality counts!

I used to sell oil diffuser jewelry and from that venture, I can tell you that not all essential oils are created equal. Avoid the knock off department store essential oils and use one with zero fillers or additives.

Crowd-Pleasing Essential Oil Brands // Natrogix Bliss Oils + Cliganic Essential Oils + DoTerra Essential Oils

11 // Use Essential Oil Diffusers

Ok so if you have never tried an essential oil diffuser you have to put it on your bucket list! You just fill it with water, pour a few drops of essential oil in, and turn it on. Then sit back, relax and let the scent carry you away! You can use one essential oil or try a recipe to make all sorts of tantalizing aromas – the possibilities are absolutely endless.

Amazon’s Top Pick For Oil Diffusers // Beautiful Bamboo Oil Diffuser

12 // DIY Fabric Refresher Spray

If you don’t have a diffuser, here is another quick and easy way to improve the smells in your home with essential oils. Lavender is a natural choice because of it’s calming properties, but citrus oils like lemon, tangerine, sweet orange, and grapefruit are a great way to get a natural energy boost! This tip courtesy of One Good Thing!

A Fabric Refresher Recipe // Spray Bottle + Water + A Bit Of Baking Soda + Essential Oils // Shake Well, Spray & Enjoy!

13 // Scentsational Stovetop Simmers

If you want that “magical” smell in your house, try this! I’ve personally tried a few random recipes that and boy oh boy did they deliver. For a stovetop simmer, all you need are a pot, water and herbs (or just things that smell good lol).

Use This Amazing Aroma Recipe Inspired By William & Sonoma // Rachel Shultz’s Homemaking Blog.

14 // Natural Odor Eliminating Spray

If you want something that’s not a DIY, yet non-toxic and without harsh smells, you may want to try Fresh Wave odor eliminating spray. It does smell strong at first, it’s plant-based so it smells a bit “natural”, but it will disappear leaving nothing but fresh air. Personally, I like their pods but a spray is a great option. if you want something different.

A Fan Favorite Odor Eliminating Spray // Fresh Wave

15 // Candles Are King

Nothing can transform a room like candles! The soft glow really sets a relaxing mood but the drool-worthy scents you can choose from are absolutely endless. Technically, you can throw wax melts into the mix too since they are basically just candles without a wick!

When I am cooking, I like to use candles in the kitchen to keep the house from smelling like “food”. The wonderful thing about candles is they work fast! If you have guests coming over with little to no notice, whip out the candles and hide the clutter!

Drool-Worthy Candles Brand That I LOVE // Lulu Candles! + Soft Glow Wax Warmer + Farm Raised Wax Melts

A Few More Tips You May Find Useful To Make Your House Smell Amazing //

• Deodorize the whole house. Mopping floors is something everyone hates but it is the one chore that can make the entire house smell amazing!

• Spray and wipe all of your doors – this is something I teach my staff to make sure you smell “freshness” as you walk throughout the house.

• If even after thoroughly cleaning you still smell bad odors, the next move should be to clean or replace the carpets, wash walls and clean your vents.

• To get rid of pet smell, use all the tricks above. In addition, wipe off your pet’s paws when they come back inside, dry them as much as possible when they get wet, and wash everything they touch at least weekly!

Quick Recap //

If your house stinks, simply spraying air freshener will not help at all. Here’s a quick recap of the things to do and things to get to make your house smell somewhere between good and amazing!

1 | Clean Out The Fridge

2| Use Baking Soda

3 | Get Rid Of Rotten Fruit

4 | Clean Upholstery

5 | Keep The Bathroom Clean

6 | Keep Air Moving

7 | Clean Trash Cans Regularly

8 | Get Rid Of Pee Odors

9 | Clean Your House

10 | Add Essential Oils To Air Filters

11 | Use Essential Oil Diffusers

12 | Try DIY Fabric Refresher Sprays

13 | Make Stovetop Simmers

14 | Use A Natural Odor Eliminating Spray

15 | Candles Are Scentsational

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 Make your house smell good naturally with these fabulous (and cheap) ideas! appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

There is an overwhelming amount of tips and hacks online to help you figure out how to clean and organize your house. Unfortunately, it’s tough to find tips that are actually useful and practical — and for real people, looking for long term results. So let’s cut to the chase — if you’re ready to learn the things you need to have to have a clean and organized house while working full time, keep reading!

But I need to share one thing with you. I am not sharing cookie-cutter cleaning tips. I don’t think they are effective. Consider these cleaning and organizing tips below as lifestyle changes you’ll need to make. To take your home from soul-draining to a place of eternal bliss — and keep it that way most of the time — you need to think long term.

So let’s go, a few simple things you can do to have a clean and organized house all the time!

 1. LIVE BY THE TOUCH RULE

It does not matter whether you need to clean and organize your entire house or just a pantry.  There are always going to be things that are simply out of place – and you need to handle that if you want your house to stay clean and organized. This is where you need The Touch Rule

What’s The Touch Rule? Well, it’s actually deceptively simple. Whatever you touch, you put away. Like all the way away. When you walk into the house, instead of dropping your jacket on the couch, you hang it up. You put the mail in the mail spot & put your shoes wherever they go. You put everything you touched away. Simple right?

Kind of like decluttering except it’s not a big project. The Touch Rule is more of a lifestyle habit – something you just do. When you touch something where should it go? Don’t overthink it.

Now with all that being said, if you want a step-by-step guide to declutter your entire house, read my post, How to Declutter Your House – The Smart Way!

2. GET LAUNDRY UNDER CONTROL WITH *THESE* HACKS

Laundry is a headache for most people I know. The most common thing I hear is that there’s just too much of it to handle!  Keeping laundry managed is an often overlooked part of keeping a clean and organized home. But if you can keep the laundry managed, you can keep the entire house under control!

Think about how messy huge mountains of clothing look. How much of your time does it take to get the laundry under control? Do you ever get it under control? Let’s solve this problem once & for all with simple laundry hacks.

START HERE TO STAY ON TOP OF LAUNDRY

• I personally do one load of laundry a day. One load a day is very manageable for even the busiest people.

• Have a spare laundry basket ready for items that need to be “washed now.”  Think your workout clothing, the kids’ team uniforms or super soiled clothing in general.

• Your jeans really don’t need to be washed after every wear.  Unless they are terribly smelly, spray them with a fabric refresher (I LOVE the Love + Home + Planet brand!) & hang them up – you can get at least 2-3 wears between washes.  

• Another item that can be used a few times before washing – bath towels!  You can use those 3-5 days before swapping them out for a new one. Oh and keep a separate basket for towels too!

• Wash all of your clothes together! That’s right, I’m telling you not to sort your clothes. You can only do this with special types of laundry color catchers but it can be done! This will save you so much time!

• Drastically cut down on your laundry time by using dryer balls! This is my favorite hack because it saves me time and money but helping my clothes dry so much faster. I alternate between tennis balls and these wool dryer balls to get the job done.

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!

 3. EASILY HAVE A CLEAN AND ORGANIZED HOUSE BY EMBRACING MINIMALISM

The true spirit of minimalism is simply having items that bring value to your life & discarding what no longer serves a purpose in your life.  Yes, you can still get the crazy Harry Potter mug – you just don’t need twenty! Basically, stop filling your house with junk & useless items!

I like to think of minimalism in terms of buying behavior. I used a minimalistic approach to help me curb my impulsive buying when it came to beauty products. Now, instead of buying whatever catches my eye on a whim, I only buy a new product once I’m officially done with my current one. Can this approach help you too?

The other side of minimalism, kinda like decluttering, is making sure you’re getting rid of things you’ve outgrown. By doing this, your house is always a current reflection of where you are in life. Less junk makes for a cleaner, easily organized house – minimalism for the win!

CRAFT THE RIGHT MINDSET ABOUT YOUR HOUSE

Make your home look the way you want it to look. You see the drool-worthy pictures of other people’s homes on social media – so why not recreate that look for yourself? Cute decor is everywhere at all price points. Make your home loveable & you’ll definitely be motivated to keep your baby clean and organized!

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. 

 4. CLEAN YOUR HOUSE WITH PRODUCTS YOU’LL ENJOY USING

If you hate cleaning, this is huge! Having nice tools will certainly make the tasks wildly – ok maybe just noticeably more – enjoyable! Spend a few extra dollars on a better vacuum or just some decent cleaning towels & you’ll see what I mean.

PURCHASING POINTERS

• Your floor tools, including your vacuum, broom and/or mops, should be able to bring a smile to your face.  Splurge a little and you won’t regret it. Never buy the cheapest! And always buy wide, XL or long floor mops or brooms — doing so will speed up your floor cleaning time.

• There are a lot of great non-toxic cleaners available. Something about using natural cleaners makes me feel good inside. I actually love Method and Mrs. Meyer’s all-purpose & wood cleaning products!

• The Shark vs Dyson debate has a clear answer – in my humble opinion.  If your home is mostly carpeted, get a Shark.  If it’s mostly hardwoods, get a Dyson.  Just be sure to shop around because prices for these bad boys vary wildly from store to store.     

• Get inspiration for how you are going to organize certain areas before purchasing containers. Make whatever area you want to organize beautiful by buying pieces or sets that are complementary to your home and current decor. Large baskets always come in handy!

CREATE AN 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 + tile & grout brush + vacuum

5. FOLLOW A SIMPLE CLEANING SCHEDULE FOR A CLEANER HOUSE

Remember, the key to having a clean and organized house is building good habits. Following routines are the intentional way to do that – basically, you’re setting aside time to do something over and over again until eventually, it becomes a habit.

Set aside 30 minutes a day to clean something in the house. Set aside 30 minutes a day to make sure everything is still organized in a particular area of the house – like your desk. Mine get’s crazy so I have to stay on top of it!

Just remember that you’ll need to perform the routine quite frequently in order for it to really “stick” and become natural. 

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

MAKING CLEANING ROUTINES WORK FOR YOU

• When following a routine, try it as-is a few times and see how everything flows.  From there, mold and tweak that routine until it’s a perfect fit for you!

• Don’t overload yourself with too many routines at once!  In your quest to get your house (life) together, take it one step or routine at a time.  If you take on too much, you’ll run the risk of not making any of your routines stick or worse, abandoning all the routines and making zero progress.  

And if you work from home, creating a cleaning routine that works with how you work can be an anxiety-inducing challenge. Luckily, our friends at Redfin gathered some home organizing & lifestyle experts, including moi, to dish out some much-needed advice on how to keep your home office clean – or just under control. (Yes, it can be done even if you’re a workaholic!)

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!

6. BUY FURNITURE THAT IS FUNCTIONAL TO KEEP YOUR HOME ORGANIZED

It’s a great idea to buy furniture that doubles as storage, but I want to give you a word of caution.  Sometimes, having too many storage options can turn into trouble so just make sure you’re storing items that add value to your life and not junk.

However, if you approach this wisely, it is a great way to keep items in your home neat, tidy & organized. Below are four ideas for furniture & decor that are both beautiful & functional!

• Storage benches and ottomans are an absolute must-have.  Luckily there are plenty of trendy options available which means you can really have fun with these options & use them anywhere in the house!

• Storage baskets — I truly can’t live without baskets! They are in every single room of my home. Big, small, short, tall – they are the secret weapon to creating a more organized home. When in doubt about where something should go, drop it into a basket!

• Clear containers are also huge for organizing. If you’re like me and have a hundred pairs of shoes, clear containers are heaven sent! Wait, I also use clear containers in my pantry & bathroom cabinets. Ok, so I stand corrected – clear containers are life-changing!

 7. PREP WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE TIDY

To keep a clean & organized house requires time. If you’re not organized – I’m talking about your life here – you probably feel like you never have enough time to do anything, but you do.

HERE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN PREP TO HELP BALANCE WORK + LIFE + HOME FOR BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT

Getting outfits ready for the week, meal prepping, gathering everything you’ll need in the morning at night and planning out your days more precisely with time blocking are excellent ways to prep. Doing these things give you more time to balance work, life & home which is absolutely necessary for a clean house.

 8. PREVENT & TREAT STAINS ASAP WITH A STAIN REMOVER

No matter how clean or messy your house is, stains will always stick out like a sore thumb!  The next time you get a stain on your shirt, sofa, carpet or where ever, be ready by always having a stain remover ready to grab.  Stains scream dirty so let’s make sure we don’t let stains hang around! 

PRO TIP | PREVENT STAINS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN

• Do yourself a huge favor and pretreat upholstered furniture in the home with a stain repellant so that stains don’t get a chance to set in!  The application process is usually pretty straightforward and will greatly extend the life of your furniture or carpets.  A mega win in my book!

• Here is a great, 5-star option for a stain guard product that you may want to take a look at called Trinova Stain Guard from Amazon. I have three kids running around so this or a little 3M is always close by.

9. HOUSE RULES CAN HELP YOU CREATE A CLEAN & ORGANIZED HOUSE

Your home is your castle, but that doesn’t mean you can live without order your majesty!  If your house is unorganized and dirty, you can easily get it cleaned once you know where to start.  But in order to keep it clean and organized, you’re going to need to set some rules! 

A FEW GOOD HOUSE RULES TO HELP KEEP THE HOUSE CLEAN

The people you see that have seemingly perfect homes don’t get them by wishing for them – they work for it but it’s easier to do than you think!  Here are a few good rules to follow:

• Keep shoes at the door to help cut down on dirt and grime tracked throughout the house.

• Limit eating & drinking to designated areas. This cuts down on the chance of stains and other avoidable messes.

• Make your mornings easier by making sure dishes are placed in the dishwasher or hand washed every evening before going to bed.

• Personal items in common areas at the end of the day is a no-no. Take your crap to your room.

• Toys are a pain to clean up so limit them to bedrooms or toy rooms. And make sure your kids get into the habit of picking up after themselves.

10. LET’S GO LABEL CRAZY

Creating new habits to create a clean & organized house is exciting & fun – until you get busy, start to forget, lose enthusiasm, forget it was even a goal, and then wake up one day with the goal to get your house clean & organized once and for all – again lol.

Regardless of what anyone else says, the #1 key to keeping a clean and organized house is labels – oh and signs too.

WHY YOU NEED LABELS ASAP

When you see that label, not only will it stop you from dropping an item in the wrong place, you’re going to want to find the perfect home for it. Thus a spot will be picked & a new label will be created just for that item.

If you want to get in the habit of turning on the dishwasher every evening at 7pm, make a sign & plaster it everywhere. Want to get into the habit of making the bed every morning? Make signs & you guessed it – plaster them everywhere! Labels and signs are powerful hacks that will help you keep your house clean & organized all the time.

IDEAS FOR USING LABELS & SIGNS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN & ORGANIZED

Use a paint pen to quickly & easily label containers – this is so cute!

Easily recreate this super cute look even if you’re short on time! All you need are: Paint Pens + Glass Jars With Airtight Lids!

Who would think that one of the wildest places in the house, the linen closet, could be tamed with chalkboard labels + baskets!

This is a fabulous example of doing more with less! You don’t need a ton of baskets & containers to tame your wild spaces. To pull off a look this look, all you need are chalkboard labels + small square baskets + large square baskets + a hamper + an over the door hook!

If you want an idea of how to use signs, boom! Create attention-getting signs anywhere in the house with chalkboard or dry erase boards.

What I love about chalkboard signs is that they go with almost any decor & they have a way of making your house really feel like home. If you want to recreate this look you can try chalkboard paper so that you turn any surface into a sign or just grab a chalkboard sign – oh, and don’t forget to get chalk markers!

Top 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.

Top Blog Posts This Week!

How to Deep Clean A Bathroom Super Fast

How to Clean A Very Dirty Bedroom in 7-Steps

The Fail-Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms

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 How To Keep Your House Clean & Organized Working Full Time appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

Moving your kid into a dorm room can be both exciting & scary. You spend so much time looking for the perfect color scheme & essential decor to create a haven that will become their new home away from home.

But guess what?

You’re probably still forgetting a few very important little things that they will need to keep their space somewhat sanitary. Even if they have a slob for a roommate (worst case scenario) — these items are legit must-haves that will solidify your status as the greatest parent of all time!

Dorm Room Essentials List

1. Odor Absorber

Life can get a little smelly from time to time. Try a great odor eliminator to keep foul odors at bay. But when shopping for an odor eliminator, you may want to choose an unscented option to make sure no one will be bothered by heavy fragrances or scents.

A few of our favorites include baking soda or these beautifully packaged charcoal odor removing bags. What else is great about these bad boys is that they can used in gym bags, laundry hampers, cars and even the fridge!

Things To Remember

• Buy several units of whatever product you decide to try or set up an Amazon subscription. Odor eliminators typically only last 1-2 months depending on the product chosen so you’ll want to have plenty on hand.
• Set up a reminder on your phone to let you know when it’s time to change out the odor absorber. Let’s face it, with so much going on who’s going to remember to change that out in a month or two?

2. Continuous Clean Shower Spray

Why? Let’s face it, what’s the likelihood that the shower will be cleaned regularly in the dorm room? Zero. This one is a no brainer. A good continuous shower cleaner will repel soap scum and water stains making clean-up effortless.

Before you get any bright ideas, remember that these products extend the time between cleanings — the shower still needs to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Related: How To Clean Your Bathroom Fast!

3. Cleaning Wipes

Life in college means everything will be done on-the-go — including cleaning. Keep something on hand that’s easily accessible and disposable. Having these bad boys around will make quick clean ups easier than ever!

My Personal Favorite

I actually LOVE Method cleaning products simply because they do not contain harmful toxins and more importantly, they actually work!

4. Poo Poo Odor Eliminator

If you’re living by yourself, you have nothing to worry about but when sharing a space, doing the #2 in private can be challenging!

I’ve been a huge fan of this stuff for a long time and can honestly say it works like a dream! In a dorm room, a little bit of this stuff will definitely go a long way!

5. Swap Bar Soap for Liquid

Bar soap equals a ton of soap scum so let’s prevent the problem altogether and stick to liquid bath soap. Wait a minute, let me back track — I went a little hard there.

Honestly, I do love a good sweet smelling bar of soap. So how about we simply cut back on our bar soap usage, to help extend time between cleanings… That sounds fair right?

6. Hair Catcher For The Shower

We all know what happens when hair gets caught in the shower drain…the dreaded (and disgusting) slow drain. Let’s prevent that with a hair catcher. And it’s a good idea to keep some draino on hand so that you don’t have to wait on maintenance to (never) show up and unclog the drain.

7. Keep Laundry From Stinking

So this is a tricky one, but in small spaces, it’s important to keep laundry odors from stinking up the whole place! A few little tricks you can do include simple things like:

• Skip the basket and take musty clothing straight to the washing machine. No need to let stinky clothing marinate.
• Use a fabric refresher to spray the dirty laundry sitting in the basket to keep odors from getting loud in-between laundry days.
• If you have a cloth laundry hamper, for the love of God, wash that thing!

8. Keep Plasticware On Hand

Ok, before you get on me about how this is wasteful, let me say I completely agree! However, coming from a place of practicality and reality, the likelihood of college students washing their dishes after each meal is very iffy.

Save them the hassle by making sure there is a nice supply of disposable plates and utensils on hand.

9. Gloves

Often overlooked but sooooo important. Speaking from experience, I’ll clean anything as long as I have a pair of gloves on hand. Keep gloves around to make sure yucky messes still get the attention they need.

10. White Board For The Fridge

Essentially your kid and their roommate will need to discuss chores and a whiteboard in a common space is a great way to keep track of everything. Heck, a whiteboard is essential to life in college so don’t get one — get as many as you can!

The post 10 Dorm Room Essentials For Keeping Things Fresh & Clean – The Items No One Mentions appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR DIRTY BATHROOM FAST & KEEP IT CLEAN

Take care of her and she will take care of you. But if you don’t clean her from top to bottom on a regular basis, she will make you pay for it ten times over! Yep, I’m talking about your vindictive, dirty bathroom!

But I know how it is. You want to keep your bathroom clean but you’re already busy enough & it’s going to take you forever to do it. You simply don’t have that kind of time. Lucky for you, you’re in the right spot!

I’m going to show you how to clean your bathroom quickly (even if it’s disgusting) and prevent it from ever becoming a nightmare again!  It’s how I clean my bathroom at home & how I train my staff to clean.

And believe me, what I’m about to show you works in even the most disgusting bathrooms so you should be good to go after this!

STEP 1 | GET THE RIGHT BATHROOM CLEANING SUPPLIES

Before we do anything, we need to have the right tools so that we can clean the bathroom easily and quickly!  Not having the right cleaning products and materials is what turns a one-hour job into a three-hour job – and we ain’t got time for that!

I’m sure you’ve got most of the items below at home so feel so it should be fairly easy for you to buy or make whatever may be missing. But I seriously encourage you to make substitutions as you see fit!

Let’s use this list to make the perfect bathroom cleaning caddy!

MUST-HAVE CLEANING TOOLS, PRODUCTS & MATERIALS : 

• Cleaning Towels | Paper towel & microfiber towels clean & dry surfaces

• Scour Sponges | Use these to effortlessly scrub the shower, tub, counters & sink

• All-Purpose Cleaner | Try the Meyers & Method brand if you don’t have one you love

• Glass Cleaner | Glass towels are actually my secret to streak-free mirrors – just use water

• Soft Cleanser Or Pumice Stone | Use these for a quick & non-toxic way to remove toilet bowl rings & stains

• Mold & Milder Stain Remover | Try this brand for a low-odor, no scrub option but be sure to follow the instructions

• Small Trash Can Liners | Buy these babies online & in bulk instead of in the grocery store to save serious cash

• One Large Cup | For rinsing shower walls and surfaces

• Toilet Bowl Brush

• Vacuum Cleaner Or Broom  | I always recommend Shark vacuums for the entire house

• Mop & Bucket

• Caddy | Use one like this or temporarily substitute with a mop bucket or basket if you don’t have one

• Gloves | I’ve never found lasting glove so I use these disposable ones.

This next list of products has cleaning products & tools that are fantastic because using them will save you even more time when cleaning than if you just used the items above. If I could only recommend one item from this list, it would be the apron. Seriously.

OPTIONAL CLEANING PRODUCTS & TOOLS THAT REALLY CUT DOWN YOUR BATHROOM CLEANING TIME

• Apron | I seriously can’t clean without one – everything you need is right there which means no more wasted time going back and forth for products. Check out the one my staff uses here.

• Dawn & Vinegar Mix: 50:50 | It’s super effective for soap scum and cleaning dirty bathroom surfaces without scrubbing. Yeh, it stinks but the smells goes away pretty quickly. It’s a personal favorite of mine!

• Mold & Mildew Inhibitor | It will cut down on mold & mildew growth which will save you mega time on future cleanings.

• Have Tile & Grout? | Get an actual grout brush or use a medium or hard toothbrush for cleaning grout. A grout sealer is also a good idea.

• Heavy Soap Scum On Your Glass Shower Door? | Use a window scraper or razor blade to quickly scrape all the scum away instead of having to use lots of elbow grease.

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

STEP TWO | USE A BATHROOM CLEANING ROUTINE

FOLLOW A BATHROOM CLEANING ROUTINE AND STICK TO IT

Why you should follow a cleaning routine

The more you do something, the better (and faster) you’ll get.  It’s like a law of the universe – kinda – that works in your favor even when it comes to cleaning!

Personally, I can clean a bathroom (clean or crazy dirty) super-fast!  Like mind-blowingly fast and I’m not exaggerating. And “no” I’m not using fairy dust!

What’s my secret?  I have a routine that I use no matter what.  That’s what gets me in and out so fast!   I always know exactly where to start and there is mega power in that. 

How to make your cleaning routine work for you

Just keep the routine short & simple in the beginning so that you have room to build on it over time. And then follow the routine over & over again for a few months so that eventually it becomes a habit and not feel so much like a chore!

Remember the following when cleaning the bathroom or any room

I’m also sure you’ve already heard the general rules to cleaning but here they are again as a friendly reminder:

• Work from top to bottom
• Work from left to right (or in a circle)

But I’m going to add one important rule that will supercharge your cleaning routine by saving you lots of time and unnecessary scrubbing…

Always pretreat tough areas before you clean anything!

Most products actually need a few minutes to sit and work on build-up which translates into less elbow grease & effort from you.  And trust me when I say this is the ultimate time-saving hack!  

How to pretreat your bathroom

From now on, step one of your cleaning routine is to search for soap scum build-up or stains in the bathroom.  When you find them, spray them with the appropriate cleaner – then go clean something else. 

Let the product dwell. When you do this, you’re letting it do the heavy lifting for you.  Most products actually need 5-15 minutes of dwell time per the instructions.  Once the time is up, you can begin scrubbing or wiping as usual. That’s it! Easy right? 

And to clean your bathroom really fast, use a timer!

You want to clean the bathroom fast, but how long should it take you? The quick answer is, it’s up to you. If you currently take 2-hours to clean it but want to reduce your time to 1-hour, you need to track your cleaning time.

Set a timer for the amount of time you think it should take you to clean the bathroom. Then clean as usual (or start with your new routine), but be sure to check the timer from time to time to see how you’re doing.

And this is where the magic starts! Using a timer is a powerful hack because it puts pressure on you to move and keeps you laser-focused. Those two powers combined put you into pure Wonder Woman mode!

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!

STEP THREE | CLEAN AT LEAST ONE THING IN YOUR BATHROOM EVERY DAY

MINI-CLEAN THE BATHROOM EVERYDAY

What is mini-cleaning? 

It’s any cleaning you can accomplish in a few minutes – wiping out the sink, cleaning the mirror or even cleaning the toilet can be considered mini-cleaning.  

Why should you clean at least one thing in the bathroom everyday? 

Because cleaning a little each day will keep your bathroom from becoming a freak show! It’ll stay in a constant state of fresh and clean!  Doing this will save you from having to spend hours cleaning a dirty bathroom. 

Some ideas of what to clean in your bathroom when you’re just mini-cleaning…

When you have a little time, just choose one or two things off the list below to clean! Remember you only need 5-30 minutes a day to make a big difference in your bathroom.

• No more towels left on the floors or on the sinks.  If it needs to be washed, place it in a hamper, otherwise hang it up.

• Clean the toilet. A lot goes on in this spot – it only takes 10 seconds to scrub away any evidence you were ever there. 

• Keep cleaning products in the shower. That way you can easily spray and wipe down surfaces when you hop in or on your way out!

• Keep a small vacuum cleaner close by to remove hair off the floor but here’s a mega tip – vacuum the hair before you get into the shower or get the floor wet.  Wet hair is almost impossible to clean up! 

• Pay your bath mats some attention. Shake them out regularly, vacuum them if possible and wash them when needed.

• Declutter the bathroom by getting rid of old, expired make-up and other products. Plus, you get a chance to take inventory of what you have and I’ll bet you have some great anti-wrinkle creams that have been hidden in the back of your drawer!

• Take out the trash. Try to remember to keep extra liners in the trash so that you don’t have to waste time looking for a liner the next time it gets emptied.
  

• Prevent mold and mildew from growing in your shower. Clean as you go & wipe surfaces like glass doors dry before you step out of the shower.  Or spray a mold inhibitor in the shower as needed.

• 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.

Let’s Wrap Up

To clean your dirty bathroom really fast and keep it clean you simply need to do the following:

• Make sure you have the right cleaning products and tools for the job. Not having the right products will definitely slow you down.
• Use a bathroom cleaning routine – and don’t forget to use a timer – to drastically slash your cleaning time.
• Microclean daily – spend a few minutes cleaning different areas in the bathroom to keep it surprisingly clean almost all the time!

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 How To Deep Clean Your Dirty Bathroom Fast (And Keep It Clean) 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!

The post The Neverending List Of Easy Ways To Keep Your House appeared first on 🙌 House Cleaning Service In Columbia, SC | The Cleaning Club.