We all spend more time cleaning than we want to, and when you add in work, dinner, homework, and afterschool activities, life gets down right messy and, way too often, dirty.
And yet the trick to maintaining a clean and organized home is not to work harder, but smarter. Not quite sold on that idea?
Well, check out these five proven effective cleaning shortcuts, and soon you might be whistling while you work (around the house) too!
Break up the tasks:
Instead of writing “clean kitchen” on your to-do list, break up the task into smaller steps. For example: “Empty dishwasher,” “wipe down stove top,” “clean the microwave,” and “sweep floor”. This not only gives you a greater sense of accomplishment as you complete each task, but also makes it easier for others in the house to help out. When you write out each step your expectations are clear to everyone, and can easily be delegated to others.
Keep cleaning tools handy:
Quick cleaning becomes more doable when you don’t have to walk all over your house for supplies. Instead, keep cleaning supplies handy for each task. For example, while the kids are in the bath, grab the cleaner under the sink and give everything a quick spray. While you’re waiting for water to boil on the stove, grab a sponge and wipe down the counter.
Use a basket:
Ever start cleaning the living room, find a pair of shoes that belong in a bedroom, and end up cleaning the bedroom instead? Try using the basket trick! As you clean up the room, place all the items belonging to one family member inside its own dedicated basket. Then it’s their job to return the basket and its contents to their rightful places while you stay focused on, in this case, the living room.
Clean as you go:
Most people save deep cleaning for when company is coming, holidays, or spring cleaning. By then the to do list is long, overwhelming, and only adds to the stress level around the house. It’s much easier to clean regularly when the opportunity arises. Are you already on your belly looking for a lost toy under the couch? Grab the broom, and sweep under the floor while you’re there. Only use your food processor or other small appliance a few times a year? Be sure that it returns to the closet with the cord wiped down, and all parts cleaned.
Make it fun:
Put on music and make household cleaning a game! A great clean up game for kids is to make a race to put away everything in their respective piles the fastest. That’s less work for you, and they’re having so much fun they don’t even realize they’re helping out. Talk about the ultimate win-win.
More frequent and organized cleaning also leads to faster detection of plumbing leaks. Let’s say, for example, this is your designated week for vacuuming and dusting behind your refrigerator. But once you pull it away from the wall, you notice a small pool of water. Or maybe black mold spots on the wall that were previously blocked by the fridge. Those are two pretty clear signs of a water leak, and those need to be taken care of pronto to avoid further loss of water and even greater damage to your home.
Anytime you spot signs of water where there shouldn’t be any, contact Eagle Service Company for a fast response, expert leak detection, and the right remedial solution. Eagle Service Company: for all your home plumbing needs.
