We all know how it feels.
You finally get the time to deep clean the house. It’s spotless. You’re exhausted.
Of course, it feels incredible. The peace of mind that pours out of an organized house leaves you buzzing. The beauty of it makes you proud. It’s right around this time we tell ourselves, “I should really do this more often.”
And then, in complete defiance of the voice in our heads, the days start to pile on. Then come the weeks. Chaos creeps in to chisel away at your hard earned peace of mind, and the pride drifts away like a lowering tide.
Here’s the problem: We tend to view cleaning the house as a monumental task. So naturally, we put it off until we reach a boiling point. We then pour a ton of energy into cleaning up, relish in a brief victory, and almost immediately forget about until the cycle repeats.
Here’s a solution: Try to drop the “feast or famine” approach to cleaning. Small, smart efforts every day can add up to one giant cleaning session, but without the hassle. Without the ups and downs.
So here we go – these are a few of those small efforts for you to consider:
One Room > The Entire House
Rather than trying to tackle the entire house in one fell swoop, break it down into smaller tasks. In other words, rooms.
If you commit to cleaning up just one room every couple days, it won’t be long until your whole house is immaculate. This cycle is much less intimidating than dreadfully waiting for the big cleaning day. And for most, it’s perfectly reasonable to find time during even a busy week to clean up one room.
Try it out. Pick a room, and spend a little time on it. Then relax, wait a day or two, and go after another room. The best thing about this process is that it’s something you can almost effortlessly incorporate into life’s other demands.
Clean as You Go
A great way to avoid mess buildup in the first place is to prioritize tidying things up as you go about your life. If you cleaned up each mess as it was made, it would take a very long time for the house to look completely unkempt.
The best example is the kitchen. While you’ll still need the occasional deep clean, getting things back in order after you cook or eat will buy you plenty of time.
Get Rid of Clutter
Often, we lose sight of what exactly it is we’re cleaning up. We go on autopilot, putting all our ever-growing belongings back where we think they should go. We rarely ask, “Do I really need all this?”
If you can, take a look around the house and see how much of your recurring messes are simply clutter you no longer need or want. Is anyone actually reading those old magazines? Is 24 dog toys maybe 12 too many?
The truth is, things pile up and we forgot about them. They simply become part of our lives. Save yourself the hassle and see what you can realistically throw away or recycle. You’ll be better off for it.
Take Advantage of Little Moments
Life is packed with little moments where we’re left with little to do but wait. It’s hard to imagine, but these moments can up to a lot of extra time for quick cleaning.
For instance: throwing some leftovers in the microwave for 3 minutes? Take that time to wipe down the stove.
Waiting for the shower to heat up? That’s plenty of time to scrub the toilet bowl.
You probably get the idea, but the list can go on and on. Try to stay mindful of this, and take advantage of these small opportunities. In the long run, bigger cleaning sessions will be much easier.