Is there a better feeling than having a clean (and uncluttered) house?
Science actually shows us that when we have a cluttered house it can affect our stress levels, sleep, and our ability to focus (making us less productive). That’s not cool!
Our brains actually prefer order, so when messes are everywhere, it can cause some cognitive overload.
Here’s the thing though, nobody purposely trashes and clutters their house (except toddlers), it’s just something that happens with kids (and adults), busy lives, and time (who has the time)?
That’s why we want to talk about some “secrets” to keeping your house clean and clutter-free!
Decluttering Tips
Before you jump into cleaning, you might want to declutter first. Decluttering can open up your space and clear out a lot of mess, making cleaning easier.
Decluttering will be a forever job. In life, we will accumulate clothes, tools, toys, papers, and junk constantly, so following the next few tips can help you become a decluttering master.
- Get Rid of Anything that Isn’t Useful, Beautiful, or Joyful
Another way to decide is Marie Kondo’s, “does this spark joy?” Same idea. The goal is to touch every item and really decide if it’s worth taking up space in your home.
For example: go to your junk drawer and pull out the 4 old iPhones you put in there, just in case. Make sure that they are all cleared of your personal information, then recycle, donate, or try and sell them!
We live in a day and age where we can shop for just about anything and have it within two days. When/if your current phone breaks, are you more likely to just buy a new one?
If you stick with throwing out the items that aren’t useful, beautiful, or joyful, you shouldn’t miss any of the items you get rid of.
P.s. DO NOT feel pressured to throw things away just because. If you are having a hard time getting rid of it, then you shouldn’t! The goal is to make your life easier, not harder!
2. Declutter by Room
Sometimes when people decide to declutter, the entire house gets turned upside and it’s a huge, stressful mess for weeks.
Decluttering room by room designates the temporary mess to one room at a time. Once completed, you can move onto the next.
After the room is decluttered you can go ahead and clean it! Dust, wipe down, vacuum, whatever is needed.
3. A Place for Everything
This tip helps with current and future decluttering-- it also helps everyone in your house learn where everything is located, so you’ll hopefully hear less of, “MOM, where are my soccer cleats?!”
All books are stored in this bookcase, all mail goes into this holder until we have time to go through it, guest towels here, shoes there, you get where we are going with this!
When an item has a “home” it’s more likely you (and your family) will keep the house clutter-free if you always put it back. You’ll also notice when it’s time to declutter again (ie. the books are no longer fitting on the bookshelf).
This is really helpful in the kitchen and pantry. It prevents you from buying fruit snacks 4x before you realize you have enough for your kids to eat them until they start college.
4. One in, One Out
Buying new running shoes? Throw out or donate an old pair. If you want to stay on top of decluttering then you know it’s an everyday habit.
Here’s an easy list of things you can try one in, one out on:
- Toys
- Socks
- Shirts
- Pants
- Shoes
When you buy a new product it’s a great time to look for outdated, broken, or unloved items you have just waiting around!
Your trash could be someone else’s treasure.
Create a Cleaning Plan
- Have a System
Creating a system can help you cut down cleaning time by half! This means you need to come up with a system and stick with it every single time. Start cleaning at one point of the house and continue in the same order every time (of course, you can tweak to improve).
You can also choose days of the week to do certain things, like laundry on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Bathrooms on Tuesdays. Vacuuming on Fridays.
2. Be Proactive
Cleaning your home becomes easier when you stick with a schedule ^^ or system ^^ and you are proactive about a few minor things.
- Clean your cleaning tools (empty the vacuum bag, replace nasty cleaning gloves or sponges, etc.)
- Drain covers to prevent clogging on drains.
- Have doormats and clean them regularly. Outside mats should have tough bristles and indoor mats should be soft and durable.
- Clean your filters regularly (check your manuals on specifics).
- Find a good shower cleaner to prevent grime and nasty buildup. The kind where you can shower, spray it and walk away.
3. Speed-Clean Regularly
Going along with being proactive, regular speed-cleaning can help you start each day a little less stressed.
The areas you choose to speed-clean are entirely up to you but for many families, a nightly reset of the kitchen and toy room helps the next day run more smoothly.
Ending the day with a clean kitchen (dishes done, counters wiped down, and food put away) means you start the next day fresh.
A good rule of thumb with speed-cleaning is the two-minute rule. If it takes less than two minutes, do it now. Dusty bookshelf? Wipe it down now. Tons of laundry? Throw one load in now.
When you regularly reset your space you will start to notice when your house is getting dirty or cluttered.
4. Have Your Cleaning Supplies Stocked Up
You’ve mentally prepared for this moment. You got your kids out of the house, your favorite old-school music is blasting, and you’re in grubby clothes ready to clean. And then you realize you are all out of your cleaning supplies.
Make sure you are always stocked up on your cleaning supplies and have a few stations throughout the house (one upstairs and one downstairs).
Helpful Tip: When you only need (The) One Multi-Cleaner for all your cleaning needs, it makes cleaning, storing, and staying stocked up easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Cleaning Hacks
- Clean Top to Bottom, Left to Right
There are two reasons for this form of cleaning.
- It helps you create a system that you can follow every time.
- It means you clean an area once and done (more details below).
Say you start by cleaning your table then you notice your light above is dusty so you dust the light, only to have that dust fall on the table you just cleaned.
When you go top to bottom, you can dust and wipe and then clean up all the dust that fell at the end.
2. Vacuum in Rows
Not only are vacuum rows so satisfying to look at but it’s an efficient way to ensure your room properly gets vacuumed.
Go in a row, go back over that row, then move over to the next row. After you get done, just back out and enjoy the nice lines. This is by far the most effective way to vacuum (though it takes longer) BUT if you’re just trying to quickly vacuum, then do whatever works best for you.
3. Squeegee Windows and Showers
Keeping your shower dry is a great proactive way to keep your shower clean. Having a squeegee that stays in the shower allows you to wipe down all the wet spots after every shower (preventing soap scum from forming).
Now, what about windows? Same goes. If you’ve ever seen a professional window cleaner then you’ve noticed them using a squeegee. Put your cleaner (mixed with water) on the window. Go top to bottom and wipe the blade each time at the bottom. No squeegee? Grab a microfiber cloth and use horizontal strokes (top to bottom).
4. Microwave Cleaning Hack
Microwaves get so nasty, here’s a nice hack to help you keep it clean. Grab a microwave-safe cup, fill it with water, and heat it up until it’s boiling hot. This creates moisture in the microwave which allows for easier cleaning.
Or you can buy an Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner, which does the same thing :).
The ONE Multi-Cleaner You Need
Cleaning and decluttering can be overwhelming. Coming up with a system, being proactive, and finding quality cleaning products can help make things a little easier.
We are always looking for ways to simplify life and that helped us come up with The ONE Power Cleanser Concentrate. With natural plant-derived ingredients, free from harsh chemicals and synthetic surfactants, this family and pet-friendly cleaner will be your cleaning sidekick.
One cleaner for everything. And we mean ev-er-y-thing from the shower, to hand soap, to laundry and more!
Less waste, less space, more options, more time!
Have you found The ONE?
