1/13 |Time to come clean
If you dont consider yourself a clean person, it can be easy to feel resigned to the idea that youre either clean or youre not. But, fun fact: Cleanlinessis not a quality people are born with. Maybe youreusing cleaning products the wrong wayor just have somebad cleaning habits, but all it really takes is a little resourcefulness and creativity. Get yourself sometrusted cleaning productsand follow these guidelines for a clean home.
2/13 |They know how to make space
Even if you dont consider yourself a collector of stuff, that stuff always seems to pile up in every corner and on every countertop. Start following the one in, one out rule going forward, says Nancy Haworth of On Task Organizing in Raleigh, North Carolina. When you buy something new, toss, sell, or donate an older item to create space for the new item.
3/13 |They smooth surfaces
Junk drawers have a habit of spilling out onto what should be an otherwise clean, empty surface. Countertops and tables are practically begging to be littered with stray mail and other odds and ends. People with clean homes tackle that problem immediately. When you keep large, flat surfaces clear, not only are they more visually appealing, but easier to wipe down as well, says Carrie Higgins, author ofOrganization Hacksand founder of the blog Making Lemonade. Dont store appliances on countertops or clutter on your desk. Here are a fewitems you shouldnt store on your kitchen countertop.
4/13 |They set cleaning systems in place
Clean homes dont just miraculously clean themselvesneat people have a protocol in place to keep things maintained and orderly. People with neat homes tend to have a cleaning schedule and routines so dirt and laundry dont have time to pile up, says Higgins. For example, they set a designated day to vacuum or do laundry every Monday so those big tasks dont get skipped. Sometimes you may need to do something small every day. You dont need to hire anyone, but take theadvice from a professional housecleanerabout how they clean their own homes.
5/13 |They think clean when they step into the house
Sometimes it really is the little things that lend themselves to a sparkling abode. Bailey Gaddis, a certified professional organizer and author ofFeng Shui Mommy, starts with a shoes-off policy. When shoes are left at the door you prevent toxins, soil, leaves, and other goodies that quickly dirty up floors from making their way into your home, she says.Check out some moresecrets your housecleaner wont tell you.
6/13 |They have a place for everything
If you have too much stuff without a place to go, the clutter and piles in your home becomeimpossible to actually clean, says Jennifer Snyder, owner of Neat as a Pin Organizing Experts in Waco, Texas. So if you have a peg in the kitchen for your keys or a shelf for your mail, use them.
7/13 |They clean as they go
People whose homes always appear clean dont wait until it looks like a bomb went off, wrote Brittany Bergman on HuffPost. Rather, they have routines. This might mean rearranging throw pillows and folding blankets when theyre done in the family room each night, having kids put toys back in the toy box, hanging up clothes at the end of each day, and folding the laundry right when it comes out of the dryer. Get out of thesebad cleaning habitsyou may not have realized you had.
8/13 |They find clever ways to store more
People with clean homes use their smarts when it comes to products that help them stay organized. An over-the-door organizer has a variety of clear pockets where you can store jewelry and make-up, sorting by typepencils, lipsticks, brushes, and eye shadows, says Paloma Baillie, a DIY expert with the 5mile app. Everything is laid out, so you have easy access and can see items more clearly. You can do a similar thing with office supplies if you dont have room for a desk.
9/13 |They hire help
Not every household budget has room for a regular professional cleaning service, but those who do tend to keep up with daily maintenance for one very important reason. Its a good motivator to get things put away or moved along into the recycling bin when you know tomorrow is cleaning day and your house wont get as clean if the cleaning service has to clean around all your stuff, says Mary Gagliardi, Cloroxs in-house cleaning and laundry expert. That help may even show you some great cleaning products, likeThe Pink Stuff.
10/13 |They know how to delegate tasks
Unless you live alone, mess and clutter is a group effort; therefore, cleaning should be a group effort as well. Everyone should have weekly chores (dusting, emptying trash, vacuuming, sweeping, etc) that not only build responsible adults out of kids but also makes it easier to keep the home cleansomething everyone in the home should care about, says Gagliardi. There are evencleaning products for people with allergies, so there arent any excuses.
11/13 |They make cleaning feel less like a chore
If its not your thing, its hard to imagine putting a fun spin on cleaning. But there are ways to complete a task while distracting your mind. Make cleaning enjoyable by listening to your favorite podcast, says Tisha Morris, author ofClutter Intervention: How Your Stuff Is Keeping You Stuck.Get wireless Bluetooth headphones to give you the freedom to move all around the house. You might even get enough steps in on your Fitbit for it to count as a workout.
12/14 |They make organizing look pretty
If you consider storage and organization as part of your decor, as many with clean homes do, it makes the project a feast for the eyes. I separate my wardrobe so all my dresses are together, all my jeans are together, sweaters, tops, coats, skirts, etc. Then I color code each category, says Rachel Parcell, style and design expert ehind Pink Peonies. I love the way it looks and its easy to find things. Transform your closet with thesetips from a professional organizer.
13/13 |They deal with dishes
If you wake up to a sink full of dirty dishes, youre practically setting yourself up for failure. For one thing, youll have to do those dishes and pans first thing, which sets you back a crucial five to ten minutes, essential time on a busy morning. Worse, all that food and grease will be caked on and it will take even more time to get them clean. Do yourself a favor and load the dishwasherand run it if its close to fulland wash the pots and pans before going to bed.
Now go forth, and be tidy!
