6 Simple Tips To Keep Your Home Always Clean & Tidy

By Funke Eweje

Do you feel so helpless about that not-so-tidy look that’s fast becoming synonymous with your home? Here are simple steps you can take to deal with the situation. Of course you know that sets a healthy environment with minimal susceptibility to infections and diseases for your family to blossom.

1. Clean as you go

This starts from as little as cultivating the habit of making your bed when you wake up in the morning, and ensuring your kids do same. It often sets the pace to quickly breeze through bedrooms in the mornings, to put minor haphazard arrangements in order. Also do a 20 minute general cleaning in your kitchen, after each meal’s preparation and avoid piling up dirty dishes. If you have grown-up kids, let them wash their plate after every meal or rotate doing all the dishes and cooking utensils. Getting rid of any filth in and around your home immediately you spot it helps. Resist the urge to turn a blind eye and you’ll prevent them from piling up into a bigger mess. If you can, get everyone involved and assign appropriate chores to your kids.

READ ALSO: 9 Steps To Declutter Your Home (Part Two)

2. There’s a place for everything

It can be so refreshing to walk into your home and find everything in designated places. That itself creates a decent look. Maintain this by putting things back in spaces assigned for them immediately after use. This does take a level of discipline. Imagine if throw pillows in your living room are in place, CDs in their racks, your children’s toys packed immediately after play, instead of having them strewn everywhere, drinking glasses taken away, and so on, all these out of place at once will could overwhelm you.

 3. Space Your Tasks

Try not to move all the cleaning and laundry to weekends. That can be very overwhelming, robbing you of the much needed rest and leisure on the weekend. And what happens if you have pressing impromptu engagements for the weekend? So, each week, take a good look at your itinerary and squeeze in little chores that won’t burn you out. A chart helps you map out everything you need to do, note areas where you need help and start executing your plan of action in due course.

4. Dispose of Trash Properly

Don’t be a litter bug, and train your kids not to be. It will surprise you to find out how incredibly close your trash can is to you every time you need to use it. So, always get up to do the right thing! Don’t forget to wrap up food wastes in foils or paper, empty and replace your trash bag daily and use a trash can with a lid to avoid unpleasant smells!

READ ALSO: Working Mom? These Tips Will Help You Balance Home And Work (Part Two)

5. A little here, a little there…

Breeze through your bathroom from time to time instead of waiting for that one big wash, which you keep putting off. Wash toilets, wipe basins and mop the floor everyday. Teach your kids how to do this. Then, make a rule and agree on a consequence to ensure it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep the bathroom tidy.

6. Keep cleaning tools clean, organized and handy

Using the right and smart cleaning tools will make your life easier. Invest in a vacuum cleaner for floors and carpets. Keep your mops and wash clothes clean after use. This will eliminate dirt, dust and germs and make them hygienic for next use. Keep them properly organized for easier access which saves you the stress of rummaging.