A clean home in just three hours a week is possible with a few strategies in place. Here are some tips to help you maintain a tidy home this year when you’ve got more interesting things to be getting on with (even if that’s just watching Netflix.)
Update your equipment
Take yourself to the supermarket with a set budget and buy a few things that will motivate you to clean, including rubber gloves. These will make it easier to finish your cleaning session without picking up your phone or getting distracted, and putting them on will motivate you to get started.
Set a timer
You may wish to work for an hour over three days, or 45 minutes over five days, or even in small ten-minute bursts. Set a timer, put on some upbeat music, a podcast or audiobook, and keep going until your time is up. For each session, focus on a particular task or room so at least one job or area is dealt with.
Start in the kitchen and work outwards
If you’re trying to get back into a regular routine after a break, keep it simple. The kitchen is the engine room of the house, so start there. Empty and load the dishwasher, take out the bins and sort the recycling, wipe down the benchtops and clean your empty sink. If you feel like it, keep going, otherwise that’s a great start!
Follow the 80/20 Rule.
Essentially this means spending 80 percent of your time on areas that get a lot of traffic, such as the kitchen, bathroom and sharing living spaces. Less used areas can be tidied quickly and less frequently.
Declutter regularly
Spending five minutes a day picking up stray items like keys, books, coffee cups and clothes and returning them to their homes will make a big difference over time. Or quickly go through the fridge or a drawer or a kid’s bedroom when you have a spare five minutes. A night-time reset will make mornings easier, too.
Always have a box ready for the charity shop, and have a basket to throw things in that need to be put away and deal with them later.
Set a routine
Daily tasks such as wiping down counters and bathrooms, making the beds and keeping the rubbish bins emptied can all be done daily for a clean looking home.
Bigger tasks, such as vacuuming, mopping and cleaning bathrooms, take a little longer, so have a set day for these.
Multi-task
While you’re cooking, use the time to quickly clear the fridge, organise the bins, tidy up the pantry or empty the dishwasher. Fold laundry while watching TV.
Teach your children to help out
Teamwork and delegation will make a big difference. If you have children, they are never too young or old to start helping out. Your teen may not clean like you do, but he or she can at least try. Teens and older children can help out with cooking, setting the table, vacuuming, doing the washing, putting away the shopping and other simple tasks - and their future housemates and partners will appreciate you!
Get some inspiration
There are some great motivational podcasters out there such as The Organised Mum, who has a few free guided cleaning sessions to try out on her website that make cleaning less overwhelming, as well as an inexpensive monthly subscription for lots of guided cleaning sessions for every room and occasion.
Reward yourself!
Once you’ve finished a cleaning session, forget about it. Do something fun or relaxing, have a cup of tea, or have a nap. Remember also that done is better than perfect, and there’s no such thing as a spotlessly clean and organised home.
By sticking to a structured routine and focusing on high-impact areas, you can keep your home clean without it feeling like a never-ending task. The secret is to stay consistent, make cleaning a regular part of your week, and avoid letting clutter accumulate.
Are you selling this year?
Get in touch with the team at LJ Hooker Mona Vale today. We’re here to help.
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