If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know I love cleaning and organisation, especially organised home challenges. When my life, home and family are organised, I am a very happy and relaxed person. Today I am sharing the 10 Tips I regularly use to keep my home clean and organised. These tips never get old, in fact you may already know some of them, but ask yourself...'Do I implement them into my home on a daily basis?' I hope I can inspire you to do so. And because it's the new year, I have also included a few FREE PRINTABLES* for you to print and display in your home. Enjoy!
Here are my
10 Tips for Cleaning and Organising YOUR HOME...
1. Make your bed
Making your bed every morning sets the tone for the day ahead. When I get up in the morning, I give the kids breakfast, have a cup of tea and check a few emails, then I will go back into my room and make the bed. When the bed is made, it not only makes the room look cleaner but it will be ready for you to climb into at the end of a busy day. What more can you ask for?
2. Keep surfaces clear
Limiting the items you have on your surfaces definitely helps with this.
When you are preparing or cooking meals, take a few minutes to clear away items and/or dishes that are no longer needed or being used and give the surface a spray and wipe. It will make a difference, and you will feel much better getting it out of the way now, rather than leaving it until later, when you are tired and want to relax.
I like to have a clean kitchen before I go to bed, there is nothing better than waking up to a clean kitchen in the morning, am I right? After dinner, I clear all the plates, load the dishwasher and wash anything that can't go in, leaving them to dry in the rack over night.
Extra tip: Get one of your children to unload the dishwasher in the morning or do it while you are waiting for the kettle to boil, then treat yourself with a nice hot cuppa. Win-win!
3. Nothing left on the floor
At the end of the day, I grab a flexi-tub and pick up anything off the floor that doesn't belong there (I often get the kids to help too), picking up toys, shoes, bags, clothes, books etc and returning the items to their rightful homes. It only takes 10-15 minutes. It's always nice to see the floor again, especially during the school holidays. Be sure to check under the couch and beds too.
4. Have a laundry routine
Would you believe me if I told you I used to do ALL my laundry in one day - it's true! I would wash and hang my clothes and then fold them the same day, however I started slacking in the folding department and my family were left to sift through baskets of washing to find what they needed. Fast forward to now...I do laundry 4 days a week (including bedding in the weekends). By breaking it up over the week, Mt Washmore & Mt Foldmore are not as big and daunting. The most important thing to remember is to 'put the clothes away' once they are folded. If you have to, set the timer!
Extra tip: Give your washing machine a clean at least once a month. You can run a hot cycle with a cap of white vinegar, and wipe down the outside of the machine with a micro-fibre cloth.
5. Clean the bathroom
Before you go to bed each night, dedicate a few minutes to giving the bathroom a quick clean. When you are brushing your teeth, give the hand basin a quick spray and wipe, pick up the bath toys or spray the shower, leave for minute or two, then rinse. I guarantee it will make you feel good walking in there in the morning.
6. Set a date to clean your oven
This is actually a new tip, one I have been using since we moved into our new home four months ago. Regularly cleaning your oven once a month, will save you a lot of backache later, especially if it has been a while since you last cleaned it. Set a date each month, and mark it on your calendar - cleaning your oven isn't THAT bad! Extra Tip: Use baking soda, white vinegar & a bit of elbow grease for those stubborn stains and your oven will be sparkling new again.
7. Baking Soda & White Vinegar ARE your best friends
I have mentioned these two products before because they are totally awesome and if you don't have them in your Cleaning Caddy - you need to! There are so many ways you can use baking soda and white vinegar in your home. To get you started, check out
this list.
8. Declutter, Declutter, Declutter!
For you to be truly clean and organised, you have to own less stuff! Right? De-cluttering is good for the mind, body and soul and not to mention your home. When you are surrounded by clutter, everything can seem overwhelming. You often find yourself having days where you feel like you are chasing your own tail and you can't keep on top of the 'stuff'. I have done a few organising challenges myself and every time I do a new one, more stuff leaves my home.
I will be putting the well-known KonMari method (from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo) to the test very soon and I am excited to be sharing my journey with you. Things are about to get real and I am ready to do an overhaul of my home. Wish me luck! If you would like to follow my progress, or even join me, then simply
Subscribe to my blog, so you don't miss a post.
9. Label Your Things
The thing I love most about my Pantry is: most things in it are labelled! This is my happy place and is an area I like to keep clean and organised, thanks to the labels. When you label items in your home, it makes it easier for things to be returned to the right place, by you or any member of your family. Make your own labels or invest in a label maker, either way - labelling is your friend, so use it in your home today.
And lastly, my favourite tip...
10 . Meal Plan
Meal planning has changed my life (for the better). Deciding what you are having for dinner over a week or even month (if you wish) will ultimately, save you time and avoid the 'What's for Dinner?' moans and groans about 5pm. Meal planning also helps you save money when you are grocery shopping, because you are only buying the necessary ingredients for the weekly meals you have planned.
Grab your
'What's for Dinner?' FREE PRINTABLE today. Simply click the image below, Print and laminate so you can use it week after week, and pop it on your fridge for the whole family to see.
YOUR TURN: I would love it if you left me a comment below with YOUR #1 tip for keeping your home clean and organised. Ready? Go! And if you know someone who you think will benefit from this list and/or printables, feel free to PIN, TWEET and SHARE.
Thanks for stopping by,
Charlene
