For those who lead a busy lifestyle – and let’s be honest, that’s just about every person reading this – keeping up with the housework is tough. The start of each week may begin with a spotless home (or as clean as can be expected), but it doesn’t take long for the chores to start piling up all over again.
Someone forgot to put the towels in the wash. The floor needs vacuuming. Dishes need doing. A layer of dust has settled over absolutely everything. Again.
Housework can feel relentless but it doesn’t have to be. By implementing smart house-cleaning methods on a daily basis, you’ll be able to tidy your home in half the time.
ORGANISING YOUR HOME IN THE MORNING
WHEN YOU WAKE UP
Be sure to always make your bed as soon as you wake up. Doing something productive first thing in the morning is an excellent way to boost your motivation for the day.
Keep a box of anti-bacterial wipes on your bedside table and give them a quick wipe-down each day.
Be wary of letting a floordrobe take over too. Strictly keep your clothes either hanging up where they should be or in the laundry.
AFTER THE MORNING SHOWER
Keep a cleaning spray and squeegee in the shower to wipe down the surfaces and clean the glass after every shower.
Towels should be washed on a regular basis, so leave a laundry hamper in the bathroom to remind yourself to change towels after 3 days.
BEFORE YOU HAVE BREKKY
Make emptying the dishwasher the first thing you do when you enter the kitchen in the morning. It’s a quick enough chore that can be completed while you wait for the kettle to boil. Remember to clean as you go, and put your dishes in the dishwasher as you use them to avoid starting a mess in the sink.
AS YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE
Get into the habit of emptying the trash and taking the recycling out when you leave the house. This doesn’t necessarily need to be done each morning, but doing so regularly will prevent garbage from overflowing.
Allocate days within the week to get your laundry done so you don’t have piles to do on the weekend. If you focus on one load at a time (such as towels on Monday, sheets on Wednesday, clothes on Friday), it won’t seem like a big task.
ORGANISING YOUR HOME IN THE EVENING
AFTER DINNER
Learn to be a “clean as you go” cook so there’s less to clean after dinner has been served. Fill up the dishwasher and always turn it on at night. Once you’ve finished the dishes, wipe down the countertops and surfaces. If any appliances need a quick clean, now is the perfect time to do it.
WHILE WATCHING TV
Keep another pack of wipes (or microfibre cloths) handy in the living room and wipe down the coffee table and entertainment unit during ad breaks (or in between episodes if you’re watching Netflix). What might seem like a tedious task only has to take a couple of minutes of the day.
BEFORE YOU GO TO BED
Before you brush your teeth and wash your face, give the toilet a quick scrub – it will take roughly the same amount of time as your nightly routine and leaves you with one less chore to worry about.
The best way to declutter is by not having too much to tidy in the first place. By sticking to these house-organisation methods, you’ll free up your time on the weekends.
