6 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR HOME TIDY BETWEEN CLEANING VISITS
Do you have a cleaning service that comes weekly, bi-weekly or monthly? It's a great way to improve your life and take some of the burden off of you. But how can you help keep things tidy and clean between visits? Here are six simple tips anyone can use.
1. Add Mats and Rugs
Mats and rugs prevent dirt and debris from being tracked through the house and squished into your carpets. Make liberal use of them in high traffic areas, like inside and outside all entrances as well as in corridors and kids' play areas. Throw rugs are easy to brush off or toss in the washer between cleaning service visits, and they will protect the carpet underneath.
Look for the entrance that family members tend to use when dirty — like the garage or back door — and throw down a rubber or indoor-outdoor mat instead. Have a small station for removing shoes and soiled outerwear too.
2. Set the Table
Even when not in use, the dining table should be set. This discourages using the table for dumping keys, books, schoolwork, and other paraphernalia.
You can also discourage unnecessary cluttering throughout the house by placing formal ornaments strategically on hallway tables, coffee tables, side tables, and even countertops. It also helps each room have a more formal, tidy look that can help encourage correspondingly tidy behavior among family members.
3. Use Small Tasks
Break up cleaning tasks into manageable chunks that only take a few minutes. Rather than look at a room or task as a whole — such as cleaning the whole bathroom or vacuuming all the carpets — divide it into things that take only five or ten minutes. Cleaning the bathroom, for example, could be divided into tasks like wiping the sink down, cleaning the toilet, sweeping the floor, or cleaning the mirror. Do just one regular task each day in that room.
4. Deploy Supplies
Many homeowners tend to keep all their cleaning supplies in one central location in the home. Instead, place a few cleaning products and supplies in strategic locations around the house.
Even a small pack consisting of a rag or two and a mirror or counter cleaning product will help provide for quick and convenient cleanup. A wipe-down of the bathroom or a swipe of a prepared duster is a small job that can be done in seconds and will help keep messes from becoming a big problem.
5. Create Homes for Things
The more items in your house that have a convenient and designated home, the fewer will find their way onto furniture and tables. Use organizational tools — even simple baskets, hanging hooks, a filing cabinet, and drawer dividers — to create assigned locations for most items.
Assess what items get left out and unattended in your home, whether they are bills, kids' toys, homework, art projects, dog toys, or coats, and determine where you'd prefer to see them stored. Then, make a specific organizational plan for each thing. Focus on one type of item at a time and then move on to the next culprit.
6. Take Out the Trash
Don't forget to make sure all trash has a home as well. This means taking out the garbage and recycling before they get full. Not doing so can result in things being left on counters or tables because they don't have a place to go. Keeping the outside garbage and recycling bins in a more convenient location, such as the garage instead of outside, can make everyone more likely to help with this job.
Apply any one or all of these ideas to make simple changes in your home life that will surely result in a neater and cleaner home all year long. For more help keeping clean and tidy, call the cleaning professionals at NorthStar Cleaning & Property Servicestoday.
