I know, I know. You came here looking for some kind of awesome secret on home decor and cleaning was the last thing you wanted to do. I'm sorry, but today is just good ol' sage wisdom. You will never, ever, EVER love your house when it is a mess. That may be harsh, but it's the truth. We all have goals we want to meet where home decor is concerned. The very first step is starting with a clean slate..... which is equal to a clean home.
I'm not going to elaborate on the need for organization and cleanliness. I did a short series on decluttering here. I also wrote a post with some simple tips for clutter control. I realize C is not for "clutter-free," but let's face facts: it's much easier to keep a clean house with less clutter!
Here are a few basic things our family does to keep my home clean on a regular basis. It's not perfect by any means, but it's mostly picked up and presentable on any given day. I think the things on this list are quick and easy enough for any family member to do, even the three year old.
1. Run the dishwasher nightly & unload in the morning. That way, you are never short dishes during the day and you have an empty dishwasher awaiting the items you've used throughout the day. My children are usually responsible for the unloading in the morning.
2. Do at least one load of laundry a day. See it through to the folding and putting away. I confess I have not kept up with this the last few weeks and I really do feel the weight of it.
3. Put things away immediately after using them. This is something that does not come natural to me (or my children!), but it makes the world of a difference. If you think about it, a really messy room is just a whole lot of little things that did not get put away after being used.
4. Clean the kitchen as you cook. There are always spare minutes while cooking. Use that short amount of time to wash a pot, put measuring spoons in the dishwasher, etc. That way, when dinner is done, you only have to rinse plates and pack up leftovers.
5. Don't step over it, pick it up! I really need to work on training my children to do this because they are master dodgers. We are all guilty of saying, "I'll get it later." Instead of later, do it now. Again, the little things are what adds up to a giant mess.
Hopefully these little tips help you to maintain a mostly clean home most of the time. If you have any you would like to add, please do so in the comments or on my facebook page. I'd love to hear them!
