The American writer, Melody Beattie, said ‘the new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.’ And if one of your goals is to live in a cleaner, tidier and more organised home, you’ve come to the right place. Spring cleaning is something we can do throughout the year, but a new year is the best time to do proper hygiene cleaning and organising. We’re at our freshest and most determined in January, and it’s the habits we begin now that will stand us in good stead as we navigate through another 12 months, so be sure to keep those habits simple and easy to follow.
- Organise Your Entry Hall
You’re running late and about to rush out the front door, but suddenly realise you don’t have your car keys and have no idea where you’ve left them – sound familiar? Life is busy and we are stressed about so many things, there’s no reason to add this to the list. Allocate a spot in your entry way for keys, a place for jackets and bags, and a basket for shoes if you prefer to keep them off your carpets. With everything in a designated place, leaving the house will be stress-free.
- Tidy Before Bed
Even if you’ve had a manic day and there wasn’t time for carpet cleaning or window washing, get into the habit of doing a quick 5-minute tidy-up before going to bed. Straighten the sofa, pack away toys, clear the counters (or coral things into tidy piles) and stack the dishwasher so that the kitchen looks tidier. You’ll be amazed at the difference a 5-minute sprint through the main living areas can make – you’ll go to bed feeling more organised and you’ll begin a new day in a better frame of mind too.
- Spritz Shower & Toilet Daily
Bathrooms require regular hygiene cleaning, but to make that task less arduous when the time comes, it helps to give your shower and toilet a daily spritz – this prevents a build-up of soap scum in the shower and bacteria in the toilet. A store-bought sanitising spray works best for the toilet – at the end of the day give the bowel a good spritz, close the lid and let that sit for a few minutes before flushing. For the shower a home-made solution of equal parts vinegar and water is best – after showering, spray the glass and tiles and then do a quick wipe-down with a squeegee.
- Tackle One Room at a Time
The idea of spring cleaning can be overwhelming at the best of times, so rather than approach it with an all-or-nothing attitude which in most cases will see you give up before the month is out, decide to tackle one room at a time, as and when it best suits your schedule. By deep-cleaning one room from top to bottom you achieve a sense of accomplishment which will inspire you to move onto the next room and then the next. Cleaning is a never-ending cycle anyway and rather than seeing spring cleaning as a fixed point in time, it helps to view it as an ongoing process.
- Enlist Help
And last but not least, enlist the help of those around you – whether a house mate, partner or children, everyone should do their share. Even little ones can help pack toys away, tidying up should become as much a habit for others as it is for you. And if you need help with the really deep cleaning, even if it’s just to start you out so that you begin your new spring cleaning habits with a clean slate, then call QClean – cleaning specialists who deliver exceptional service no matter how big or small the job.
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