Tag: housecleaning

Don’t Stress About Cleaning — Streamline Instead

Posted on by Jordank

Lots of people put off their household cleaning tasks because there are other, more fun things they could be doing. Chores are the work you do voluntarily, and they are often more fun to see completed than they are to do.

With busy schedules, it’s hard to find the time to clean, much less the motivation. But believe it or not, if you can make starting those chores less of an issue, completing them will come more easily.

You may find that cleaning is less of a burden if you put individual tasks on a schedule. This “makes sure that everything that needs cleaning gets cleaned,” Lifehacker says, [and] makes sure that you never tackle too much at one time and get overwhelmed.”

Another strategy is to clean in short bursts every day so that it seems like a routine part of the day rather than an exceptional burden. Dedicate 15-30 minutes to cleaning something — anything — every day, and eventually, everything will be spotless.

To prepare, assemble a complete selection of cleaning supplies for various areas of the home, along with sponges, rags, mops and other implements. Then put on some music or a podcast and begin, and cleaning will happen almost on autopilot.

Once you get into a rhythm, you may find you spend lots of your time moving stacks of papers, dusty knick-knacks and other stuff around in order to clean. That’s #clutter, and if you can get rid of it, household cleaning will become less strenuous.

Eliminate some of that clutter as you clean. Box important papers and put them in storage. Get rid of some tchotchkes you don’t really want to look at (or dust) every day. Fold the laundry, and set aside anything that no longer fits. Bag the castoffs and contact ClothingDonations.org for a pickup.

Without having to work around all that extra junk, cleaning will become easier. Sans clutter, many areas of the home will take less time to clean, and you’ll get more done in the time that you can dedicate to such chores.

When you see the results, you’ll no longer have the stress that a cluttered, messy and dirty home can produce. And knowing that a few minutes every day can leave your home consistently clean and tidy, you may even start to enjoy the chores!

A New Year and a Fresh Start for Your Home!

Posted on by Jordank

We’re only a few weeks away from the end of 2015—can you believe it? While it’s fun to reflect on the year and see all that you’ve accomplished, it’s time to look forward to all that’s to come in 2016. It’s also time for the age-old traditions that accompany a new year.

Resolutions. Many people use the start of a new year to set goals for themselves. For some this means getting into better shape and becoming healthier. For others, it’s a chance to start that business they’ve been dreaming about, or time to plan a trip they’ve been wanting to take.

For those who may have a difficult time keeping their homes organized and clutter-free, though, 2016 resolutions might be focused on staying organized throughout the entire year. Does this seem daunting to you? It doesn’t have to be! Here are a few techniques you can use to help make your clean-home resolution a reality!

  1. One room at a time. Don’t feel like you have to organize your entire home by January 1. Instead of tackling the entire house at once, go room-by-room. Start in the kitchen and work your way into the living room. Once those rooms are done, move onto the basement.  Then repeat. This can help keep the task of keeping your entire home organized less overwhelming!
  2. If it doesn’t have a purpose, donate it! While cleaning and organizing each room, if you come across items that you don’t remember buying, or can’t remember why you ever needed them in the first place, there’s a good chance you don’t need them. If the item is new or gently used, don’t just throw it away—donate it to us! Simply fill out our donation pick-up form on ClothingDonations.org. Then put the items in a box marked for “donation, ” and set it outside by your mailbox. We’ll pick it up for you!
  3. Once it has a place, keep it there. Cleaning and organizing at first seems daunting, but it’s actually the easy part. The hard part is keeping your home organized. While it might seem easier to just leave your clothes on the floor after a long day at work, take the extra time to hang them up in your closet. It’ll keep your home organized for longer, and you won’t feel overwhelmed by clutter!

A new year means a fresh start for keeping your home clean. If you start now, you’ll have a head start on the new year. Take this opportunity to keep your home organized!