...or at the very least, somebody who is not busy!
Although I love a clean house, it seems like housework gets put on the back-burner of life lately. Two active teenagers, school projects and homework (them & me) and various sports leave me with very little time lately to do anything but the basics when it comes to housework.
My cleaning schedule goes something like this: Ring around the toilet= time to clean the toilet
Dog hair on floor= vacuum floor
No clothes to wear= wash clothes
...all while doing everything else I need to fit into my busy days!
Martha Stewart has a list of 6 items that you should do every day. I have to say, I do try to keep with this list, and it makes the house appear more tidy (if not actually clean!)
Here is Martha's list: Click here for Martha's printable version: Martha Stewart's Printable Checklist
1.Make the Bed
Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which
makes it less likely that you’ll let other things -- such as clothes and papers -- pile up around it.- It's true. An unmade bed just makes the whole room look messy. Making a bed takes 5 minutes, and even a child can do it!! When my kids were little, making my bed everyday in addition to their own was one of their chores- a luxury that I miss dearly!
2.Manage Clutter
Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn’t where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.
- Well.... I almost follow this...I walk around and put everything in the room it belongs in. I will put my stuff away, and dirty dishes in the washer, but the kids stuff just gets put in their rooms to put away later. (on their bed. so they can't miss it. or go to bed until they put it away. In theory- ha!)
3.Sort the Mail
Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing.
-Ummm....OK, a little overkill, but yes, put junk mail directly into trash. I have a "designated mail area" that is also the "designated debit card receipt area" and "little appointment card area". I don't have room for four inboxes. I do, however, pay bills and sort through this pile once per week. It works for me, and I know where all the bills, receipts, and cards are.
4.Clean as You Cook
Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.
Assuming you cook! Some days (or weeks) are just too busy with kid's activities to cook much at home- and we are eating on the fly. yet, somehow, the sink manages to get chock full of dirty dishes anyway. I do empty the sink after the kids leave for school, and in the evening. A clean sink makes the kitchen look so much cleaner! Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.
5. Wipe Up Spills While They’re FreshWhether it’s tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.
Really, Martha? Ummmmm......duh!
6.Sweep the Kitchen Floor
Every evening, once you’ve finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.
Get a good broom. Seriously, it makes a difference. I sweep every day. Between the pet hair and the red clay the kids and dogs track in, it's a must. Nothing makes your house look dirtier than when a tumbleweed of dog hair rolls past a visitor, or a gritty pile of sand in front of the toilet. Every evening, once you’ve finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.
And I will add one more of my own. (So that really makes *7* quick things to do every day to make your house more tidy:
7. Wipe Down Counter Surfaces
After the kids leave for school, I run a Clorox Wipe over the bathroom counters, kitchen counters, and sinks. I do a quick toilet check, too, to see if the seat has any stains that need to be swiftly dealt with.
Get your kids to help you follow these steps and you will have more time to spend at the beach this summer, and enjoy a cleaner {looking} house, to boot!
In the mean time..if you come visit me, please follow this one simple rule: Do NOT feed the dust bunnies!!
