This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RealLifeClean #CollectiveBias
I often write about how crazy-busy my life is. So what’s the last thing I ever want to have to do?
Clean.
Dear God I hate cleaning.
And it’s really stressing me about because right now, my fiance and I live in a little teeny tiny 2 bed 2 bath condo that I can’t keep clean.
So, like, um… what’s going to happen when our new 4 bed 3 bath house is finally ready?!?! How the heck am I going to manage to keep my house looking beautiful?
I’m sure most of you can relate. It’s not easy to do the five hundred things we have to do when we’re working full time and have busy schedules.
So here are some tips I’ve come up with for myself to help me tackle the act of cleaning my house and not being a total failure.
1. Make It A Daily Habit
If I wait until the weekend to clean, I could potentially spend the entire day cleaning and still not finish everything. So instead, I’ve come to find that cleaning just a little bit on a daily basis helps me avoid becoming completely overwhelmed. I read somewhere that if a task takes less than 1 minute to complete, you should do it right there and then. So things as simple as wiping down the countertop, or running my recycling down to the recycling bin are things I try to take care of right away.
2. Find Cleaning Products That Are SUPER EASY To Use
I’m not into using cleaning products that are overly complicated. Like mopping, for example… I’m not going to grab a bucket, fill it up with water, fill it with cleaning solution, and then mop my house with that. Way too many steps. Simple is key here if you want me to get anything done.
So it’s awesome to see that Target has a really great selection of really simple cleaning supplies to choose from. I decided to give some new Clorox products a shot, and I have to tell you, I’m really impressed.
3. Clean Immediately When You Get Home
Ok, this is a big one. If I let myself plop on my couch as soon as I get home, I’m done for the night. If I plop on my couch, the night’s only going to consist of me blogging and catching up on Hells Kitchen. I’ve come to realize this, accept it, and now I know that if I want to be productive, I need to do it as soon as I get home from work.
So I’ll take my purse to my room, change into something comfy, and get to work. Nothing major, but the basics, at least. I like to run over to the kitchen and unload the dishwasher so that it’s empty and ready for more dishes. That lets me cook in peace. Then, I give the sink and the countertops a quick clean with Clorox’s Pump’N Clean Kitchen & Dish Cleaner, which is so handy. Just grab a sponge, paper towel, or cloth…pump & go. VERY VERY easy, so it’s now my go-to cleaner in the kitchen.
4. Remind Yourself What You’re Working Towards
This might sound a little stupid, but I need tremendous amounts of motivation to clean. That’s why I keep a Pinterest board dedicated to Pretty House Things and Pretty Office Spaces. These boards serve as vision boards that inspire me to have a beautiful clutter-free HGTV type of home. When I look at pictures of really beautiful clean and tidy houses, that’s when I’m like okay…I need to clean today, and my place needs to be photograph worthy.
5. Identify Your Top 3 Problem Areas And Focus On Those
If I were to expect myself to clean the entire house every day when I get home from work, I’d be setting myself up for total failure. So I don’t do that. Instead, I make a top 3 list. I decide which top 3 things I need to accomplish that afternoon, and that’s what I focus on completing. Most days, my top 3 list consists of cleaning my bug graveyard, my bathroom sink, and the never-ending dust in my living room.
Let me explain my bug graveyard. It’s a small little area right by my front door. Bugs creep through the cracks and enter my place. And then, they die. Right there. So every day when I get home, I have to pass through the graveyard of all the bugs. Obviously, it’s not a particularly appealing sight, so I make sure to grab my handheld vacuum and clean that up right away.
Then, I tackle my bathroom. It seems that no matter how many times I clean the bathroom sink, it’s always dirty!! And it’s really such a pain to clean, usually, because we’ve got so much stuff around the sink and I hate having to move everything out of the way to clean. But I tried the Clorox Scrub Singles and those work really well. You just take one out, wet it, scrub what you need to scrub, and toss it in the garbage.
Then there’s my least favorite task- cleaning up the never-ending amounts of dust that my living room collects. Like, where the heck does so much dust come from?! Just tried out these new Clorox Triple Action Dust Wipes and they’re AMAZING! Like, they REALLY pick up the dust/cat hair. Whenever I’ve used a duster in the past, the dust still kind of stays there. Or, I have to dust until my hand’s ready to fall off. These wipes trap and lock the dust, making my life so much easier.
And that’s it, guys! By following just a few basic rules that I’ve set up for myself, I’ve been able to deal with the fact that I have to clean. Our place is so much prettier because of it, and as a result, Joe and I are happy campers.
Any other tips for me? I can use all the help I can get!!
Other stuff you might like:
- Generation Y Redefines Success
- How To Be Rich in Your Twenties
- The 5 Most Valuable Lessons Grad School Taught Me
- Pursue a Lifestyle, Not a Job
- Why It’s Okay to Be Excited About the Awesome Stuff You’re Doing
- Why We Need to Get Over Our Fear of Rejection
- Don’t Wait, Be Happy Now
Follow me on:
Twitter// Bloglovin// Facebook// Pinterest// Instagram
Great tips! I need to get me some of those wipes!
This is very informative, i will have to try some of those products, and I agree that you have to make it a habit. Thank you for sharing!!
I definitely need to start cleaning more on a daily basis. It would certainly make the tasks seem much less daunting then they do now since I tend to leave everything for one specific day 🙁
So this is awesome. I am so guilty of letting my chores pile up until the weekend so it is nice to see someone who understands the struggle! Thanks for these tips!
Those are great tips, I especially need to do number 3 because it’s so true! If I sit down, I’m done for.
We moved from a tiny townhome to a 3 bedroom house and I thought our cleaning duties were going to double but it really wasn’t too bad. Because it’s just the two of us, we don’t spend a ton of time in some of those extra spaces so they don’t get super dirty like the main living areas. I sometimes feel bad that I don’t do more deep cleaning, but I find that if my bathroom, living room, kitchen, and bedroom are well maintained, it makes the whole house feel so much cleaner even if I know there are some dust bunnies in other rooms.
I find it SO difficult to make it a habit of cleaning every day! I know it’s a terrible thing, but there are definitely nights I go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. I need to work on that!
Right?! I just moved from an apartment to a house, and even though our house is fairly small, there’s still so much more to clean! I agree that making it a daily habit really helps cut down on the bigger projects. I try to keep everything neat, organized, and straightened so when I have to do real cleaning tasks like floors or bathrooms, I don’t feel the need to clean the entire house. Great tips!
Excellent tips! One of our favorite tips is to always make sure the kitchen is clean at night. There is nothing worse than waking up to a pile of dirty plates. Thanks for sharing! #client
thanks for these tips! I hate cleaning it’s seriously the bane of my existence ! lol
Great tips, lady! I seriously live and die by my Swiffer. When in doubt? Swift it! 🙂
xo,
Stephanie
Diary of a Debutante
http://www.thediaryofadebutante.com
I love cleaning wipes… but gosh I can’t make myself clean when I get home… or even a little every day. I know I should – but I just can’t do it. lol…. pathetic, I know! I’m going to have to check these wipes out though because it seems like it would definitely be easier!
Great tips! I think the main key is just to keep up with it. I put everything away on a daily basis. When I get home from work and change out of my work clothes, I put my jewelry away, put my shoes away, hang up my clothes, take any receipts out of my wallet, put lunch dishes in the dishwasher, etc. I find it’s easier than just tossing things on the floor or on the dresser or in the sink if I keep up with putting them away. I can’t think very well in a messy, cluttered environment. My girls and my hubby are pretty good, but I do pick up after them a lot, too. It just makes me calmer and more at peace. I’m a little OCD 🙂
I struggle with cleaning as well. I have 3 kids who have daily chores to help keep the house in decent shape, but there’s always a mess. It seems I can never stay on top of it and no matter how much I try, nothing ever looks clean. I’ve even tried to console myself by saying “six people live here, it’s never going to be clean”, but I know it can be done. I just haven’t figured out how yet. Thanks for all the tips, they came at a great time because I’ve been in a cleaning mood.
How did you know I was supposed to clean today. I HATE cleaning. SO MUCH. I am inspired to learn to love it more now. (Or at least remember why it’s so gosh darn important!) Thanks!
I am a clean freak and it is hard to keep my house as clean as I want with a 2 yr old, 8m old, a dog and a man child! But when I clean I always work from the back of the house to the front, because there is usually stuff in the bedrooms that need to go to the kitchen or trash or laundry room!
Making it a daily habit = you are so right! I hate cleaning too. I shouldn’t say that. I like cleaning but I hate it when I put it off and it becomes this huge daunting task! You gave some great tips!
I used to hate cleaning too…but the older I get, the more I hate messes! These are some great tips. I love the one about making a point of doing some cleaning every day. I’ll have to check out some of these cleaning supplies! Thanks for sharing 🙂
♥ Lisa
Strum Simmer Sip
I’m a total clean freak. I’ve got it a whole lot easier than my grandparents. I’m not rich but I do have servants…..washer dryer etc
I just clean a little each day so it doesn’t pile up
I hear you, I hate cleaning! I loved your tip of doing a little right when you get home. It’s like working out. If I sit on the couch I’m done for!
I feel you when it comes to cleaning! It always feels like such a “waste” of time, and I put it off until I really have to do it 😉 Especially when it comes to dusting…
It’s so funny that you call your 2 bed 2 baths condo tiny, I wouldn’t call anything tiny that is bigger than 1 bed 1 bath 😉
Ugh….cleaning…my least favorite thing to do lol. I definitely need to learn to pace myself instead of doing it all in one day.
such great advice! My own two bed two bath is currently resembling something close to tornado aftermath which I MUST take care of tomorrow. I keep telling myself if I’d just take the time to do little things everyday like you said, I won’t spend my whole day off cleaning up after myself. When that will actually stick, I don’t know…lol
– Jessica
Miss Moore Style
Hello, Kayla! I love your post and I totally agree with everything you shared. I follow the same steps to keep my home clean. It is very important to create some routine to follow every day. Greetings