Cleaning is no fun, said Cinderella, and every other gal ever. But it is a necessity.
AND you can do it with Love! I bet you've never thought of cleaning with love. But God says:
Let all that you do be done in love! 1 Corinthians 16:14
Those dishes you're cleaning - you had food to cook
Those toys you're picking up - healthy kids that can play
Those clothes you're folding - resources to buy and clean them
You get the point
Personally, I thrive and insist on living in a very clean and tidy home. They are 2 different things. Clean implies sanitized surfaces free of dirt. Tidy implies no clutter or items out of place. I've been called a 'clean freak' a time or two and take it as a compliment!
I keep our home in 'showing' condition every single day. Anyone can ring my doorbell and take a tour without me ever saying "oh, please excuse our mess".
Messes aren't bad. They're there because you're living life and making memories so never ask for someone's grace for that. And since messes happened you need a system for putting it all back together quickly when the fun is done.
I must mention, now that more and more folks are spending time in their homes these days/year there are more disruptions to maintaining a clean and tidy space.
For me, it was having Vivian and ALL her things that made our home cuter and yet more cluttered.
NOTE: I follow Marie Kondo's method for keeping our home tidy. It addresses editing your belongings and organizing them. You can't possibly attempt to maintain a clean home with an abundance of things without a proper place. I have a strong aversion to hoarding! ewww
Everyone has a different threshold for housekeeping. My goal is to share what I do that helps lower stress and create a peaceful place to live.
Here are some quick daily tricks I use to keep our home neat as a button ...
1. First thing, always make the bed!
Literally the very very first thing. It makes the entire bedroom look neat and put together. I absolutely can not climb into a bed that isn't tightly made.
this picture was taken before we added wallpaper to our dining room and it looks so naked!
2. Keep it Clear
I keep all of our counter tops as clear as possible. The only things displayed in our kitchen are the knife block and coffee maker (when we renovate they will both be tucked away in cabinetry).
Clear counters make the space look bigger and cleaner. The stone surfaces can shine!
The same principle applies to our bathroom counters and even table tops.
Canisters & decorative things will collect dust, trap dirt and make a space appear busy.
3. Wipe down
I wipe our counters, appliances and mirrors throughout our home frequently, It's sanitary yes, but also makes each room look shinier. Removing smudges and finger prints from your appliances makes a big difference since stainless steel is so reflective. Clean mirrors bring lots of bright light into your rooms. I do a quick walk through and polish one by one.
4. Start to Finish
I believe it's important when tackling a chore to complete it in its entirety. Laundry is a good example.
I have a small family so our laundry is minimal. We keep soiled garments in pretty closed baskets in our rooms and I am in charge of sorting and washing for us all. It keeps things easy if one person manages this project. I never start laundry unless I can complete it. This means from washing machine, to dryer, to folding and then placed back into storage all at once. You'll never see piles of laundry in our home.
When things sit and aren't addressed the mess will grow.
When you start, finish before moving on to something else or you'll find yourself buried!
5. 20 min Marathon
Set a timer for 20 mins and tidy your home with gusto. Put everything away, fluff the pillows, put away the laundry, load the dishwasher, run the vacuum etc ..
I recommend doing this after lunch during nap time, maybe for only 10 minutes and once everyone is in bed for the full 20. I also encourage you to do it with your earphones in while listening to some fun music or an audiobook.
You'd be amazed what you can accomplish when you have focus.
6. Delegate
We've had a professional come into our home every 3 weeks to add a little more elbow grease for over 3 years now and it is the greatest blessing! She scrubs our kitchen, bathrooms, floors and dusts. While this is a luxury it is also an investment into our home. By keeping it clean we prevent our fixtures from staining so they will last. Think about your faucets, toilets, grout, tile, lighting, etc...
From time to time we will add specific tasks like the baseboards, refrigerator, stove or windows.
Note: if this isn't an option, make it an appointment/block of time on your family calendar where you can tackle and focus on the heavy scrubbing on a frequent basis. Divide the tasks up among you.
Our homes are personal and I know the dynamics are as unique as our individual families but I hope at least one of my tips will help encourage you. I know I can relax, focus on my family and am simply happiest when my home is clean.
Like my Mamma always says, "Cleanliness is Next to Godliness"!
Dress Beautifully in a Spic & Span Home
XOXO Sarah-Louise
