Dust Bunnies are Not Pets
Now that you’ve mastered the Sisyphean jobs of keeping a kitchen and bathroom clean, maintaining the rest of the space is stupid easy. It just takes some basic housekeeping and routines.
Remember that whole cleaning-up-as-you-go-along idea from the Easy Tidying Hacks for a Cleaner Space post? This is where you’re going to get some mileage out of that. My personal rule is I never leave a room empty-handed. If I’m going to the kitchen, why not take my snack wrappers and dirty dishes while I’m heading that way? I can grab the coat I threw over a chair on my way to the bedroom. When it’s time to tackle the whole house, it takes less time because I’m not wading through all the clutter.
Getting fresh air inside can have a huge impact on eliminating stale or cooking odors and improving AQI, especially if you keep windows closed because of AC or heat. Even if it’s just for 20 minutes a week, opening a few windows to air out your space will do wonders for your home’s air quality. For maximum effect, open windows opposite each other to create a cross-breeze effect.
The Great Shoe Debate
Wearing shoes indoors is a hot topic on social media, and opinions are strong.
How you choose to proceed is a personal decision. It’s understandably annoying to play the shoes-on-and-off game when you just need to dash inside real quick to grab your phone. However, there are several benefits to leaving them at the door when you’re in for a while.
First, your floors will stay a lot cleaner when you’re not tracking in dirt, snow, and mud.
Second, shoes tend to bring in germs and toxins like E. coli bacteria and pesticides. Leaving them at the door helps keep the yuck off the floor.
Finally, it can also reduce allergies because you’re not depositing pollen and other allergens all over the house.
If you live with other people, you can get together and decide if you want to have such a policy.
Now let’s get to the finer details of basic housekeeping to prevent your home from looking like an episode of Hoarders.
Social Zone: Main Living Spaces
Social zones are where you hang out, entertain, or generally live. A few minutes a day will keep these areas free of clutter, empty bottles, and take-out containers, creating a more inviting space. If you have an office or spare room that guests don’t really use, it’s easy to let it go. Keep them up by doing the Bare Minimum tasks below.
The Bare Minimum:
- Remove any trash. Those pizza boxes aren’t taking themselves out.
- Take dishes to the kitchen.
- Put personal belongings away.
- Run a dust mop over hard floors, especially if you have pets.
Speaking of pets, soft surfaces really like to hang onto odors. If the furballs are making things smell less than fresh, a commercial fabric spray or even just a solution of equal parts vinegar and water will help keep things fresh. Be forewarned, the vinegar does have a strong scent at first. However, it should dissipate and take all of the doggy odors with it.
Do a Deeper Clean:
- Dust all surfaces. Don’t forget under furniture and tops of tall shelves.
- Empty trash cans.
- Vacuum or lint roll furniture to clean up crumbs and/or pet hair
- Wipe down light switches if they look grimy.
- Fluff pillows and tidy up throw blankets.
- Sweep/vacuum floors. If they aren’t carpeted, a very damp mop once in a while will keep them looking great.
Throw blankets should be washed every couple of weeks or when they start getting the funk, especially if you have pets. Using a basket to store extras keeps the couch from looking like someone built an emergency fort. Unless your decorating style is “Emergency Fort,” in which case, disregard.
Now your living areas are a pleasant space to entertain, binge that 8-hour true crime marathon, or manage your mom’s surprise drop-in.
Sanctuary Zone: The Bedroom
Bedrooms are an easily overlooked space when giving the house a once-over. We often close the door when company drops by, but the bedroom is often a haven from the daily burdens of the world. Some of us curl up in the fetal position while we’re hiding, but whatever. It’s nicer when it doesn’t smell like gym socks and last night’s dinner.
The Bare Minimum:
- Take out any trash that smells or doesn’t fit into a small waste basket.
- Take stray dishes to the kitchen
- Keep dirty laundry in a hamper or basket, or take it to the laundry area.
- Hang or store any clothes that don’t need washing.
- Put away any belongings that are out of place.
- Some people make the bed, others prefer to air it out. You do you.
Do a Deeper Clean:
- At least once a week, strip the bed to wash sheets and blankets, then remake. Spritz a little lavender linen spray for a more relaxing setup.
- Dust all surfaces.
- Empty waste basket.
- Sweep or vacuum the floor, mopping if necessary.
Overall, that’s the big secret to a neater space. While our homes probably aren’t going to look like a perfectly curated IKEA catalog, with a little effort, they’ll look nice enough for when company drops by. Do you have a hack for getting your place looking great fast? Let me know in the comments!
