I hate my role as the main cleaner of the house, but I love having it clean. I’ve talked about needing to have my surroundings clean in order to really accomplish anything, so I’ve made keeping a better house a priority.
I’ve been frustrated with feeling that I’m always in maintenance mode and it being so much work that I don’t have time for new projects or “me time”. I’m working hard on changing my habits and wanted to share simple tips that are helping me keep a cleaner house without feeling frazzled. Some of you will smirk at how obvious they are and you probably already do them, but for anyone who struggles like me, I hope these help.
~Always make your bed in the morning~
I always thought it was so silly that some people made such a big deal out of making their beds. I mean, you’re pretty much the only one who sees it or knows it is or isn’t made, right? I started making my bed every morning this past summer and it instantly made my bedroom feel better, made my evenings so much more pleasant, and was an instant mood boost. This is one habit I won’t be breaking.
~Don’t go to bed with dirty dishes~
This one has been hard for me but so rewarding. I’ve really had to force myself to get everything into the dishwasher at night and to have the sink and counters clear. I love waking up to a clean kitchen and it takes me twenty minutes (usually) to clean it up. No excuses. It took me a little while to get in the swing of it, but now I’ll come back downstairs to clean it up after the girls are in bed if I need to.
~Put laundry away as it comes out of the dryer~
Ok, this one is my downfall. I loathe laundry and am constantly doing it. I am terrible at putting that one load aside to put away later. And the next. And then I’m six loads into the pile on the floor and I’m telling people to look for something there instead of in their closets. When I say that I have to force myself to put laundry away as it comes out, I mean it. When I follow through, though, it’s life-changing. There’s nothing better than a clear floor and full dresser.
~Clean up the living room~
I have kids. Kids are messy. We have a house that allows for multiple playing areas, so I’ve limited what’s allowed in the living room, but they still have a good number of toys in there. I have storage areas set aside for them and they have to clean up every night. We try to time it so that it’s clean before Scott gets home from work. I’m not picky (for now) about how their toys are put away–they just need to be in their cabinet or basket. I frequently need to help them, but they’re learning and I usually find mess that isn’t theirs, as well. With the freezing temperatures, it’s been lovely to come downstairs, start a fire, and enjoy a cup of coffee in a clean room before the daily chaos starts.
As I’ve made these daily habits, I’ve found that it takes me less time each day. I’m happier, the house feels better, and I’m being proactive in making time for myself and what I want to do. It’s giving me the ability to start projects without feeling crazy. Win/win. These are all totally common sense ideas, but if you’re a domestic failure like me, forcing yourself to do them can make a world of difference.
LOVE the make the bed one… I was with you on that until I started doing it… and I had read somewhere about the first thing you do when cleaning is you should make your bed. It’s true! Makes a BIG difference!!
I am so guilty of some of these!! I don’t have a dishwasher so doing dishes is a chore… I’ll usually do them first thing in the morning… Putting laundry away is a constant struggle… Thanks for sharing these handy tips
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I hate cleaning. I HATE it, but like you, I like to be in a clean environment. One thing I absolutely need is a clean kitchen, especially since I am in there so much. It is the only place I feel like I am good at cleaning as well. Waking up to a messy kitchen is such a mood killer and I don’t need that in the morning. I am with you on the bed making. I never make my bed. I always feel like no one looks at it and I am just going to mess it up later any way. Maybe I will give it a try just to see what it is like… you never know. I’ve gotten in a habit with my toddler (fortunately, there is only one) to have her clean up her toys before she brings out another. So far so good. Thank you for the post and helping me realize there are more people in the same boat as me and provide inspiration to try harder to make cleaning a priority!
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Going to bed with a clean sink is one of the best things to do. There is nothing more frustrating then waking up to a pile of dishes to do.
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I, too, am a creature that needs clean, uncluttered space to feel at ease. These tips are helpful and easy to implement! For me, the living room needs to be cleaned before the kids go to bed, otherwise I feel like I spend all of that downtime cleaning other people’s messes. So the kids have a basket in the living room, and at the end of the night, they dump all of their toys in there that they’ve brought down and haul it away to the playroom.
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I do about half of those things. I’m the worst at getting the laundry put away. My fiance is better about doing his laundry than I am about doing mine. Also, even though we don’t have kids, I tend to forget about straightening up the living room. It doesn’t take that long, but it does make the apartment feel better.
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I love this! I don’t like leaving dishes overnight because then I wake up stressed with a chore right away. I also always keep my living room clean. I need to work on making my bed.
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Your laundry pile looks exactly like mine lol. I never put away laundry right away and then it piles up and I don’t want to put it away after that…it’s a vicious cycle lol. It was great checking out your site.
Cheers,
Char
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I am a serial bed maker, just like you and it really, really works! For some reason just this little act can change the feel of a whole room. Can I also add that I find making sure all the shades are up and the curtains opened helps too – more light just makes it seem cleaner. Great ideas here – I can even follow them!
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I agree with always making your bed in the morning! But laundry oh how I hate putting away laundry. It’s always clean in my house but usually just stacked in a heap somewhere. No fun!
These are such great tips! Making sure my dishes are clean before bed and cleaning the living room really do make a difference. Some days I feel like I have to clean all day everyday for everything to say nice and neat. It’s so frustrating! But little by little, I know I will get better at it and will be able to have more free time to myself soon.
Great post!
I hate making the bed, I figure since I am going back in it, why bother? My husband makes it. He also hates going to be with a full dishwasher. As for the living room, I clean it every night. I have precious little alone time in it, I like it to be clean. The dryer is a mixed bag for me, sometimes I do it, sometimes I don’t. I am not winning any awards!
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I needed to read this so much today!! I agree with all your tips. The bed making especially seems so silly, but makes a world of difference in your personal life. My biggest struggle is the kids toys. They fight me on cleaning up, and our system isn’t very good…it’s just a mess.
I love the look of your blog! So glad I found you from #SITSBlogging
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Those are all good tips for keeping a house clean and making you feel better about your home. I admit I don’t make my bed daily but, when I do, I love how it makes me feel when I’m sleeping.
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I can relate to this post! I am also somewhat of a domestic failure, and I hate cleaning, but I love a clean house. It’s funny, I just wrote up something the other day about tips for keeping your house in shape when you don’t feel like cleaning, and I had all these same tips! Like minded! 🙂 #SITSBLogging
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I HATE HATE HATE cleaning! Love these daily tips though. Looks like this will make my life easier! Visiting from #SITS!
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I love this post ! I am definitely guilty of not making the beds and leaving dishes in the sink. My thoughts and house would be more free of junk if I would do these things. Thank you for sharing.
Blessings
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I HATE making the bed… even though all takes is just straitening the comforter. I try to keep up with the laundry folding as soon as it gets out of the dryer… and then there are days where The last load just stays in the dryer until we need clothes! :/
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I also love the make the bed tip! When my husband got laid off it made that nearly impossible. Grrr! But it is usually my routine when I want things going smoothly. It truly does make a big difference, especially at night. Also, if there is something in another room that I have to “drop off” in my bedroom, I am much more likely to take the time to put it away properly rather than throw it in my room to deal with later. Loved it! #SITS
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You are so right. Little things like making your bed go a long way. I am guilty of leaving dirty dishes until morning…who wants to start off their day with a sink full of work. Thanks for sharing!
Good list! I need to better about making my bed and putting the clothes away as soon as they are out of the dryer! I have no problem doing the laundry. I can fold it immediately. But for some reason getting it into the closet is my issue!
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I LOVE this post. You literally hit right on the money when it comes to my cleaning disasters. I just can’t deal with this stuff lol. It’s a little hard but I’m sure with some training I’ll be able to conquer it like you did. Thanks for the motivation, I feel inspired to keep this as my daily checklist. #SITSBlogging
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These are all things I struggle with as well! I have been trying to at least semi-make the bed in the morning so I’m not fighting with the blankets at night when I can barely keep my eyes open! #SITSBlogging
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Love these tips. I have to force myself to do the laundry one as well. I completely agree about the bed. I used to not make it on principle that my mother made me do it every single day and I hated it but she was right. It makes a difference. P.S. I hate cleaning but love a clean house, too.
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These are great habits you’ve set! The laundry is my worst thing too. I let a basket or two sit for days waiting to be folded, and there’s always more in the washer/dryer on the way!
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Oh, thank god it’s not just me! I’m terrible at putting dry laundry away and it just sits in the basket while I rifle through it in the mornings. I hate it, yet I’m still so utterly disinclined to actually DO it. I am trying to clean up the kitchen before I go to bed, though. It’s so horrid to wake up and wander downstairs to find a horrific mess. Maybe I need to find the right sort of bait for the Housework Fairy…
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