[1]Today, I’m privileged to have Bobby Smith, a regular blogger at SelectAware, an online coupon site [2], share four ways to make cleaning easier.
When it comes to an easy way to keep my home clean, I have a listening ear. As a task-oriented individual [3], I prefer to clean from top to bottom within a few days and be done with cleaning for the next week or two.
For some reason that next week or two turns into five or six weeks requiring another top to bottom cleaning.
Realizing that my current cleaning is not really working for me anymore, I am listening and receiving these tips from Bobby as Cleaning Hack #1 is calling my name.
As you consider your cleaning strategy, listen as Bobby shares these insightful solutions to keeping our homes clean. ~ Tracy
4 Cleaning Hacks to Make Cleaning Your Home Easy
[4]Photograph used by permission from Suzanne Dubose Photography
Cleaning is one of those tasks best fit into the “habits” territory. Generally, people either tend to love it or hate it, but changing how you go about it seems to take major effort.
Often, we clean based on how we were raised. If our parents showed us a number of useful cleaning tricks, we just continue to use them as adults, rarely seeking out new methods or products.
We’ve heard it takes 21 days to form new habits. Try using these 4 cleaning hacks to make cleaning your home easy over the next 3 weeks and see if new habits are formed for you!
Cleaning Hack #1 – Clean Daily
Although it sounds terrible to clean every day, by dedicating a small amount of your time daily to cleaning, it’s remarkably effective. With a small checklist, like this one [5] from Real Simple, you can cover the basics of picking up and wiping down surfaces quickly.
No more embarrassment when an unexpected guest shows up at your door! Other benefits: keeping up with your stuff, feeling more productive and an increased positive outlook.
With daily cleaning underway, it also cuts out time for a more intense scrub down later. The more intense oven scrubbing and refrigerator clean out are more likely to get done quickly when everything else is already in order.
Cleaning Hack #2 – Simplify Your Products
The grocery aisle is loaded with various cleaning products, all designed to help you tackle specific cleaning tasks. But, are they really necessary?
Chances are, you can eliminate most of what’s in your cleaning basket and pare it down to a few key products. Baking Soda, vinegar, ammonia, dish detergent, and hydrogen peroxide can do wonders in cleaning your house.
Buy in bulk when you do need to purchase cleaning products, and be sure to utilize all available coupons for discount stores to save both time and money in the long run.
Cleaning Hack #3 – Use the Right Equipment
While reducing the number of cleaning products makes cleaning your home easier, sometimes you have to pay more attention to the tools needed. It’s remarkable how much faster and easier cleaning becomes with the right sponges, rags, and scrubbers.
Another trick is to use cleaning gloves. People become more inspired to scrub harder and tackle dirtier jobs while wearing gloves.
And don’t even think about buying cheap equipment. Find the best vacuum you can afford by seeking out coupons, rebates and more [6] to maximize savings opportunities and eliminate frustration down the road.
Cleaning Hack #4 – Get Organized
One of the simplest and most effective ways to make cleaning your home easy is to get organized. Purge closets of unnecessary junk and straighten them out with a system for where things go.
Quit throwing junk into drawers and use drawer organizers instead to keep everything in order. Try bins and boxes with labels to help keep stuff contained.
When everything has a place, it makes it far easier to put it back there and take care of your stuff. Which leads us right back to Cleaning Hack #1….
At first glance, good cleaning habits can seem hard to get implemented. However, with these four cleaning hacks to make cleaning your home easy, it’s far more manageable. And like every good habit, once you see the results, it’s worth it.
This post is authored by SelectAware [2], a leading online coupon portal for thousands of major retailers and merchants.