Keeping the house clean and presentable is a challenge for any mom, but if you throw in holding down a full-time job as well, a challenge can quickly become a disaster.
But all is not lost; if we efficiently organize ourselves, we can still achieve a spotless home.
Have a Schedule
A schedule is critical to the success of making the house cleaning work. Consider if you are an early riser or a night owl? Set your schedule according to this, if you can get up early and clean before the working day begins, then great, but if you struggle to get going, cleaning last thing at night may be the more effective strategy. Once you have your schedule, it can be helpful to concentrate on one room at a time.
Get Rid of Unwanted Clutter
A cluttered home is a messy home. We can sort this out by brutally decluttering. This can even be a way of making some extra cash. If you look around the home, there are so many things that can be sold for money. We can sell collectibles such as books, vinyl records, antiques, even clothes, electronics, and sporting equipment. We have a few options for selling goods, traditional garage sale work, and eBay can fetch a reasonable price if we get a bidding war going.
Send the Kids Away
Sometimes all we need is a little time to ourselves. This is true in general life, but unfortunately, it often means time to clean in a family. Arrange play dates for younger kids or for older ones, enroll them in social clubs. It’s vital not to waste our time when the kids are away; it’s all too easy to chill out, miss our opportunity, and even create more mess. Try and allow some relaxation time before they return, but get your tasks completed first; you deserve it!
Use the Correct Tools for the Job
We can achieve all of our household tasks more effectively if we use the best tools for each job. Consider a soap dispensing dish brush; it can save you from applying washing up liquid manually. A vibrating floor mop can help with the stubborn stains that would otherwise require a fair amount of elbow grease. We cannot forget the big-ticket appliances as well, such as dishwashers and tumble driers. Using the incorrect tool can be tiring, ineffective and in some circumstances contribute to health issues such as a bad back.
Hire a Cleaner
If it all gets too much, you could look at the possibility of hiring a cleaner. Many often mistakenly believe hiring a cleaner is a huge expense that is out of their reach. But this is not necessarily the case; it can be very affordable if we use a cleaner for specific tasks rather than a whole-home deep clean. Look up local cleaners and be sure to ask around for recommendations and even check google and Facebook reviews. Before hiring a cleaner, have a good conversation around what is expected from both sides, you need to know what you are asking them to do, and they need to make you aware of what their service provides and what cost?
Do it on a Budget
Using natural and traditional cleaning methods can save you money and is also good for the environment. Consider the number of chemicals used in a modern cleaning solution when vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice can be just as effective. If you must use cleaning chemicals, it can save you money if you try the store’s own brand as opposed to leasing named products and get the same results.
Tackle one Problem at a Time
Efficient use of your cleaning time is paramount when trying to juggle home life with a career. We cannot allow ourselves to get distracted and flip between half a dozen problems and loving none. How to best prioritize which problems should be tackled first is a tricky one. We could always tackle the most pressing needs first? This would be great, but it would leave all the routine tasks forever languishing at the end of our to-do list.
Get the Family Involved
Rather than see the family as creators of all mess and obstacles in your quest to live in a well-kept home, you should actively involve them in the domestic tasks. For this to be successful, we must do it in an organized manner, if we simply declare that everyone has to start helping out around here, the chances of that happening are close to zero. A rota can be a great way to let everyone know what and when is expected of them, and it also shows each member of the family that they are being treated fairly and everyone is given the same level of work. For the kids, it can be a way of having them earn their pocket money and learn some fiscal responsibility at the same time.
Take Out the Trash
Regularly taking out the trash helps to keep ourselves from living in grime and filth. Leaving refuse in the home carries certain risks with it; these can vary from unpleasant odors to pest infestations. These days the trash is a more complicated affair, with most places requiring various bins with different recycling contents. If we forget to put out the plastic bin or fill it with the incorrect contents, we are often left with an over-full bin, and weeks to wait for the next collection.
Know When we NEED it to be Clean
In an ideal world, we would always keep our house in its most excellent state of presentation. But we don’t live in an ideal world, and often we must prioritize other aspects of life. However, if we are going to be entertaining guests, then this is the time to ensure our home is in its premium state. Even if it means hiding the mess temporarily in cupboards or the spare room.
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