Americans spend an average of six hours each week cleaning their homes—for those of us who work full-time, that’s nearly the equivalent of spending an entire workday keeping our living space tidy.
Although it may require a bit of daily maintenance, there are some easy ways to clean your home so that it doesn’t take up too much of your free time. Here are five simple hacks for maintaining a tidy house that everyone should know about.
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- Get Rid of Junk Mail Right Away
It’s easy to let the mail pile up during the workweek and scatter it throughout the home. Try to make it a daily habit to sort your mail and place unwanted pieces in your recycling pile or trash bin so it doesn’t collect space on the coffee or dining room table. Place your bills in a designated area so you can locate them easily to pay them.
Magazines and catalogs can quickly pile up around your home. Go through them right away and get rid of any you don’t want. Recycle or give read magazines to a friend. Some libraries also take magazine donations.
- Put Things Back in Their Proper Place
If clutter is a problem, you may not be putting items back where they belong. The kids’ toys can stay in their rooms or in designated storage areas. Footwear and other clothing items should be stored in closets and dressers.
The best way to begin with decluttering a room is to look at your floor space first and remove anything that doesn’t belong there. Now you’ll be able to move around the room more easily and can work next on putting out-of-place items on countertops and tables back where they belong.
- Clean Your Kitchen Daily
Few things can make a home feel messy than dirty dishes in the sink and used cookware on the countertops. If you have time, wash the dishes every morning or stow them in the dishwasher until it’s full. Clean and sanitize the countertops and put leftovers away.
While you’re at it, make sure you take the trash out on a regular basis and sweep the kitchen floor daily. These regular tasks will help keep any pests away and create an organized cooking space.
- Vacuum High-Traffic Areas Regularly
Although your entire home needs vacuuming regularly, making a quick sweep daily over high-traffic areas such as your living room will help keep the carpeting or rug looking fresher. If you have time, use an attachment to remove cobwebs and dust bunnies from crevices and corners and underneath furniture. Invest in a robotic vacuum cleaner to help maintain a room while you focus on another quick cleaning task.
- When All Else Fails, Hire Maid Service
Recurring maid services are not just for those who live in large homes or have a lot of income. If you’re simply too busy to keep your home as clean as you would like, use a housekeeping service. Most companies offer a range of cleaning services that range from deep cleaning jobs to weekly maintenance.
Follow These Tips for a Tidy House
Following these five tips should help you keep a tidy house with minimal effort. You can also help get other family members involved to tackle chores at the same time to achieve a cleaner house fast.
For more advice on maintaining your home, check out our Projects section for fun DIY projects that can transform your abode.
