(1) Make your bed. Every day. When your bed is made, you're more likely to keep the rest of your room clean. Make your kids do the same! When I was a child, I couldn't leave my room in the morning until my bed was made. Our rooms stayed pretty clean.
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| image from Restoration Hardware |
(2) Tidy up your house before you go to bed or when you leave the house. There's nothing like starting the morning off to a clean house or coming home to a clean house. Plus, the moment your house is messy is the very moment some unexpected company will stop by. Every. Time.
(3)Try to stick to a cleaning schedule. I like to do all of my major cleaning on Monday (mopping, dusting, laundry, etc.) The rest of the week is just maintenance.
(4) Set a timer. Give yourself 30 minutes to clean. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done when you have a time limit!
(5) Consider open shelving. It's beautiful, and it can add tons of additional storage.
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| image from Alice Lane |
(6) Don't put dishes in the sink! The dishwasher is inches away! Putting dishes is like not making the bed, it just invites additional messes! Plus, I'm not buying the "it's soaking" thing that someone in our house always claims. Cereal bowls don't need no soakin'.
(7) Use your countertop to store jars and utensil containers to make room in drawers.
(8) Provide a place for everything! This makes cleaning SO much faster and helps avoid clutter and junk drawer type spaces!
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| image from Better Homes & Gardens |
(9) Get rid of it! If you come across something you don't use, and haven't used for a long time, it's time to part with it! Donate it or throw it away! Get it out of your house!
(10) Use hooks in closets and on the backs of doors. This keeps things off of the floor and keeps things organized!
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| image from Poppy Talk |
So smart setting your 2014 resolutions to start today. I think we all over indulge the first part of January because it still seems like the holidays. Today feels like my fresh start, too. I've begun shredding papers and re-organizing my office. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteLove all these tips!
ReplyDeleteI am loving the cleaning timer idea! I do most of my cleaning on Sundays, and I usually let it take all day (& might get a bit distracted throughout!). This is a much better idea & leaves me more time to get other things accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on #1 $ 2 Jamie!!!! I actually did a lot of cleaning and organizing over the weekend, and honestly, despite all the holiday garb that I adore, a nice, clean and simple living room is what I crave the most! Feels so good to come home! I have to do more editing with my stuff, that's one of the things I need to do for the new year, wish me luck! Love all your tips dear!
ReplyDeleteWhen are you coming to AZ to organize my house - I can build furniture but staying organized is a completely different story!
ReplyDeleteI believe in order and cleanliness too. I also believe in minimization. it definitely helps to keep things at a minimum. great tips!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.averysweetblog.com/
Great tips! Love that craft table!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I'm definitely a believer in cleaning after dinner/before bed. It's so nice to see everything put away before you end the day. That and timed cleaning spurts are fantastic...I often find that I'm getting so much done that I keep going long after the timer goes off!
ReplyDeleteI had make my bed everyday on my new years resolution list a couple of years ago and I still do it. it's the best and I feel like I get way better sleep :)
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