Simplify: Cleaning Hacks
As the last installment of the Simplify series, I want to give you a sneak peak into my "clean house". One of the things I am known for is a clean house. Don't judge! But the thing is...it really truly isn't as clean as people think. The secret is...I fake it. I really do. I don't spend hours cleaning. I have life to live. So I wanted to share with you some of my cleaning hacks.
The first thing and probably the most revolutionary of all my cleaning hacks is stashing.
I hide stuff.
This is truly how I keep my house tidy. It just makes me feel better not to have stuff everywhere. I love clean counters and bare floors, but I'm not perfect and I have limited hours in my day. So I simply take advantage of closed doors and drawers. If I don't have time to deal with it or organize it, I stash it until I have time to take care of it.
My second favorite hack is the Swiffer. Oh my goodness, this is the greatest invention in cleaning history. I used to be one of 'those' people who vacuumed every other day. My floors are perpetually dirty. I have people over quite often and I have kids--need I say more? I simply pull out the Swiffer and take about 2 minutes to run it over the floors. Instantly better. And did you know you can just use the sheet by hand on your furniture as well? Super quick fix.
The next best thing for instant stress relief is a clean kitchen. In a family of 5, keeping the kitchen clean is quite a task. Using paper plates has absolutely liberated me as of late. I don't plan on doing this forever (because, yes, I know I'm cluttering the landfills) but for this busy season of our lives this is crucial for my sanity.
Lastly, I clean as I go. The problem many people have is they let things pile up and then the task of cleaning up becomes so overwhelming that they leave the mess and it continues to multiply. We teach our toddlers to clean up one activity before they go on to the next. Then why don't we apply the same rule to ourselves. I find that if I leave the dishes in the sink and sit down, I lose my energy and motivation to return to the sink. But if I just go ahead and put them in the dishwasher immediately after using them, the chore is done and I don't have to worry about it later.
One more freebie and product shout out.
Zep for cleaning stainless steel. (Be sure to also use the lint free cloths with the Zep)
Clorox wipes for counters.
Windex cleaner for windows..
In addition to staying on top of dishes and clutter, my mantra is wipe, wipe, and wipe again. Multiple times a day I wipe things down. I keep my supplies right under the kitchen sink and after each meal or snack I wipe the area down. Again, I don't wait until 'cleaning day' to do this. (I actually don't really have a 'cleaning day' because I always clean as I go.) When I see crumbs or a spot on the window or refrigerator I just quickly wipe it right then. This way it never gets out of control. Now my kitchen might not be truly squeaky clean but it stays tidy and we have space and room to just enjoy the area.
I hope you find these hacks to be as liberating as I have. Simplifying and focusing on the basics to keep my house clean and tidy gives me room to breathe and enjoy what matters most.
