These tips take very little effort, but can help make a home look cleaner than it actually is.
1. Put the toilet lid down. If the toilet bowl is dirty, at least with the lid down you can't see it!
2. Close all cupboards and doors. Even if you have the intention of putting something right back, things happen and you can walk away with the cupboard or door still open. Kitchen cupboards, bathroom cupboards, pantry door, closet doors, laundry door... when all remain closed, the house looks cleaner. (Especially closet doors in the bedrooms.)
3. Pull the shower curtain closed.
4. Make the bed. Even if it's just pulling the top comforter up and not straightening the sheets.
5. Fluff the pillows on the couches.
6. Tuck in all the chairs to the dining table.
7. Clear dishes from the kitchen table. If you don't plan on cleaning the kitchen right away, at least the kitchen table will be cleared, making the dishes seem less daunting when you get around to doing them.
8. Hide dirty laundry in the washing machine. It can make your room seem cleaner if you keep a load of dirty laundry in the washer. Maybe it sounds silly, why not just start the washer, but I'm talking about before it's a full load. Instead of putting the dirty clothes in a hamper, put them in the washer to collect until it's a full load to run.
9. Put dirty dishes in the sink instead of on the counter.
10. Make a dirty/clean sign for the dishwasher. Then load the dishwasher throughout the day/week and switch the sign to clean once you start it. That way you don't forget if you're still loading it with dirty dishes or if they're clean.
11. When all else fails, close the doors to all the rooms in the house.
12. Straighten the Family Room before going to bed. It may not stay clean throughout the day, but at least you can wake up to a clean house in the morning.
13. Get a shoe basket or shelf to have in the family room or near the front door.
14. Keep a small toy box in each room that toys get used. We have 2 family rooms so we keep a toy box in each one, plus one in the little one's bedroom.
15. If you have pets, have a toy box specifically for pet toys.
16. Put things away as soon as you're done using them. Toothpaste, hairbrush, bread, peanut butter, etc.
17. Plug in an air freshener.
18. Rinse dishes while making dinner. It's also a good time to unload the dishwasher and load dishes as you go.
19. Use a mail sorter so mail doesn't stack up on the counter.
20. Put your purse in a closet or cupboard instead of on the counter.
21. Open the blinds. It helps make your house seem bigger and your mess seem smaller. Also, open the windows for some fresh air.
4 comments:
What a great list! I definitely have a few of these that would help our house!
Good ideas! I'll have to start using some of them. :)
I keep a candle in my entry way and when I know people are coming I light it so that I know my house smells nice. As well as I always fabreeze the house when I know people are coming! I love the smell of a clean house and I always worry mine smells like diapers!
I do most of the things on this list, I also put the dishes in warm soapy water when I don't have time to do them, and at least wipe off the counters so it looks clean, and that way when I do get time for the dishes there's no scrubbing!
I'm really big in vacuuming. With little kids I feel like my floor is always trashed but it makes such a huge difference when it's vacuumed. So even if the house isn't spotless, at least the carpet looks clean.
I keep a designated spot for mail in the hallway closet.
Sorry it froze and wouldn't let me finish. I keep a spot for mail and paperwork In the closet, that way it's never seen because I keep that door shut, and I don't have mail and papers lying around for my 2 year old to destroy!
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