September 8, 2017

10 Things People with Clean Homes Do Every Day

I am a compensated 3M-sponsored blogger, and as part of my responsibilities, I get the opportunity to evaluate 3M products. Opinions are my own and additional products used in the project were selected by me.

You want a clean home but feel like you’re constantly running around cleaning up messes all the time? Or maybe you have just decided that you will always be a ‘messy person’. Take some tips from me as one of those people with a clean home – most of the time. There is a secret to share to having a clean home – it’s daily maintenance! Start incorporating a couple of these simple tasks daily and in no time you’ll be one of ‘those people’.

Not only is knowing what to clean and when to clean it important, but having the right tools is equally important.

Here are 10 simple things that people with clean homes do every day.

They set the tone by making the bed(s) every single day.  Making a bed is simple and it definitely sets the tone of a clean bedroom which in turn might just help you tidy up another area in your home. Let’s face it, it’s always nicer to crawl into a made bed than a messy one at the end of a long day.

They don’t let the dishes pile up. Keep the kitchen sink clean and empty – wash dishes, put dishes in the dishwasher, put away clean dishes. At the end of the day or meal, cleaning up is the last thing that you want to do, but getting in this habit is easier because dishes are easier to clean and you’ll have less dishes to wash at once. I love the Scotch-Brite® Scrub Dots Dishwand and Scrub Sponge for washing the dishes – not only does it remove those stuck-on messes, but it also rinses clean so I don’t have to worry about cleaning my sponge too.

They wipe up little spills when they happen. Cleaning up little spills when they occur is always easier than trying to clean stuck-on drips and spills. Keep a Scotch-Brite® Scrub Dots Dish Cloth handy while you’re cooking to quickly clean up those little messes. If you encounter a stuck-on mess, the Scrub Dots side is sure to remove it in one swipe.

They pick up clutter throughout the day so it doesn’t build up. ​Taking the time daily to pick up clutter is so helpful. Start by dealing with your mail every day and once you’ve conquered that clutter issue, move on to another area and you’ll slowly be eliminating clutter in your home.

They make sure that everything has a place.  You know the phrase, ‘a place for everything, and everything in its place’? That little concept can keep a home tidy pretty much all the time. If you create a place for every thing in your home, you’ll always know where to return it to.

They have a system for laundry – whether it’s a load a day or laundry day, staying on top of laundry is key to keeping a clean home. Piles of laundry that are in any state of sorting, to be washed, or to be put away can be overwhelming. By having a system you take the guesswork out of when the laundry will be completed and you’ll not be searching for clothes or wondering if that favorite shirt is clean.

They wipe out the refrigerator weekly. Get in the habit of wiping out the refrigerator weekly. I like to take care of this task before doing the big grocery run for the week on Fridays. The refrigerator is mostly empty so a quick wipe is with a damp Scotch-Brite® Scrub Dots Dish Cloth is all it takes to clean the surface in a hurry.

They plan ahead.  Use a calendar, planner, checklist, notebook – whatever works for you, but have a plan for what comes next so you know what’s coming and you can prepare for it.

They check the floors and sweep or vacuum up little messes daily. Make it a habit to check under the kitchen table after meals and do a quick sweep or vacuum if necessary. I prefer to do a whole house vacuum on Wednesdays but find that this is all it takes as long as I am tackling those daily messes (even with 3 kids and a large dog) that a once-a-week whole house vacuuming is all that is needed.

They are methodical about cleaning and organizing. Set aside time and tackle the areas that need a little work and take care of them as needed to avoid overwhelm. Cleaning and organizing is a part of life – it can be enjoyable or it can be a loathed chore. Make it part of your routine and you’ll find that simple systems can make your home run more smoothly and feel clean most of the time.

How about you? Which task can you work on or have one to add? Tell us about it in the comments!