Cleaning Tips: Keep up on the Little Things

A friend told me that she took a day off from housework one day recently. As the day wore on, things piled up around her. For her, that was confirmation that she actually accomplishes a lot each day. It's amazing all the little things that we just naturally have to keep up on in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Keep up on the little things in order to make the big cleaning jobs easier. I have learned the hard way that dried applesauce on the tile floor is like cement, milk-soaked cheerios stick like superglue when dried, wet spots on any floor collect dirt, one mark on the wall can be overlooked over and over again if not cleaned up right away, toothpaste in the sink cleans up much easier when wet, spots on clothing are easier to get out if treated as soon as possible, spilled crackers in the couch cushions just get pulverized, and spilled milk left to sit smells terrible once it is dry.

There are myriads of little things that happen in a day. As things happen, clean them up. Soak up spills on hard floors and use a mop like the Swiffer Wet Jet to finish the job. Make sure you have plenty of napkins and paper towels on hand for kitchen accidents, and keep them where your family can easily access them. For carpets, have a carpet cleaner on hand to clean up the unpleasant throw-up or milk spills that tend to happen. I use Spot Shot and there's only been one thing it didn't get out of my carpet: dry erase marker. Otherwise, it cleans up everything if you follow the instructions. For walls, use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to quickly clean up marks when they happen (the erasers are not safe for kids to use!). Train your family to use a tissue or something to wipe out the sink after brushing teeth. Treat stains on clothing as soon as you can. I find that even if I spray the stain with Shout and then let it sit until I do some laundry, the stain usually comes out. And when chips get spilled in the couch cushions, don't let them sit because they'll just get smooshed, making it more difficult to clean up later. Have a dust buster or other small vacuum that is easy to use for small clean-ups like that.

If you keep up on the little things, then the deep cleaning will be a breeze. Have a great weekend!

Zoning: Kitchen & Pantry

De-cluttering your rooms is the number one priority. Once you have gotten rid of the clutter, then you can start organizing what is left. Refer to last week's zoning post for more help. Here are some basic ideas for your kitchen and pantry:

Kitchen Ideas

• Get and use a grocery bag holder, or just recycle/throw away your grocery bags
• Line your drawers/shelves OR purchase organizers for them (measure first!)
• Run & empty your dishwasher daily
• Throw out old food from fridge and pantry, donate things you have but won’t eat
• Create useful zones: baking, beverage, cleaning, mail, recycling & trash, cookbooks, kids stuff, fine dining, etc.
• Smaller zones like cake decorating are helpful for easy locating and cleanup (put all the sprinkles, food coloring, candles, etc. in one basket; when using it you pull the whole basket out, then when done you put the whole basket away…simple!)
• Recipes: only keep what you use! Store in a binder, box, or in a small photo album with index cards
• Put kid plates, bowls, cups, etc. at their level so they can easily help with meals and clean up
• If you have a lot of clutter on your counters (cookie jars, bread machine, mixer, etc.), consider using the space above your cupboards to store things in a decorative way until you use them, or install some shelving where possible
  

Pantry Ideas

• Clear, stackable containers
• Tiered storage to make food visible
• Door organizers to maximize space (for example, a shoe organizer works well)
• Baskets, lazy susans, tupperwares, etc. to store neatly
• Group/zone by category or time of day

Organize Yourself: Tip #5

I have known people who feel like if there is an open space in their house they need to fill it up. Just the other day I had someone ask me what was missing in one corner of my living room. There hadn't been anything there before, it was just an open space that she probably figured must have been filled at one time. And several people have commented on how there is barely anything on my refrigerator.

Tip #5: Learn to love empty spaces! Even if the empty spaces are calling out to you, resist the urge to fill them up. Empty spaces are great for making an area more open, less cluttered, and more inviting.

First try to clear the floor of everything but the necessary stuff like furniture. Bookshelves, magazine racks, baskets, shoe racks, toyboxes, and hampers will help get the clutter off the floor, opening up your room (and making it much easier to vacuum). Clean off your refrigerator or other places that tend to collect things (like the bathroom counter). Make a to-do list or a reminder list so that you can put things away until you are ready for them. Use a reminder list for projects you want to do, or for simple things like remembering to take your vitamins (rather than leaving them out on the counter day in and day out…).

Next, when you take something out of its place and use it, remind yourself to put it back where it goes when you are done. It only takes a few seconds to follow this simple rule, but it saves you loads of time later, and keeps the empty spaces empty.

Finally, have one bin or box specifically to fill up with things to give away. It's a great place to put the clutter that is unnecessary. You’ll find yourself needing to empty it frequently.

If you follow these simple rules, you will find that you actually enjoy having empty spaces, and people will notice how open and inviting your home or office is.

Money Savers: Use What You Have

There was a time when I had boxes of stuff, but I didn't have them very organized. I knew what was in them, but more often than not it was easier to go buy a new thing than to dig around and find the one I had.

That's when I decided 2 things: clear bins are great, and labels are essential. With clear bins I can see what I have, and if I'm not sure, the labels tell me what I have. It has been very handy in saving money, since it is the little things that tend to add up. For example, I haven't had to buy Valentine's cards for my kids in years because I have a holiday box full of stuff that I bought one time at the after-holiday sales. This year I finally used up the last of the Valentine cards. Another example: I have a nice stock of office supplies on hand in one of my bins. If I ever need anything, I just have to go to my labeled bin. And I keep stocked up by watching sales, particularly at back-to-school time. This also helps when a teacher asks for supplies. Or what about tools? Having them organized and labeled is a great way to avoid having to buy another one. This goes for craft supplies, kitchen accessories, seasonal items, holiday decorations, gifting supplies, hair accessories, sporting goods, electronics, photos, hardware items (like extension cords), and just about anything you can think of.

Once your things are easily accessible and labeled, you'll find yourself using the things you have. You may even find things you didn't remember having. And as a result, you won't feel like you have to run to the store every time you need something.

Time Savers: Managing Clothing & Laundry

Weekends are a great time to relax and enjoy my family. So Mondays are the day I like to get myself back in order after the weekend. This means some picking up. The thing that always seems most pressing on Monday mornings is the mess made from all the things we wear: dirty and stained clothing, shoes all over, jackets left around, clothing draped on beds or on the exercise bike you'd really like to use today, and so on. However, I don't want to spend all day doing it, so I've come up with some effective ways to cut time.

Quick clean-ups:
~Throw your kids shoes in baskets or buckets with their name on them. Take it one step further and teach them to put them in there when they take their shoes off, and you'll never have to do it again (right...!).
~For your own shoes, use shoe racks or shoe organizers. Put your shoes away at the end of each day. Yes, even my shoe shelves get disorganized, so I re-organize them about once a week. My kids actually like to do it for me, so all I have to do is ask!
~Outdoor clothing like jackets can be hung on a peg board or on hooks by the door. I've even heard of using a clothing tree/hat hanger for the same purpose. I have a board with two hooks per person in my family and they hang everything on there. I take time on Mondays to put things in coat closets or drawers.
~Finally, the neverending laundry. I do laundry every day, but I try to get a good start on it on Mondays. Invest in a rolling laundry cart like this one from Costco, or something similar. My family knows what color clothing goes in each basket of the cart. In my laundry room, I also have a bin for dirty rags/towels, as well as a place to put clothing that needs stain treatments. On Monday, I just have to pull my laundry cart around the house to pick up anything left laying around, and then head to the laundry room to start washing. Long before school is out, my kids have piles of clean, folded clothes to put away, and I didn't even have to slave all day to get it done!

Cleaning Tips: Deep Cleaning Weekend

Organizing and cleaning are two different things, but they go together to create a comfortable home or office. One without the other is only half the job. This weekend, stay indoors and do some cleaning. Then make a plan to keep doing it. I clean every day, but I deep clean once a week. Any time I can get my family to help me, the work goes faster and our kids learn how to work together to get things done.

So what's the easiest way to clean? Hire a cleaning lady! But, since not everyone can afford that, and not everyone is comfortable with that (I would feel like I'd have to clean my house before the cleaning lady came!), then clean with zoning in mind. Begin by putting things away and tidying up. Then clean each zone, or area, completely before moving on to the next one. Work from the top to the bottom, no matter what room you are cleaning, or you'll be messing up what you just cleaned. Here's the order I clean in:

1. Empty all garbages and sterilize/clean cans with antibacterial wipes or sprays, then I leave one garbage bag available to throw away used cleaning things like wipes
2. Clean all doorknobs and light switches with antibacterial wipes
3. Bathrooms: change towels, dust, mirror, fixtures, cabinets/doors, rugs, floors
4. Kitchen/dining area: dust, appliances, counters/cabinets/doors, table/chairs, rugs, floors & floorboards
5. Bedrooms: dust, windows, furniture, floors
6. Entryway: dust, windows, furniture, rugs, floors
7. Other living areas: dust, windows, furniture, vacuum out couches/chairs, floors
8. Laundry room: dust, cabinets, appliances, rugs, floors, start a load of towels/rags

Remember, I am talking about deep cleaning. There are several things I add in as I observe the rooms: change lightbulbs, wipe off stepstools, change filters, clean the glass on a dirty frame, dust vents or fan blades, and wipe walls or floorboards as needed.

Getting your family to help: figure out what they like to help with by letting them choose. My 2 year old loves to be the one who cleans off all the doorknobs & light switches. She walks around with her favorite stepstool so that she can reach them. My 5 year old enjoys dusting, so we share the dusting. She dusts the things that are at her level, and my hubby usually gets the other things.

Other things my kids like to do: wash/dry dishes, wipe down chairs/stepstools, move things out of the way of the vacuum (This is great when my husband is home to help: he moves all the furniture as I vacuum. No fishie crackers under there!), clean windows (Windex wipes are very handy for kids to use), vacuum small areas or rugs (we have a dustbuster that has various attachments to make it more vacuum-like--a long handle, a broad brush, etc.), clean floorboards.

What about older kids? Start young so you don't have to train them later! But if you are already there, I'd suggest the same thing: let them do what they like to do. My parents never pushed me to do my chores, and there were plenty of times I didn't do my chores, but look at me now: I'm a neat-freak! With my kids I take it one step further with one simple rule: work first, then play. My kids know that mom and dad won't play with them or take them out until all the work is done, and they are more than willing to lend a hand in making it quick work!

Work first, and then play, and you'll have a great weekend! Happy cleaning!

Zoning: Tips to be Successful

What is zoning? Start by reading last week's entry. Every room has a unique purpose. Once you determine the purpose, then treat it like a department store…put things in different zones. For example, in the garage you might have places for gardening supplies, sporting goods, holiday storage, automotive, and garbage. In the kitchen you might have places for baking, beverages, cleaning, mail, recycling & trash, and cookbooks. Tips for success:

1. Have a specific place for everything: where will it get used? If you use it everywhere, you may want to have one for each room or zone (scissors, for example).


2. Bins and containers are a good start. Try to have matching bins for easy stacking and less visual clutter. Clear bins are nice so you can see what’s inside. Small containers are nice for small stuff or small spaces.


3. Measure, measure, measure! There's nothing more time-consuming then trying to guess the right size of the space you are trying to fill.


4. Use your horizontal space: under bed, cupboards, drawers, etc.


5. Use your vertical space: wall shelving, stackables, over the toilet racks, bathroom hooks, key hangers, mail holders, etc.


6. Label, label, label! Give your brain a break. Maybe you CAN remember where everything is, but why not label instead?


7. Give your family a tour. How else will they know where everything goes?

Think about the space you have and how it can best be used. Don’t spend lots of money buying organizers unless they will be effective for you. Once everything has a place, try to keep it there…