We’re all way too busy. And when we do have some free time, who the hell wants to spend that time cleaning the house? BUT…we all know that it needs to be done. Job one is keeping the house healthy. If it can look tidy, even better. And if it can be done quickly, well that’s just the best.
I’m a huge fan of cleaning the house on the go. And Mr. Org is too. We do it bit by bit, like this…
Since I like order, tidying comes naturally for me. If things are put away and look neat, I feel like half the battle is won even if I haven’t really cleaned anything. It only takes a few minutes to straighten out the bed in the morning, fold the throw on the couch, or grab the clothes that need to go upstairs while on the way up.
Having designated places for things makes it easier. Then you know where things go and you can take a few minutes every night to put them away before going to bed. Especially toys!! We have lots of secret storage spots to tuck them away, out of sight. We get the Kid to do his share in putting his things away before he hits the sack.
And on nights when I don’t have the time to put everything away properly, I put it all in a basket or, at the very least in a centralized pile, to be dealt with later.
Spot clean, spot clean, spot clean. I wipe up spills and spatters when they happen. I take care of sticky spots on the floor before they attract dirt. My husband is always grabbing a sheet of paper towel or Swiffer cloth to scoop up the dust bunnies that gather in the corners of the stairs as he heads up them. We run the vacuum under the kid’s chair after a particularly messy dinner. (But if it’s rice on the floor, wait until the morning to vacuum. It’s much easier to suck up when it’s dry.)
Stashing cleaning products and tools around the house wherever I might need them makes spot cleaning easier. Out of the Kid’s reach but easy to grab when I see a mess. And on each floor of my home. If I have to go all the way down two floors, I’m just not going to do it and the cleaning is not going to happen.
I can get a lot of cleaning done while doing other things at the same time. Dusting the TV screen or folding laundry can be done while on the phone. I wipe down counters while dinner cooks. Unload the dishwasher in between pouring bowls of cereal.
I often clean the bathroom while the kid is taking a shower or a bath. I’m in there anyway and he’s busy splashing around so I take a few minutes to clean the sink, mirror or toilet. (Can anyone relate to sharing a toilet with an almost 6-year old boy? Gross.) And when you use non-toxic products, you don’t have to worry about chemicals splashing around while your kid is.
Products that can be used for cleaning many different things are the best. If you only have an all-purpose cleaner, you can clean pretty much anything so it is a good bet. And for cleaning on the go, I love using cleaning wipes. If I see a bit of baseboard that is grimy or if the kitchen sink looks a little gross, I grab a wipe and quickly give it a swipe. Presto, things are a little bit cleaner than they were minutes before.
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