10 Tips For A Clean House After Christmas

1. Clear A Clutter Spot Every Day

We all have places around our home that seem to fill up with clutter fast! Set a timer and spend ten minutes. You can stop after ten minutes even if you aren’t done, but usually I just keep going.

Just go through all the junk and make piles. Make a keep pile and a throw away pile.  The most important pile is the “other room” pile.  If you keep stopping to take stuff to other rooms, you’ll lose your focus and waste time. Just put it all in a pile and after you’re done, you can take it to where it belongs.

2. Listen to Music

Put some upbeat tunes on your iPod or MP3 player and rock out while you clean. This always keeps me going and before I know it, the cleaning is done!

Warning: Don’t sing out loud. You might not be able to hear your voice over the headphones and the vacuum but your husband can. If you’re like me (read: can’t sing), stick to dancing as you vacuum instead.

3. Spray shower before you get out

This was a tip from my grandmother.  She would always keep a bottle of cleaner in the shower and do a quick spray of the entire stall before she got out each morning.  She buys the kind you can spray and then rinse off, no scrubbing involved.

I love the idea and it really cuts down on my bathroom cleaning time. However, I didn’t like the idea of spraying harsh chemicals while I was standing in there wearing my birthday suit. I use a mix of vinegar and water instead.

4. Make your bed

Your mom was right. It makes a huge difference! Your room will look cleaner and your bed will seem more inviting! Except for the year my husband spent on third shift, I’ve always made it a point to make the bed. Try it and you’ll be glad you did!

5. Keep the sink clean

This one took a while for me to learn.  You don’t really think about a few coffee cups in the sink or the breakfast dishes, until you hear someone is coming over. Then you quickly scrub them and put them away. Having a clean sink goes a long way to making your whole kitchen look cleaner. Also, when you make a big meal, wash the dishes as you go so it isn’t so overwhelming at the end.

6. Do laundry once during the week

Anyway, my brilliant friend told me she had started doing a load on Wednesday night as well as her usual weekend laundry routine.  I followed her lead and it has helped immensely! I’ve started doing one load a few times a week instead of waiting for the weekend and now I don’t feel so tied to my washer and dryer. It’s great!

7. Family cleaning day

My parents always used this method when we were growing up. I hated it, but it worked! Everyone has a room to clean on Saturday morning and when you’re done you can go play or do whatever fun things you had planned for your Saturday.

8. Have a place for everything

My mom always said “A place for everything and everything in its place.” My husband might argue that I have taken this a little too far since I labeled the kitchen cabinets, but I love it! It’s hard to use a shelf or box as a dumping ground when you have it labeled for something. We still have a junk drawer in the laundry room, but at least I know there isn’t random junk anywhere but there.

9. Set a timer

If the housework starts to feel overwhelming it’s hard to be motivated to clean.  That’s when having a time limit really helps. I tell myself “I can do this for 30 minutes.” If 30 minutes seems like too long to you, pick your own limit. Even a few minutes spent cleaning or organizing helps your home feel cleaner in the long run.

1. Fold clothes during commercials

Doesn’t everyone hate folding laundry? Unfortunately, we don’t like wearing wrinkled shirts either. Since folding the laundry is a must, cut yourself some slack and do it at night during your TV time.  While you’re watching your favorite episode of Modern Family (or whatever you watch), fold clothes during the commercials.  Before you know it, the folding will be done and you will feel like you got a break too.
Written by: Sara Parise