7 Tips to Keep Your House Cleaner Than a Hooded Seal's Kitchen

The Kitchen of a Hooded Seal: 7 Tips to Keep Your House Cleaner

Keeping your house clean is a constant balancing act. You can only get so clean before you have to start all over again. It’s an exhausting cycle, and one that doesn’t get any easier as time goes on. Even if you keep your house cleaner than the average skip, it can be tricky to remember everything at once. There are always those little things that slip your mind until you walk into a room and nearly break your neck on a pile of shoes or fall over a stack of magazines. Keeping things tidy takes time but isn’t as difficult as it sounds; here are 7 tips to help keep your house cleaner than a hooded seal's kitchen:

1) Don’t be lazy

The first step to keeping your house clean is to get off your bottom and do something about it. If you have a tendency to be lazy, you’ll never be able to keep your house in order. Even if you only do a little bit each day, it’s better than doing nothing. The sooner you get into the habit of cleaning and tidying, the easier it will be to keep it up. First, pick a room and decide that you’re going to clean it. Make sure to get everything out of the room, so you can clean under and behind all the furniture. If you have to do this a few times, so be it, but it’ll become easier with practice. Next, sweep or vacuum any crumbs or dust bunnies before you start washing dishes or wiping down surfaces. Try not to think too much as you go through the motions; just stay focused on what needs to be done next. Give yourself plenty of time when starting this routine because it might take awhile before it becomes second nature.

2) Set the timer

Once you have a room clean, try to set a timer for how long you’ll leave it before cleaning it again. If you only have a small amount of time to get a room clean, you’ll naturally be more efficient, which will save you time as well as effort. If you have longer to work with, you can spend a bit more time on things. If you have a big task, like cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming, set the timer for 15 minutes and try to get it done before the timer goes off. You’ll find you get more done if you have a time limit on how long you’re going to work on a particular task. Remember to set the timer for how long you'll stay in a given room before re-cleaning it. For example, after you've cleaned one bedroom thoroughly, set your timer to 30 minutes and move on to another bedroom. Then come back and clean that bedroom in 15 minutes when your time is up. The same principle applies when working in other rooms throughout your house such as bathrooms, living rooms, kitchens and even your car!

3) Divide and conquer

Instead of thinking about cleaning your whole house, focus on one room at a time. If you have a large house, it can be overwhelming to think that you have to clean the whole thing all at once. At the very least, pick one room a day, or even a couple of hours if you have a small house. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it all adds up to a clean house. If you have small children, you may want to try to clean one room a week. This way, they won’t notice a difference, and you can still keep your house relatively clean. When planning your kitchen remodel, don't forget someplace for a dishwasher (or sink). They are crucial in getting dishes clean and make cleanup easy. There should also be space for food prep and cooking equipment, as well as enough storage for what you need.

4) Do it fast

While you’re cleaning, try to clean as fast as you can. Make a game out of trying to finish as quickly as you can. You’ll be surprised how much you can get done in a short amount of time. If you’re cleaning a room, try to move from top to bottom. Start with the ceiling and work your way down. If you’re cleaning a surface, like a tabletop or a countertop, start from the top and work your way down. Once you’re done cleaning, you might think the job isn’t done yet. Try to get those things that need to be put away out of the way, as well. If you’re cleaning the living room, try to get any toys or items off the floor and into their proper place. Then, do a quick dusting and mopping before getting started on vacuuming. For all rooms, if you're using some kind of cleaners while working, make sure they're diluted and not harmful to pets or children. Get rid of carpenter ants by first finding where they are coming in through cracks in the wall or other places around your home; then seal them up so they don't get back inside.

5) Mix up your routine

Once you have a routine down pat, you might get stuck in a rut and not notice how messy your house has become. You might be so used to cleaning a certain way that you don’t even realize there’s a problem. If you notice a certain room becoming messy, try switching up your cleaning routine. Clean the room in a different order or use a different cleaning product. You may discover you’ve been missing something that needs cleaning or that you’ve been skipping something that needs doing. If you have regular visitors, like a babysitter or a regular dinner date, you may want to check your house beforehand and make sure it’s presentable. That means everything from making sure all laundry is put away to emptying the dishwasher. Ask someone who lives with you if they know where things are stored in your kitchen, because getting rid of carpenter ants is easier when they're gone! If you plan ahead and talk about what you need with those around you - friends and family - before starting any work on the project, you'll be able to come out of this project unscathed.

6) Get some help

If you’re finding that keeping your house clean is too difficult, or you simply can’t find the time, consider hiring a housekeeper. You can either hire someone for a one-off cleaning, or you can hire a regular cleaner. This will allow you to spend your time doing other things while someone else cleans your house for you. If you have children, you may want to consider hiring a babysitter so you and your partner can have a date night. This way, you don’t have to worry about finding a sitter while also keeping your house clean. 

7) Use high-quality tools

If you’re struggling to keep your house clean, it could be because you don’t have the right tools for the job. If you’re cleaning a large surface area, you may want to invest in a professional-grade mop. If you’re cleaning a large amount of furniture, you may want to get a furniture cleaning kit. If you’re cleaning a large surface area, you may want to invest in a professional-grade mop. If you’re cleaning a lot of windows, you may want to invest in a window cleaning kit. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but investing in high-quality cleaning tools will help you clean your house faster and easier. You’ll find it makes a big difference when you finish cleaning.