Cleaning up is no ones favourite thing to do at home, but as responsible adults it’s something we have to just buckle down and get on with. A tidy and organised home is not only more practical but it’s also nicer to spend time in too. There are actually a number of things you can do that will make life easier by ensuring cleaning and maintaining it is much quicker, here are just a few ideas for going about it.
Swap carpets for wooden floors
Carpets might make the home feel warm and cosy, but in terms of floor coverings they’re not the most practical choice. They hold onto stains and smells, they’re problematic when they get wet and they can become frayed, faded in the sun and the pile can flatten after continual walking. In terms of practicality as well as cost, hard flooring is by far your best option. Rip up the carpets and replace with wooden floors or a natural stone like granite or even marble for a luxurious finish. These flooring choices will cost you up front, but will last for decades so are a great long term investment. Any stains and spills can be mopped up in seconds and these types of flooring look good with any decor style. They’re timeless so never look dated so once they’re down, you’re all set for the foreseeable future. You can always lay down a few rugs to add comfort and warmth, it’s much easier to replace rugs than entire carpets so when they wear out you can throw them away and buy new ones hassle free.
Get rid of the clutter
It’s easy for homes to accumulate clutter. Decorative items like ornaments over time can start adding clutter and chaos to rooms. Piles of things like magazines and newspapers can build up, and drawers and cupboards can begin to burst at the seams. It’s important to declutter regularly, each season or at least once a year, make the effort to throw away what you’re no longer using. Donate items, pass them to friends or just bin them if they’re no good, that way you create space for the things you need and genuinely use.
Find the right storage solutions
Once you’ve decluttered, your next step is to find the right storage. Drawer dividers, boxes, hooks and other storage solutions can be utilised throughout the home to make the most of the space that you have. There are tons of smart ideas on sites like Pinterest, otherwise go into a store like Ikea or the Container Store and see what kinds of options they have. The right storage means everything you own has a set place, meaning cleaning up is easy and finding whatever you need is just as simple. More extreme storage options would be to have built in wardrobes fitted, these can be put in any room around any nook and cranny and give you floor to ceiling storage so much more than a standard wardrobe. Things like storage beds and ottomans can also be really useful as they function alone and then double up as storage space.
Replace your lawn with artificial grass
Do you love having an attractive garden but hate the maintenance it involves? The lawn is on of the main areas you need to work on when you have a garden, to keep it looking nice it needs fertilising and de-seeding, the thatch removing and mowing regularly. In the warmer months, it can need a cut every week which is a lot to commit to. If you’re fed up with the messing around, consider synthetic grass installation. You get the greenery and softness underfoot without the stress of keeping it maintained. A few simple pots of flowers and you have a gorgeous looking garden that requires no green finger whatsoever. Perfect for enjoying barbeques and garden parties with friends, relaxing in the garden after work and spending time with the kids in at the weekend.
Hire a window cleaner
Cleaning windows is a real hassle, the inside is bad enough but the outside is pretty difficult unless you have a pole cleaning system or are happy to risk your life up a ladder! Don’t make life harder for yourself, hire a window cleaner. They’re not expensive and can keep your windows looking good with no effort from you. Many window cleaners you can pay via direct debit so you don’t even need to be at home while they work, have them done while you’re at work and you’ll come back to nice clean windows.
Create a schedule
Are you guilty of leaving all of your cleaning until the weekend and being stuck doing it for two solid days? It doesnt need to be this way, lets face it, when you’ve been working all week the last thing you want is to be stuck doing chores during your time off. Doing a little each day is the way to go, create a cleaning schedule and stick with it. Dedicate fifteen minutes each evening to jobs like tidying, vacuuming, loading/ emptying the dishwasher, running the washing machine, dusting and cleaning worktops/ sinks/ toilets. Get the family involved, assign each with different tasks and between you you can keep the house running smoothly.
What steps have you taken at home to make your place as easy to clean and maintain as possible?