I have always been more on the obsessive-compulsive, overly organized and tidy side of the clean house spectrum. My parents used to catch me cleaning and reorganizing my room at 3 am when I was about 10 years old. (It's actually almost embarrassing how much I enjoy organizing a space.) However, of course, as I've gotten older, my time has been overrun by more and more responsibilities that take away from time I can dedicate to taking care of our house. Not to mention the day to day life of Jay, Jacob, Cammie, Chloe and guests coming and going that add on to the things that need to be cleaned and tidied.
If you follow me on IG or have actually been to my house, you might be thinking "there's no way her house is that clean all the time", but we really do keep our house clean and tidy, even with a 1 year old and 2 dogs running around like maniacs.
But how do we do that exactly? Here's how:
The 5 minute daily quick clean
When Jay leaves in the morning to take Jacob to daycare, I do a quick full house once over to get the house tidy for the day.
I start in Jacob's room:
-Straighten up his crib (change sheets if necessary)
-Put away any toys that are out
-Grab bottles, anything that needs to go downstairs
-Throw clothes in the hamper
Our Bedroom:
-Make bed if I haven't already
-Throw clothes in hamper
-Take water glasses to dishwasher
Living room:
-Clean up any toys that are out
-Fold blankets, fix throw pillows
Kitchen:
-Dishes in dishwasher
-Wipe down counters
Other things that get done daily:
-Vacuum (or sweep if you have hardwood)
YES every day. It takes 3 minutes and dirty floors are gross.
-Wipe down surfaces such as the coffee table, kitchen table, media console
-Run the dishwasher, even if it's not completely full
Hacks for keeping spaces organized:
-Create drop zones that work for your family's lifestyle
Whether that be bins by the door for school or under the coffee table for toys, create a way for people to easily put things away
-Give yourself deadlines for getting a task done
We don't let laundry go more than a day without getting folded. We typically put it either on our bed or in a basket near the couch and fold it together while we watch TV after Jacob goes to bed. Preventing yourself from letting things pile up will greatly reduce your stress level.
-Take the time to create a strategy for success
If you're not a naturally organized person, you need to think about what will help you get there. Taking the time to strategize your spaces will allow you to easily put things away often and prevent consistent pile-ups and messes. This is especially true for spaces such as: beauty drawers/cabinets, closets, pantry, and kids spaces.
