Take the stress out of housework
We’ve all been there. Junk mail piling up on the table, an even more precarious pile of recyclables in the corner of the kitchen, dirty dishes in the sink and a random sock which suddenly appeared in the lounge a week ago and is still there. Before you know it, you’re in for a marathon cleaning session.
But taking a few minutes out of every day can cut down on stress and give you back more precious time to relax in the weekend. So take control of the clutter and develop a new routine to kick those niggling household chores into touch.
- A simple way to keep on top of clutter is by putting a small basket in the corner of each room. Whenever there’s something lying around which shouldn’t be there, simply toss it in the basket and the next time you go to the room it belongs in, take it with you.
- Don’t waste time fumbling around under the sink trying to remember where you put the bleach. Keep all your cleaning supplies in a bucket so everything you need is in one place and easy to get to.
- Sort through your mail each day when you bring it in. Immediately throw away junk mail, putting your important letters and bills away in a designated place and filing the bills away as soon as they’re paid.
- Don’t let the dishes get away from you. Clean and put them away every night after dinner, or at least rinse and put them into the dishwasher.
- Wipe benchtops and tables after each meal, knocking the crumbs to the floor. Sweep up after washing the dishes each night and use a damp cloth to wipe up any spots, splashes, or spills on the floor.
- A happy kitchen is one with a clean and shiny sink. After you get in the habit of cleaning up dishes after every meal it will not be hard to take the extra few seconds to clean up your sink. You will be amazed how incredible your kitchen will look and smell with a clean sink.
- Set aside a little time each week or on the weekend to do more in-depth cleaning. Check the fridge and pantry for food that’s past its best, wipe the stove, cabinets, table, and counters thoroughly, and clean the floor well.
If you’ve kept up on your daily straightening ritual, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how quick your Saturday clean is. Not to mention how great it will be to wake up every morning without having to worry about yesterday's mess!
