5 Ways To Clean Less at Home

It’s what we’re always aspiring to do; clean less. Though, the pile up of at home chores can progressively become a monstrous mountain of procrastinated tasks. Many times, it’s not even that those tasks are being put off, it’s more the tiredness of all other pressing matters of life demand our attention and we simply do not have the energy or time to dedicate.

The truth is, our time in any given day is limited. Having a spic and span home isn’t because perfectionists are constantly cleaning and this is their forte. It’s the result of a series of deliberate acts that lead to a cleaner home.

I’ll start by saying no one’s home is without dust or mess. We’re humans and somehow dishevelment is the job of people in a home. Both the adults and yes, especially the kids. These cleaning hacks have been used by me as well as others to clean less at home and develop a system that can be followed.

You might be saying, why am I doing more cleaning and more decluttering? Here’s why, “decluttering (the process of putting the miscellaneous physical things around you away where they belong) not only makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, it can also improve your mood and state of mind in myriad ways.”

Do this once every quarter and you’ll notice the months that you’re not decluttering and cleaning will naturally beget cleanliness and organization. A deep cleaning every four months will mean that your home feels lighter quite literally. You’ll do less than you normally would and it will usher a greater sense of tranquility at home.

I know, easier said than done. A room just doesn’t become a chaotic mess over night. It’s an accumulation of undone tasks; ignored and untouched. It literally pains me to walk past a huge pile of unkempt pillows, throws, toys or anything strewn about.

Organizing your home is everybody’s job. Don’t do everything all by your lonesome. Delegate some tasks, get everyone involved. When there’s a sense of personal responsibility, we’ll think twice about falling into old habits that led to the disorganization in the first place.

I will however, delay my gratification for folding laundry and dishes in the sink. My point being, some tasks can wait until the end of the day. We all have priorities and some priorities do take preference over others. So in other words, pick your cleaning battles. You choose what gets tackled when.

But and this is a big but, leaving a plethora of unaccomplished tasks at home will lead to having more to clean and this can seep into other aspects of our lives. It behooves our sanity, practical use of time and example to our kids that we decide to take the necessary steps to do the tasks that demand our attention. If we continue to walk past them, then the compounded effect becomes unmanageable and seismic for the entire family.

We should all own some cleaning tools to make our lives easier. A steam mop, a swiffer, a duster and a good air purifier are necessary tools to keep our homes looking meticulous.  A steam mop will save your floor from caked on debris or any build up of dirt. I use mine once a month and this helps to keep my floors cleaner for an extended period of time. A duster with a long handle will attract the dust bunnies without you having to over stretch or over extend yourself.

We all need a good air purifier. The EPA states, “Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2  to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.” Here’s an article on naturally improving air quality at home.

This might be my biggest tip for maintaining a clean home. I grew up never wearing shoes in our home and that simple habit helps to not track dust, mud or debris that could get stuck on the bottoms of shoes. Now the general rule of thumb is shoes are worn inside only when we’re hosting a party or event at home. All other times we walk around with clean feet on clean floors and what feels better than that?(personal opinion).

We could potentially be doing tons of laundry if we washed everything every minute we wore something new. Especially the heavier types of clothing like jeans and winter clothes can be worn again. You’ll conserve time, energy and save on utilities. After the pandemic we’re obviously more concerned about germs stuck on our clothing. Check out this clothing sanitizer you could purchase from Target.

To sum everything up, develop a system you follow that facilitates a clean home. Consider implementing a cleaning schedule. This will encourage consistency and developing good habits.