How to Keep Your Home Tidy?

My grandmother was always good at “housekeeping”. Not only does every cookware, appliance, and Snowbaby have a very specific spot from where they cannot be carried, it has a very strict dusting schedule that makes these aforementioned Snowbabies look their best.

I may not have such a strict dusting schedule, but I have a cleaning routine that I rarely deviate from, which keeps my apartment clean and my stuffed deer head clean. I start in the kitchen and wash the dishes before taking out the cutlery and wiping down the counters well. When the kitchen is finished, I move into the main room of my studio, starting with dusting off and tidying up my desk, and then moving around the room clockwise until everything is dusty. This kind of methodical work every week is a kind of Zen. In addition to the schedule, a couple of other things help me to keep the apartment fit for life:

  • I try to make it enjoyable: I like to play a little music or an episode of a show I’ve seen a million times (like The Office) to provide a little background noise, but I knew I was mixing a little cleansing shake to take sips between tasks. …
  • I try to be realistic: As Apartment Therapy points out , expecting your home to look like a Pinterest board comes to life will lead to constant frustration and unnecessary stress. While I often struggle with the urge tomake it seem like no one lives in my house , it’s important to remember that this is just a house – and it’s okay if it looks a little habitable.
  • I don’t do everything in one day: breaking your space to pieces, instead of trying a marathon, it makes the task much less difficult and manageable than you are much more likely to actually handle.
  • I get good cleaning products: I’m all about Mrs. Meyers’ products, and while they cost a little more, gardenia-scented dish soap almost turns me on when washing dishes.

It also helps to have some kind of reward system. I usually end my cleaning day by washing my face in a nice hot tub, which can help me cope with less-than-pleasant things. How do you all keep your home tidy and tidy? Do you have a schedule? Do you have young people to whom you can delegate authority?

More…

Leave a Reply