Are you struggling with cleaning? Find simple ways to keep your house clean in minutes: I share my story and experience of how my cleaning routine changed over the years.
All Day Cleaning Routine: Set for Failure
I grew up in a house where we did a big cleanup on the weekend. My mom would call everyone to help, and my brother and I, and sometimes my dad, would spend the whole Saturday cleaning, washing dishes, doing laundry, etc. I remember the great feeling of satisfaction on Sunday when everything was clean and beautiful. But it was hard work, too.
When I got married and moved into my own place, I did the same. For years, I had one day a week when I would clean the whole house. I worked full-time most of my life. It was hard to spare a whole day at the weekend for housework. So I tried to get everything done by the weekend doing chores in the evenings on week days. I didn’t want to spend the weekends cleaning.
It worked for me when I was younger. But after I turned 40, my energy level dropped, and I didn’t have the capacity to keep up with that cleaning routine. For almost a decade, I tried to figure out how I could keep my house under control. But nothing seemed to work.
Decluttering was an Essential Step for a Clean House
Over a year ago, I started learning about decluttering. I realized that if I had fewer things, I would have less to manage. I started decluttering little by little, and it felt easier and more manageable in every space where there was less stuff. I really started enjoying getting rid of things I wasn’t using because it meant less work for me.
Establishing a Cleaning Routine
The next step was establishing a cleaning routine. I wanted to start with the basics. I began with the dishes. Every evening, I would do the dishes, making it my non-negotiable task for the day. Even if I was tired, even if I had a fever or was sick, there was no excuse for me not to do it. I always thought it was a big job, but when I did it regularly every day, it took me about 15-20 minutes. Now it’s not such a big deal for me. It is more like a habit and it doesn’t take any mental energy from me, pretty much like brushing my teeth.
Next, I added another non-negotiable task to my routine: a 5-minute pickup or resetting the space. It was just about 5 minutes where I would put away all the items that were out of place. Or it could be spot cleaning the floor in the kitchen, wiping the toilet and vanity in the bathroom, or anything else that needed to be done following the visibility rule. I didn’t want to spend much time on that; I just wanted the place to feel nicer.
That was pretty much it. So every day, I would spend 20-25 minutes cleaning, and my family started to notice the difference. We weren’t nervous about inviting people over at any time. We all felt proud of our home. But decluttering was the key!
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