Is there anything better than arriving home from work to a clean and tidy home? Perhaps the only thing that beats it is waking up on a Saturday morning and knowing that there are barely any household chores to be done over the weekend. Whilst this may sound like a dream come true, it’s actually very easy to achieve by tweaking your daily routine to incorporate small actions that combine to make a huge difference.
Check out our tips below and you’ll soon find that your home is much easier to keep beautiful no matter what the time of day.
Pick something up whenever you visit the kitchen
Most of us eat snacks or even full meals whilst enjoying a bit of TV together, which results in plates, cutlery and empty food packaging accumulating very quickly. Then when you need to switch off the telly and pop out or go to bed, the sight of all that debris puts you off cleaning up right there and then. The outcome is smelly crockery and rubbish littering your otherwise attractive living room the next morning, which can often take a while to clear away.
To stop this from happening, simply do a tiny tidy every time you or someone else has to leave the room. If you’re nipping to the loo during the adverts, take the trash with you and put it in the bin. If you’re stretching your legs, wash a couple of dishes and watch the pile steadily reduce. By tidying and cleaning in small bouts, you’ll discover that it’s no bother because it becomes a natural part of your movement around your home. What’s more, this can also prevent annoying accidents, as no one wants to walk into the lounge and step on an abandoned fork.
Separate your waste and recycling
We’re sure that you’re a whizz at recycling, but sometimes it can be an arduous task due to it building up and then needing a sort-out. The simple and effective solution is to separate your recycling, bin waste and food waste as you go, as this way nothing will ever go in the wrong bin.
For instance, you could keep a plastic bag or large container in the kitchen for recyclable materials, or even have two bins side by side that are clearly distinguishable from each other. To keep your kitchen fresh, give all recyclable packaging a quick rinse beforehand, as this way there won’t be any nasty odours that attract flies and pests. Then when it comes to taking out the rubbish and recycling, it’s a super easy process and you can rest assured that you’re doing your bit to protect the environment.
Place your food waste caddy in the freezer
If you have a recycling caddy for leftover food, you might find that it becomes very smelly very quickly. This can also lead to it attracting pests, even when the lid is firmly closed. A neat little trick is to keep the caddy in your freezer, as this way everything you put in it will quickly freeze, which stops the contents from rotting. Just make sure to use a compostable bin liner, keep the lid closed and empty the bin regularly – you’ll never have to worry about nasty pongs filling your home ever again.
Tidy up as you go
It can be tempting to leave your home as it is throughout the day and then put time aside for a big tidying session, but is that really how you want to spend your evening? Instead, try tidying as you go and you may be amazed how much of a difference it makes.
Prime examples are making the bed first thing in the morning, then doing bits and bobs as they arise such as neatening cushions, straightening ornaments, putting away books and DVDs when you’re done with them, gradually filling the dishwasher, and anything else that only takes a few seconds but saves a lot of time in the long run. By the end of the day, you’ll be pleased to find that there’s barely anything that needs doing before bedtime.
Store essential items in clear places
Think about what you need on a daily basis, such as keys, wallet, spare change and phone charger, then allocate a specific place for them so that they never become lost. Next, do the same for items that you need as and when, like pen and notepad, tools, radiator key, batteries, WD40, and so on.
By keeping everything in their own spot, which can range from a tray beside the front door to a designated DIY cupboard, you’ll never waste time searching for an object or buy a replacement only to locate the original the next day.
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