Keeping a clean house can feel overwhelming, especially if you get behind and the tasks start to pile up. By getting into good cleaning habits at home, you can maintain a tidy house without too much extra effort. And there’s no better time to start fresh than the new year!
Here are nine resolutions you can use to keep your house tidy this year.
9 New Year's Cleaning Resolutions
Remember: not all homes and families are the same! Use these tips for keeping the house clean to build a plan that works for your household.
1. Build a Weekly Cleaning List
Building a plan of action for the week helps you remember all your cleaning tasks. Plan to clean out the fridge before a weekly grocery run. Take out the trash on the same day every week. Make time for laundry every week to keep the basket from overflowing. If it helps, put up a chore chart in the kitchen or another high-traffic area.
Make it easier: Mark the items on your cleaning schedule that are most important to you and plan them for the days you tend to have the most energy or free time. On busy weeks, you can drop the less important chores until next time.
2. Clean One Room a Day
You don’t have to tackle everything every day! Dedicating one day a week to pick up each room in your home helps you reduce clutter and avoid large messes without overwhelming yourself. You can switch up who in the household cleans each room or spend time tidying together.
3. Make Your Bed in the Morning
It’s a small thing, but making your bed helps you start your day fresh! Some even say taking the time to smooth your sheets and comforter back into place can help make your day more productive.
4. Take Care of Small Messes Immediately
It can be tempting to leave a small mess for later, but that’s how they pile up and turn into one intimidating mass of clutter. Make tidying as you go part of your daily routine to keep things manageable. Wash the pans you used to cook, put dishes in the dishwasher instead of the sink, sort the mail instead of tossing it onto the counter, and clean up spills ASAP.
Make it easier: Take a few minutes each day to go through your house and note down messes that you missed. If you can’t clean up the whole mess now, even picking up one shirt off the floor or putting one book back on the shelf reduces the clutter for later.
5. Commit to Daily Tasks to Keep Your House Clean
Daily house cleaning tasks help keep your home looking fresh and the mess manageable. Tasks you should do every day include:
- Putting dirty clothes in the hamper or laundry room
- Loading dishes into the dishwasher
- Picking up whatever you used that day
- Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters
- Sorting the mail
6. Downsize Your Stuff
Need to know how to stop clutter in your home? The best way is to have less stuff! It’s easy to organize when you don’t have to find a place for things you never use anymore. Take your time and sort through an area of the home, such as your closet or a section of your basement, to determine what you still need and use. You can donate or discard the remaining items.
7. Clean Up Big Messes in Pieces
Does just thinking about the amount of stuff piled in your basement or garage make you nervous? You don’t have to do it all at once! Learn how to declutter a room in pieces; start with one manageable area, such as clearing a table or straightening a closet. Move on to the next area only when you’re completely done.
Make it easier: Sometimes, you don’t have the energy to tackle even a section of a room. Pick three to five things that you can do quickly, such as gathering all your stored holiday decorations in one place or throwing away a piece of trash. If you do just a few things when you can, it whittles the mess into something you can handle.
8. Get Rid of Junk Piles
You know that section of the kitchen counter or the table in the entryway that has piles of bills, takeout menus, class schedules, and other miscellany? It’s time to get rid of that! Everything should have its place and should be put there as soon as possible. Find places to store papers neatly and reclaim your countertop.
9. Get Everyone in Your Home to Participate
Keeping a family home clean isn’t a one-person job! Laying out chores clearly for your family helps make sure everything gets done without it falling on one person. Make sure your kids know where to put toys and school supplies and make sure they pick up their space every day. Divide cleaning tasks with your partner and make sure no one gets stuck doing a task they hate every week.
Get Help from the Cleaning Experts
If you’re struggling to clean the house or you just want a break from the chore, call in the professionals! The Cleaning Authority offers customizable whole-home cleaning services that make keeping a clean home a breeze. You can handle the tidying and leave the larger cleaning tasks up to us. Request a free estimate online or call us at 888-658-0659 for more information!