When you’re home all day, keeping your living and working spaces clean and clutter-free can feel like more of a priority than ever. However, if you don’t have a clear strategy in place, staying on top of household chores can quickly become consuming. Instead of procrastinating cleaning for another week, remember these guidelines for making housework a more satisfying and even enjoyable part of your daily routine.
Start Small!
You’ll never be overwhelmed with housework again if you start and finish each day with a little cleaning. Making your bed every morning and washing the dishes when you cook are good practices to start with when it comes to keeping a clean home. Nobody wants to make their morning breakfast in a landmine of the previous night’s mess, so don’t let yourself fall asleep with dirty dishes or a cluttered living room. Take one or two minutes to tidy up before resuming your work in the morning. That way, you will look forward to a clean and stress-free home at the end of the work day.
Enjoy the Process
If you have any headphones or a portable speaker, even the most dreaded household tasks can be fun. Cleaning the house is, in reality, a secret source of me-time that you’ll gradually come to appreciate. For instance, if you despise vacuuming, listen to an upbeat playlist of your favorite songs. Or, listen to audiobooks and podcasts when doing the dishes if you haven’t had much time to read recently. Use this time as an opportunity to catch up on all the things you enjoy doing, but haven’t had the time to do so.
Make your to-do list easier to manage
Rather than creating a never-ending list of unachievable goals, break them down into manageable tasks. Pro Tip: Make four columns on a blank sheet of paper: daily, weekly, monthly, and annually. Making the bed, cleaning the kitchen, and doing the dishes are all examples of everyday tasks that can be included in the daily column. Vacuuming and dusting, for example, will go in either the weekly or monthly section, depending on your lifestyle. Large projects that require more time and help should go in the yearly column. And if you fall behind on your chore list, having it all set out on one page will calm you down and eliminate procrastination.
Multitask
Multitasking is a great way to maximize your already busy schedule! For instance, if you’re busy on a call, simply get a disinfectant wipe and clean any dusty countertops simultaneously. Or, once you’re done getting ready in the morning, take a few minutes to quickly put away all your products and clean the area around you. These simple steps can save you a lot of time, especially after a long work day.
Aim for a finished task rather than perfection
The goal is to make cleaning an attainable habit that fits in nicely with your busy lifestyle; worrying about not doing a good enough job will only make you procrastinate more. Therefore, aim to finish your daily chores rather than scrutinizing your cleaning job. Another issue is taking on more than you can handle. If mopping the entire house seems too daunting for one afternoon, start with the kitchen floor. If you get the urge, you can always go to another room.
When it comes to cleaning your house, it’s all about dividing and conquering!