Housecleaning Hints for a bridal shower???

[DDD]

As part of a bridal shower a young woman asked me if I had some
hints for keeping house easily. Laughingly I replied "hire a maid". But...my "hire a maid" days are over and my own home is
not in "company condition" on a regular basis.

If you had to share just a couple of great hints, what would they
be???

My only great hint is "pick up clutter before you go to bed each
night so you wake up to a straight house". It was really hard
for me to follow that advice but it does make a huge difference.

Care to share????? DDD

 

[donna723]

It's easier for me because I'm by myself. But I had to actually retrain myself to never let it get cluttered in the first place, which completely goes against my nature! Now it really bothers me if there is clutter. I force myself to throw the newspaper away as soon as I'm finished with it, clean up messes right away, clean as I go in the kitchen, and not let things pile up. Can't say as how I'm "Mrs. Clean" but a lot better than I used to be. I've found that I can feel a lot calmer if I just pick up all the dog toys from the middle of the floor! Then, an hour later, I do it again..... :wink:

Another thing I figured out - it's amazing how much more dirt and grime you can see during the day in the natural light! I'll think it doesn't look too bad when I come home from work in the evening, then in the bright morning light I can see all those little hidden cobwebs, woodwork that needs cleaning, the grubby stuff that I just thought was clean. Where did THAT come from!! That's why when I'm ever having company or overnight guests, I always do most of my cleaning on the weekend!

 

[Lothlorien]

Always keep your bathrooms clean. I keep lysol or clorox wipes in the bathroom cabinet to keep the counters clean (they are quick and easy and disposable). Also keep one of those magic eraser sponges under your bathroom sink....great for cleaning soap scum and mildew in your showers/bathtubs.

That Swiffer Wet jet is great for a quickie clean and a small vacuum with attachments like a Shark or the Black and Decker one, is great for small jobs like getting the dirt off the kitchen floor that your kids track in, ten minutes after you just cleaned it.

I also have a clear plastic shoe organizer on my basement door. In the shoe organizer is pencils, pens, crayons, extra keys, calculater....I use this instead of a junk drawer. The fact tat it's clear is great so you can see what you need and since there are so many pockets, it's easy to keep things separated. However, I put a plastic cup in te ones that I use for pens and scissors and stuff, so they don't go through the organizer.

 

[goldenguru]

I do a few jobs every day.

One day I dust.

One day I vacuum.

One day I do bathrooms.

One day I do laundry.

You get the picture. I tend to stay on top of things more this way. If I had to clean the entire house ... all in one day I'd be overwhelmed.

Also, get a Swiffer.

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Do not allow Tink in the house. Ever.

I also do what GG does, one big chore a day. I pick up as I go along. At days end, I take a walk through the house (like they do in the dept stores, they pick up strays and return them to their proper department) and put things where they go. My house is never as straightened as I imagine it to be. I always have dishes in my sink, and I am never as caught up on laundry as I would like to be. But since I started doing this (in an effort to give Tink an example to follow) the place looks way WAAAYYYY better.

Swiffers are great for floors.

Shark vac is great for carpets (and Tink can operate it with minimal casualties).

Magic erasers work on everything except getting permanent marker off of Annabelle doll's face.

 

[meowbunny]

You really want it clean? Two suggestions: MARRY A NEAT FREAK! DON'T HAVE KIDS!

 

[Star*]

Quick tips from the freak of chic

After you sweep the floor, spray it with the sink hose and then spray over the water on the floor with Mean Green. Take a baby diaper on both feet and walk around then take an old towel and dry the floor.

Get a laundry basket for gathering things that dont belong in the room, fill it up as you move from room to room gathering things that don't belong in that room. Company coming in 10? You're done. Put things away later.

This is my favorite: Just a few minutes before guests arrive spray the OUTSIDE of your doorway with CINNAMON scented air spray. And load er down. The smell of that should last through the first 10 minutes of the guest being in your house and unless they have a sniffer like mine the hairs in their nose will continue to smell cinnamon in your home. You can even burn just plain candles and they will think they are cinnamon ones.

I used to do this with difficult child when he was a baby. Put OLD socks on your hands or the kids and spray with a tiny bit of pledge or if you are frugal....mix equal parts of crisco oil and lemon juice.

Throw blankets over stained couches.

Shut doors

 

[ck1]

Set the timer for 15 minutes and get as much done in that time as possible. Pick up the floor, spray down the counters, vacuum, whatever. Do that twice a day and you'd be surprised how much further ahead you can be with the cleaning.

Also, keep a basket in a couple rooms or one on each floor. Throw things in the basket for a quick clean up then re-distribute to their proper places. I like those cheap folder hamper-like things. They hold a lot and are easy to store.

I also only keep things that I use every day on my kitchen counters that way my kitchen looks much less cluttered. I wasn't always able to do that because I didn't have much storage in other houses. I do in this house, so I take advantage of it!

 

[rejectedmom]

I keep all my vitamins and medications on the breakfast counter in a pretty basket with a decorative napkin over it to hide the contents from spying eyes. this way it is right there and I dont forget to take it but it is out of sight.

I try to follow my mother's advice and do one big chore a day to stay on top of things.

I soak a sponge and put it in my microwave on high for a minute every day. After it cools down I then wipe the inside of the microwave out. This both disinfects your sponge and steam cleans the appliance.

Got pets? A rubber gloved hand wipes off cat and dog hair easily from your furniture. -RM

 

[timer lady]

Invest in a carpet sweeper - they are wonderful & do a good job of cleaning carpeting & even wood floors (at least my bissel does) in between major vacuum jobs.

A good feather duster has always been in my cleaning basket.

At the end of each day I go through the main areas in my home & do a quick pick up. I straighten out magazines, put any newspapers in recycle, wipe down the sink & counters one last time - both in the kitchen & in the bathroom. I either unload the dishwasher or load any dirty dishes that the rest of my family can only seem to get to the sink.

It helps to wake to a "semi" clean home. My day starts off better that way.

 

[AllStressedOut]

I agree with meowbunny....don't have kids.

I love the laundry basket idea and just hiding it away until after guests leave. Problem is, I'd forget about it and wonder where something was for months.

I keep tall kitchen trash cans with labels on them (whites/lights, darks, jeans, towels/blankets) in the hallway. My kids sort their clothes as they take them off for showers. When I see a basket is getting full, its already sorted, so I bring it the laundry room, throw it in the wash and return the basket to the hall. When company is coming, all I have to do is move the baskets to the laundry room so they're out of site.

 

[witzend]

Keep a damp sponge handy by the stove when you are cooking to wipe up spills before they harden.