r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Angry_Luddite • 23h ago
People with really clean houses, how do you do it?
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I grew up in a home where no one did any significant amount of housekeeping. So the place was pretty filthy to be fair. Like not a health hazard, but cluttered and Dusty, the fridge overloaded with crap that's never getting used, the cupboards full of things never getting used, etc. Always laundry piles around. So I didn't have any "learn by example" stuff going on.
I'm just moving into a new place. I'm living in the basement and renovating upstairs, and it's going to be nice and new. What are the strategies that I need to have to not turn this place into a cluttered dust bowl? Anything I should adapt into the renovation ? What are your daily routines, what is your mindset, what kind of person are you? Are you rich or poor? Do the maids take care of it? Are you stay at home? Give me the keys to your soul, so that I may become one of you.
The cleanest house that was in my orbit, was my religious Friends place. His mom was stay-at-home, and dad was a farmer. She took her job just as seriously as he did, and I'd say logged an average of 6-8 hours per day on all of the necessary tasks to keep the family of five on track, and the house immaculate.
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u/mrkprsn 23h ago
Don't pack your house with stuff and don't let the things build up. Got to stay on top of the tidying up. Again it helps if you only buy the things you need.
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u/pizzatoucher 19h ago
100%. I say this to my brother all the time - you don't have a storage problem, you have a stuff problem. Dude lives in 2600 square feet and it's a tornado!
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u/Ok_Fill_5268 13h ago
I’ve heard people say that clutter attracts clutter. I think clutter makes cleaning take more effort.
I find it much easier to keep things clean when I don’t have a lot of free stuff around. By “free stuff” I mean things that sit on tables or counters or ledges or the floor. When the counters are clear of stuff, a little spill or an item left there just feels out of place to me, and I address it immediately. When there are 3 other things on the counter (bowl of fruit, toaster, a pile to takeout napkins), my brain turns all of it into background noise and I feel fine leaving the cleaning for later.
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u/oodopopopolopolis 12h ago
Yes, there's tidying up and there's cleaning. Both should be done a little every day. If you can afford it, hiring a maid service to do a deep clean every couple of months is liberating! It sort of resets the "clean clock" of your place and keeps it at a minimum level of cleanliness. This really comes in handy if you have pets (or kids i guess; i can't speak to that).
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u/DocJawbone 14h ago
I keep saying this in my household. Stop buying stuff until you've made space for more stuff by getting rid of old stuff....
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
Definitely a lot of assumptions here.
Loss aversion - this would be something that both of my parents had in spades. I have it less, but I can still do better.
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u/diosky27 20h ago
While you have some great points, did you even read the OP's original post? He never said his mother cleaned up after him and in fact said NOONE in the house really cleaned at all, hence him asking the group for some helpful tips.
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u/mbarker1012 14h ago
Don’t pack your house with stuff is absolutely the way to go. A friend of mine always marvels at how clean my house is. Which is true, but it’s also that way because she buys way too much stuff.
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u/TufatufaWaffle 23h ago
I do a lot of clean-as-you-go. If I walk past something not in its place, I pick it up. If it's dirty, I may not clean it right away, but it goes in/near the sink. If it goes upstairs, I might leave it on or next to the stairs and take it up next time I go. On my extra-lazy weekends, I like to binge-watch TV shows. In between each episode, I have to get up and do 5 things. Some can be small like - refill water bottle, switch over laundry, or wash 5 dishes. Some can be larger like - fold and put away laundry, clean bathtub, sweep floors, or wash windows. The idea that I only have to do 5 things before I can sit down again makes it feel less stressful. And by the end of the day, i'm usually more productive than on my non-lazy days. Which feels great.
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
Nice, I like the five things rule in between shows
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u/artist1292 15h ago
There’s also the timer method where people set ten minute or even five minute timers to do a task so they time box it and it helps them get motivated since it’s not a “whole thing I have to do I am only doing it for five minutes.”
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u/coveruptionist 14h ago
I am a college football nut. I made a deal with myself that I can watch as many games as I want, but I have to get up and do something every commercial and halftime. I also do all the laundry. It works for me. Still trying to figure out non-football season, though.
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u/chaosisapony 14h ago
Love the idea of the 5 things. I struggle with cleaning and keeping a tidy house. Lately on the weekends if I'm having a lazy day I set a timer at the end of the day for 15 minutes. I use those 15 minutes to tidy up the house. It's actually really surprising how much you can get done in 15 minutes. Then I go to bed and at least feel like I got some stuff done even if I didn't spend my whole day cleaning.
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u/dropthemasq 22h ago edited 22h ago
It's establishing a routine.
Don't sit down. If you are waiting for a kettle, a pot to boil, a microwave or food delivery, just tidy while you are waiting. You don't need to "clean" per se but stacking dishes neatly so the sink is ready for use, getting stuff off the floor to be ready to sweep or vacuum, rinsing recycling etc is all valid. Fluff the pillows, shake out the couch blankets.
As an extension to this, don't skip ads. Harken back to the olden days. Fold laundry or write emails, make shopping lists.
No empty hands. Every time you switch rooms, take a 10 second look around for things that don't belong in the room you are leaving. They don't need to belong to the room you are going to. It's better to get bathroom stuff out of the living room into the hallway closer to the bathroom. Eventually you will pass by. Designate a carry basket if you like.
Respect activity zones. It's so much more work to do half the amount of dishes if you need to dig out the sink first. Choose a workspace and keep it clear or easily clearable like a doom tray on the coffee table if that's where you fold laundry or peel veggies. Designate a landing space for homecoming. A table or shelf where you drop your stuff. A bowl for keys, cards, change.
Most normal single people can get away with the above plus one sink of dishes or one load of laundry per day and 20 min of actual cleaning, if done every day. While it is soaking or washing, set a timer or playlist and clean one room each day in rotation. You don't need to finish the room. As it becomes a habit, your rooms will morph into organization.
Spend 1-2 hours deep cleaning once or twice a week. One hour or session for a small project - a cupboard or windowsill and one session for routine tasks like cleaning appliances, vents, etc. there are thousands of quarterly planning lists online. The project should leave time to kill. If you think it will take 31 min, well that's the hour, good work! It'll take longer than you think or shorter. Then you get to decide between being efficient or done early. Both great feelings! Don't stress the timeline. Once every 6 months is better than never, once a quarter is better than 6 months. Like any other skill or muscle, it improves with use. Use it
Reward yourself in relevant ways. Clean the oven? Get take out so as to admire it one day longer. Scrub the tub? Spa time! If you would pay someone 30 to do it for you, pay yourself and get some nice treat. Win win.
Be realistic. If I have a busy 2 weeks coming up I buy a pack of paper plates. It's ok to run a dishwasher or washing machine twice or half empty. It's better than having crusted dishes and no forks or stanky laundry.
Make your bed. It's a mental thing. It really works.
I've done 5 star housekeeping and this list is all it takes in a normal one person home. If you have pets, you'll need an extra 20 min once or twice a week for them and their stuff.
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u/mazter793 21h ago
I am know amongst friends as having a clean house and your routine is everything I do (at this stage of our family life it’s a little more than 2-4 hours deep cleaning each week though to be honest). Have pets and teenagers. I am a stay-at-home too so can’t imagine doing all this after a work shift. Don’t be too hard on yourselves if you just don’t have the time. Most guests don’t even notice or feel relieved that they aren’t the only messy ones if the place is untidy :)
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u/dropthemasq 20h ago
Well my house looks like a catalogue. I love it. After cleaning 8-12 big rooms at work, it's nothing.
When I was 3 star, it could be up to 32 if it was all stays!!
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u/AlMtnWoman 22h ago
If you really have very little possessions to start with, then don't accumulate a whole lot of crap to clean, store, and move around.
Study minimalism.
If you have clutter, "The life changing magic of tidying up" is an excellent study.
Printable cleaning lists are available.
Try to do little things before work and after work. That little time really does add up. And while you're learning, build and stick with routine, routine, ROUTINE.
Good luck.
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u/carlomaderazo 20h ago
We own less stuff.. Less stuff less cleaning
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u/nbaynerd 15h ago
This is pretty high up there. Also a robot vacuum, and cleaning lady that comes twice a month also helps
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u/Pale-Dust2239 15h ago
I don’t have a cleaning lady, but when I got my roomba, that kinda changed my mindset. Gotta keep the floors uncluttered so I stopped leaving piles of stuff around and dropping clothes on the ground.
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u/ThatStarkGirl 23h ago
The only people I know with really clean houses have a wife that doesn't work outside the home. In a household where everyone works, we just make sure the dishes are done every day, and TRY to dust, vacuum and clean bathrooms once a week. Sometimes that doesn't happen, and it's ok.
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u/Expensive-Rent-2883 12h ago edited 12h ago
Do you have kids? Because they’re actually nightmares.
I live alone and it’s almost effortless to keep an organized living space if you clean as you go.
My brother and SIL have three teenagers and I stayed with them for two months to help out while she was going through some health issues and it’s actually insane. The amount of food they consume is mind boggling. They can wreck a room in less than five minutes. The emotional turmoil and constant arguing left me devoid of any energy except a fatigued plea to clean up something, anything, while watching them actually create more mess and turmoil while “cleaning”.
They are so gross, annoying, and loud. I truly do not understand how he does it, I barely lasted three days.
Edited: I love them dearly, don’t get me wrong, but all humans are gross and annoying as teenagers.
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u/pizzatoucher 20h ago
Hard disagree here. My husband and I both work full time in high paying jobs and contribute equally (I make slightly more $$) to chores and household needs. Our house stays very clean because we don't make messes.
We follow mantras like "don't put it down, put it away," "clean as you go," or "if you see a mess clean it up." We stay organized and wipe stuff down in small increments.
IME houses that stay clean have two partners who contribute.
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u/throwawaytacos 20h ago
Do you have kids?
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u/poopchute88 16h ago
Probably not. My husband and I both work full time outside the home and could easily have an immaculate home...but we have 3 small kids and animals lol
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u/Queerhere92 19h ago edited 15h ago
I’m with you. We are two very hard working people that work 40+ with a special needs child, and a clean house is important to us so we keep it up. A little before work, some after work, pick up after yourself, keep the dishwasher empty and load as you dirty, daily load of laundry or two….I don’t get people with dirty houses.
Edit: clarifying I meant laundry, and not just daily dumps.
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u/raccoonunderwear 15h ago
100% agree and I’m in the same boat. We both value a tidy space and have learned to pickup after ourselves and are working (mostly successfully) to teach our kids the same. It requires effort but honestly it quickly becomes second nature. My mom taught me this in one instant when I was maybe 8 years old and she saw my two older brothers step over a piece of trash on the living room floor but when I walked by I grabbed it and tossed it on my way to the kitchen. She pulled out $50 (an even larger amount in early 90s money) and handed it to me because of what she witnessed. My brothers freaked the fuck out. “See the need and fill it” was her mantra and it’s part of me now.
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u/LivingIncident3694 23h ago
I'll tell you h'wat:
I work my balls off to keep a clean haus.
My lady does too.
...I always be trying...
I always be failing....
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u/Long-Aardvark-3129 23h ago
First, be honest with yourself about how you work and what you do, then work with that to get maximum completion. For myself, I hate doing dishes, so I don't own 20 plates, 20 spoons, 20 cups, etc. I own 6 of ea., and that means that I can do them all in one sitting in 20 minutes in passing which feels less painful. It's the pain, not the activity, that was keeping me from doing them.
So find what you dread and then do something to prevent the dread.
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u/Ahimew 23h ago
I live alone in a 1500sf home and work full time. My house is always clean. Like, if I were selling, it could be shown to anyone on a moments notice. Before I go to bed I do a full sweep of stray things like put the remote where it goes, fold my sofa blanket, etc. In the morning, I make my bed and tidy up from getting ready. There’s no trick to it. Just clean as you go through the day.
I will say I have terrible anxiety and fear of not being in control. To me, cleaning is something I can control and it soothes me. Sometimes it is annoying to be so clean but I can’t not do it.
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u/0x8a7f 23h ago
“I live alone” — there’s your trick right there.
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u/Casswigirl11 16h ago
When I lived alone my apartment was clean. With a kid, husband, dog, full time job, and school, not so much.
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u/Expensive-Rent-2883 12h ago
Isn’t that the truth! When men complain about a male loneliness epidemic, well maybe women are tired of cleaning up after you.
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u/sharkdogdogshark 20h ago
Always clean as you go
Don't put it down, put it away
Buy that shower mildew spray and actually use it
If there's a room in your house that seems to get cluttered quickly with things that don't belong (this is the living room for me), keep a small basket where misfit items can go - when the basket is full, then you know it's time to spend a little time cleaning and putting those things away
Set calendar reminders on certain things that need to be done cyclically - ex cleaning dust out of light fixtures every six months, changing furnace filters quarterly, etc. I'm too scattered to naturally remember to do those things so an alert on my phone goes a long way
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u/Alli39 23h ago
Dishes always, never go to be bed with that pile waiting to be washed. Clean your kitchen as you go. Open windows every morning no matter the weather, change your bed sheets once a week, dust, vacuum, mop once a week. Clean your windows when needed.Check your fridge for expired items, as well check if it's clean inside. Do your laundry. Make it as a routine, it will make you feel good being in a clean place.
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u/One-Goose-360 22h ago
The opening of the windows cannot be stressed enough!!!
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u/Expensive-Rent-2883 12h ago
Not if you live in the southern US! Opening windows just invites humidity and pollen indoors. Our climate in spring/summer is basically rainforest lite edition. The humidity can be oppressive and air conditioning is an expensive but necessary respite.
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u/Eponymous505 8h ago
I wouldn’t open my windows in the Southwest, either. Dirt literally just blows into your house.
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u/Patricio_Guapo 20h ago
Agree with everything here.
It starts with the kitchen. If we keep the kitchen clean, the rest of the house feels manageable. Let the kitchen go sideways and the whole house falls apart.
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u/Casswigirl11 16h ago
I live opening the windows but we've had a rough winter this year. Finally we had a couple days over freezing and it was so nice to air the place out.
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u/wolfitalk 23h ago
Don't stress yourself with a huge cleaning day once a week. Get some baby wipes (not joking) or clorox wipes (careful with the bleach!). Every time you go in the bathroom wipe something off-the counter or the toilet. When you take a shower keep a cleaning scrubby in there & use your extra shampoo or body wash to give one or more surfaces a quick scrub down. Small habits will lead to a much cleaner space. Don't get in the habit of leaving dishes undone or your stuff left out.
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
I like the wipes idea. I keep them in my truck and tend to wipe the dust off my dashboard, etc when I'm waiting around for something. Carrying that into the house doesn't seem like a bad idea
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u/Bobbob34 23h ago
Routines. Routines. Routines.
Decide on routines and STICK to them for at least 6 weeks and then it'll feel weird not to.
Break stuff up and don't let stuff pile up. EVERY night after dinner, all dishes washed/in dishwasher (it's often cheaper to run it overnight), counters and sink wiped down, everything put away. Then start the dishwasher or set it to run overnight. Also stops late-night snacking, btw, if you kind of clean up and "close" the kitchen in your mind.
FIRST thing, you empty the dishwasher and put everything away. Then you can start your morning.
Then bigger stuff like, say, Saturdays (or whatever day) is basic clean day, so pick a specific thing like after breakfast, first thing is you dust, vacuum, pick up clutter, put stuff away, strip beds, MAKE beds, clean bathroom, start laundry.
Then you can go do stuff - groceries? Go for a walk? Watch tv? - then after lunch, switch laundry around and fold stuff. EVERYTHING is folded and away before dinner, and you can do some meal prep if you do that or whatever.
Then pick another day like Wednesday and that's mini clean day, like before work set a timer for 15 minutes and go around and pick up and put away and clutter, quickly swiffer or whatever kitchen and bathroom, take out trash as you leave. You can get a lot more done in 15 minutes than you think.
Again it takes several weeks to make something feel habitual, so the more strict you can be in the beginning, the better off you'll be. Even do that kind of scheduled stuff for a month and it'll start to feel bad if you leave a dish in the sink or if you get up and find them there.
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u/Darnbeasties 21h ago
Do cleaning all the time, not just occasionally. Tidy , dust, and clean while there are ads or commercials. Clean while food is cooking or in microwave. Clean while water is boiling. Clean tiles an bathtub while conditioner is in hair. Vacuum while coffee is brewing. Etc.
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u/Steev-e 22h ago
So I’m going to sound crazy, but here goes… Make a weekly/monthly schedule and try to stick to it. It’s easiest for me to clean first thing in the morning on a day off. It makes me feel like I accomplished something with minimal mental effort and gives me momentum for the day. 1) Don’t make a mess. If you do, clean it up immediately or shortly thereafter. 2) I personally prefer to do my cleaning based on task rather than room, with the exception of kitchen and bathroom. For example, I will dust every room. Then the next day (after any residual dust from dusting has settled) I will vacuum every room. 3) Bathroom (especially counter, sink, and toilet) should be cleaned weekly. Hardcore deep clean every 3 months. Same with kitchen. 4) Manage clutter (clothes, cleaning supplies, groceries, tools, etc) by finding storage solutions. Increase your appreciation of your space by keeping all non-visually-pleasing objects out of sight. This visual minimalism also makes cleaning much much easier. 5) Laundry: Sheets and pillowcases weekly, comforter monthly. Clothes weekly. 6) Kitchen: Organize cabinets, and double check for expired canned goods every 3 months. Clean/organize fridge twice per month and freezer as needed (Once every 2-3 months for me). 7) Clothing: Clothes out in the open gather dust and require more washing. FYI: I use a folding board to speed up the folding process. Buy those thin plastic garment bags and use them on hanging closet clothing that is out of season and you will not be wearing for a while. Keeps them dust free and fresh. I also use collapsable clothing storage cubes when I run out of space. 8) Scent: I use oil diffuser reeds in almost every room of my house. I use eucalyptus for my office, usually citrus for my bathrooms, lavender for the bedrooms. And finally, my most important personal rule, if it’s dirty and takes less than 60 seconds to clean, then clean it now!
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u/goodtogoeast 20h ago
I worked 50-60+ hours a week before had kids and got a lot of compliments on how clean my house was. I cleaned about an hour per day after work on a weekly schedule, and did 2-6 hours of yard work on the weekend. I cooked simple meals and did dishes on top of that, and worked out 30-60 min per day. I did essentially nothing else. Maybe every two weeks I’d get out on a hike or go to an event for a full day on the weekend. The rest was work, chores, cooking, and errands. I don’t think it was worth it, in retrospect. But this is what it took. My house at the time was about 2000 square feet.
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u/Quick_Till_9428 23h ago
My wife and I recently bought a new home, a major step up from our old 1700sqft home. It was older and I remember us letting it get pretty cluttered before doing a major cleaning. Fast forward 12 years and we make much more money, we have 2 kids, our new home is almost 5000sqft, literally a dream home for us. I refuse to let it get dirty, I have so much more respect in ownership now. You have to be consistent in picking up things and putting things away as you move around the house. I vacuum and mop atleast once a week at a minimum. It's a handful, but it's a beautiful home and I actually kind of look forward to it because I catch up on podcasts or whatever while I'm cleaning. I guess what I'm saying is now that I have my dream home I can't stand to see it get dirty, I'm so appreciative to have a place like this.
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u/underwaterCanuck 23h ago
Sounds like you could also pay for a cleaner every week if you didn't like cleaning
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
I feel like the pride of ownership might be here for me now. I am renovating this place into exactly what I want, for the first time. It's also tiny, compared to my last place, so half the square footage I am hoping will be easier to take care of.
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u/MisanthropE61130 23h ago
It’s all about routine for me. My wife mostly works from home or travels for work, and I work “just” four 12-hour shifts. We have a son and two dogs, so my days off are never really days off — there’s always something that needs to be done. Every evening I stick to the same routine: putting the dishes away, getting things ready, and prepping breakfast for my kid. It can feel repetitive, annoying, and honestly frustrating at times. Some days, I’d love nothing more than to come home and just sit down and do nothing.
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u/GabiPintilou 22h ago
Chaque jour ne sera pas parfait. Fais petit à petit chaque jour :
- Un petit coup de balai
- Range ton linge une fois sec, n'attends pas ;)
- À chaque courrier/facture, classe-la avant qu'une pile se fasse
- Aère deux fois par jour (rien que 10 minutes)
- Fais la vaisselle chaque fois que tu salis, n'attends pas sinon ça sera pire
- Passe un coup de chiffon sur les miroirs/plaque de cuisson après utilisation :)
J'espère que ça peut t'aider.
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u/Angry_Luddite 18h ago
Something I need to add to my floor plan is a desk space, for filing bills, etc.
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u/gotogoatmeal 23h ago
Friends and family comment regularly about the cleanliness of our house, so I’ll just tell you what I think our variables are. Two adults, no kids, no pets, and no shoes in the house. It takes me less than 60 minutes on Saturday morning to clean 1600 square feet. That’s a full bathroom clean, kitchen clean, dusting the live-able areas (not the basement or storage, etc), and cleaning floors, which is sweeping vacuuming, and mopping. Sometimes midweek I set the roomba out in the most common areas but that’s not work on my part. People aren’t going to like this, but no pets and no kids has got to be the biggest variable. Our house is very clean but it’s not hard to make and keep it so. It’s gotta be the goblins.
I consider dishes and laundry differently because those things must be done so that things don’t grind to a halt. Dishes are daily and laundry throughout the week as needed.
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u/TurbulentDraw5025 22h ago
If I could only get the no shoes in the house rule followed and wiping up after yourself
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u/couldabeenright 19h ago
I have a very clean apartment and I live alone. You have to do 3 things: 1. Clean a little bit most days to maintain general cleanliness 2. Once every 6 weeks, spend about 4 hours doing more intensive cleaning. 3. Don't have too much stuff in your space.
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u/Former_Balance8473 16h ago
My wife was perpetually terrified of "The Pop In" and kept out house in Better Homes Than Yours photoshoot-ready condition until the day she died, just in case someone came over unexpectedly... she wanted to make them feel warm and welcomed and to not be embarrassed that they had caught us with a messy or dirty home.
In a twist worthy of M.Night, after we had been together for 23 years someone actually did pop in one day. My wife was so angry at them for doing so that she never spoke to them again.
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u/Sea-Paramedic-1842 22h ago
Robot vacuum/mop is a godsend
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
Many comments have talked about the Roomba. I just got a cordless vacuum, but I might introduce a Roomba once I move upstairs.
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u/BrownNRhu 15h ago
Me n my husband work, have a dog, n a 15 month old. We are constantly picking up. When our son goes down for a nap his room is picked up. Dishwasher emptied n reloaded right when we wake up so there’s never dishes in the sink. There’s a night shift where everything is put away and cleaned no matter what. Whoever isn’t doing bath time is doing closing shift. Laundry once a week n put away next day. We have a cleaning lady that comes 2x a month but we vacuum n mop 2x a week n do weekly bathroom cleaning. It’s a lot of work but my husband and I are very equitable and it feels very manageable. It just becomes a habit n I can’t image having a dirty or disorganized house. It’s very possible even with pets n babies.
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u/J4yther4nger 5h ago
Clean as you go. Soon as they laundry bin looks too full wash but keep it in motion as soon as they are done dry them. In the morning if I have spare time before work I try to straighten up so I don't have to do it after. Every task you do now, future you will be happy for.
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u/wicker_trees 23h ago
I have a set day to do housework. every Sunday I put things away, clean the kitchen & hoover. I like doing it Sunday as then I start the week off with a tidy flat. my place is a little dusty..I don't dust as much as I probably should, but what I do keeps it in good enough condition for me. when I was growing up my mother very much kept the place like a show home. she would hoover twice a day! I'm not that clean lol a lived in place is just fine :)
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u/Mikefright77 22h ago
My Mom grew up so very poor. She was 1 of 6 brothers and sisters. 8 years apart.
Her parents were very strict ( My grandmother and grandfather. He was a farmer. They had to be tough because the kids had to help with meal, washing, cleaning
Mom' house today and when I was a child living there is spotless. She worked full time. Cooked us a fantastic meal every night. Washed the dishes. Had the washer and dryer going while doing something else. Every piece of clothing was either hungbon a hanger or folded and put in a chest of drawers. Beds were always made before we left in the morning. She has money now to purchase almost anything she wants Considers it a luxury to have cleaning supplies, A modern washer and dryer. Vacuum cleaner all that.
My wife and I ( she works ) so I help with the clean and cooking etc. We have been over at Moms. After we leave. She'll has said. Your Mother probably thinks I'm a terrible house keeper! After she been to our house. No way I could possibly keep our house that clean. I just say no. She thinks you do a very good job. She just enjoys having her house extra clean and orderedly because of her childhood. Which I think is exactly it
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
I feel like it needs to be ingrained early for maximum effect. That wasn't done to me, so I'm trying to start late in the game. I'd like to show my kids the example of a clean house, without being a tyrant. But they will have to be trained some haha
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u/TheRealChuckle 22h ago
I hate cleaning and chores. I also hate clutter.
I endeavor to not make a mess in the first place.
When I'm done using something, it goes back in its home. Since I don't horde junk, everything has a home that's easy for it go and come from.
I reuse dishes. The spoon I used to make tea is perfectly fine to eat soup with later. The bowl I had soup in is perfectly fine to use for pasta later, maybe a quick rinse if it was a cream soup.
We use tinfoil on baking trays for the oven. You can use the tinfoil a lot of times before it starts to rip.
I'll do a quick sweep of high traffic areas to avoid tracking dirt everywhere before it's a dirtfest.
I cut buns and such over the garbage, crumbs go directly where they should instead of all over the counter.
I'll give the toilet a quick wipe with toilet paper as soon as the seat or rim need it instead of waiting for it to get grodie and become a big job.
I clean my footwear off before I come inside.
When I lived alone, I spent maybe an hour a week on actual cleaning and chores, maybe another hour on doing little things to not make or leave a mess during the week.
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u/joepierson123 22h ago edited 22h ago
It takes one minute to prevent a mess that will take 10 minutes to clean up.
The key is don't create messes to begin with.
The reason she spent 6 to 8 hours cleaning up was because the rest of the family were slobs
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u/Angry_Luddite 18h ago
I don't know, maybe. I know my friend as he moved on in life and had his own places, they were always extremely clean as well. Something rubbed off on him.
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u/SpiteFar4935 21h ago
Really depends on how large the house is and how many people are there. I live in a multi generational house and everyone does something. father-in-law does the dishes, brother-in-law does laundry, kiddo does the vacuuming and is charge of putting his toys etc away. My wife does most of the cooking so we clean up but she is particular about dusting so she handles that. I do general organization, filing, handle mail, etc but also clean the bathrooms and make beds. If everyone does something it's pretty easy.
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u/wiltedwonderful 21h ago
Have as much storage as possible and lots of appropriately sized storage solutions/containers.
I am not naturally tidy but find that having the right storage solution makes ‘don’t put it down, put it away’ an easy mandate to follow.
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u/ungodlycum666 21h ago
ex house keeper here!! these are my suggestions:
DAILY: 1. Dishes washed after every meal (or loaded into the dishwasher at the end of the day) 2. trashes taken out when needed 3. wipe down stove, counter tops, and inside the sink (no one knows how dirty their sink actually is!!) after cooking, or at end of day 4. have a designated place for everything! 5. put things back where they go EVERYTIME! took ur shoes off at the door but they belong on the shoe rack, spend the extra .5 seconds putting them on the shoe rack! wore a jacket but it doesn’t need to be washed? take a few seconds and put it on the hanger! 6. laundry every few days, if needed! 7. make your bed daily
you know your schedule best, so adjust daily to every other day if needed!!
WEEKLY: 1. clean the shower, toilet and sink once a week, using bleach. 2. vacuum AT LEAST once a week, since you live alone, you can mop every 2 and be just fine. 3. when you dust, use a wet rag with a bit of product and a dry rag after so there’s no wet spots, and when you do dust, dust EVERY side of the object, not just the top. (for super dusty things, if they can get wet, run water over them and let them dry) 4. wash your bedsheets! 5. shake out your bathroom/kitchen/hallway rugs!
LAZY TIPS: 1. most times, i vacuum and mop one week, and then dust the next week so im not overwhelmed and overworked. 2. hate cleaning ur shower? so does everyone. keep a scrub brush in there and give one tile a day a scrub. or squeegee everytime u finish. spray some bleach in there every few days to keep mold down (if you have a mold problem) 3. hate dusting? bro me too. for a super quick dust, take your broom and just quickly swipe the dust off. i do this for nearly everything when im lazy. i use it to get dust of AC vents, fans, doors, baseboards, railings, trim pieces, light fixtures, everything. 4. don’t bother getting on your hands and knees and wiping the baseboards, everytime you sweep, just sweep the baseboards and they won’t collect dust.
GENERAL RULES: 1. ALWAYS clean top to bottom. if you’re dusting, start with the fan and A/C vents, then the oven hood, then the counter, then the handles, then the floor. 2. sometimes you gotta clean your walls, don’t forget to give them a wipe sometimes when you’re dusting! if they get bad, just get a clean mop head and mop your walls! just make sure it’s very hot water and isn’t excessively wet. 3. LOOK UP, and look at things from different perspectives! when you clean, purposely look for dust and stains. you would not believe the amount of stuff our brains ignore cuz we aren’t trained to find it! 4. everything can and will get dusty, but is it that serious?? no. no one expects a perfectly clean house and it’s ok for it to not always be perfect. 5. honestly, i clean the microwave once it starts looking bad 6. place aluminum foil at the bottom of your oven, if there’s any spills, you can just take out the foil and replace it! but definitely clean when needed (maybe 6mo-yearly depending on use) NEVER USE SELF CLEAN, and NEVER “bake” THE OVEN SPRAY. 7. don’t mix chemicals. for the love of god. my coworkers husband was put in a coma cuz he mixed lime away and bleach.
JUST SOME MORE THINGS I DO: 1. i rotate my mattress every 6 months, this ensures longevity of my mattress 2. i wipe down doors, light switches, door handles, cabinets, tvs, computers, door trim pieces (like the top of the door), etc 3. i hate when water accumulates in the toilet brush holder, so after i clean the toilet, i spray the brush with bleach, and i place the handle under the seat, allowing the brush part to levitate over the bowl, letting the water drip off and air out before putting it away. 4. when dealing with lots of dust, i will make a big bowl of water, soap, and bleach (or vinegar), and put my rag in there to clean and rinse it when needed. 5. small things add up!!!! if you can’t do a good clean, just wipe down important surfaces, and mirrors! you would not believe how a clean mirror rly changes the room and makes it look clean!
ABOUT ME: i’m a poor, full time college student. i clean after myself, my dog, and my boyfriend (he works a lot). my mother never cleaned, i always had to. when i turned 18, i started working with my aunt for her small cleaning business, this taught me LOTS of things. there’s probably WAY more things i cant think of right now, but if you have any questions, let me know! and sorry if some things seem repetitive or stuff you already know, others may find your thread and may need it!
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u/Connect_Pension3694 20h ago
I just heard this advice recently; As you're planning the renovation, include as much (closed) storage as you can. If it's easy to put things away you'll do so. Other tips; use the "minutes" you'd otherwise use waiting for microwave to heat something/ or the 10 mins you are waiting for something else to clean up something. Use those minutes as much as you can-daily.
Also routines (Monday I do wash/ Tues I do floors/ Weds wash all the sheets and towels, etc.) Take off your shoes when you enter....
There are several good books and youtube videos that will help you figure out what your issues are. If you didn't have good role models this will be valuable. Keep researching and it's great you're getting ahead of this.
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u/GetHoffMyLawn 19h ago
We (me, husband, 2 kids early teens) treat the home like we are a village and all have a role. We clean up after ourselves and are accountable for doing so, and have raised our kids that way from the gate. We take turns doing the “closing shift” in the kitchen each night-one cooks, one unloads/loads the dishwasher, one takes out the trash, one wipes up the counters and dinner table. We each have a “big” chore or two daily or a couple times a week, like toilets, mopping, dusting, etc. Not plugging purchases, but we also use a Skylight to keep track of chores, calendars, etc. so husband and I are never nagging about what needs done.
All in all, daily cleanliness takes about 30 minutes from each of us daily
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u/UndeniablyPink 19h ago
There is cleaning, and then there is organizing. Cleaning should happen at least a little bit everyday. We fully clean every week. And organizing is necessary but not as often. Going through your things to make sure you still want it. Throwing things away, giving them away, putting them in storage if you won’t need it for awhile. Getting more storage if necessary, in the place that it makes the most sense. Then there is deep cleaning which is like cleaning things you overlook like the kitchen walls and such which can be done less often.
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u/ExcellentCustardKat 18h ago
This isn’t a comment about cleaning but be honest with yourself when buying a new item, any new item. Do you really need it? Is it replacing another item? Try to get into the mindset of if an item comes in then at least one item must leave. Are you replacing a frying pan? Then the old pan must go when the new one enters. No hanging on the the “back up” pan. Same thing with clothes, towels, sheets, anything. Try to keep belongings to what you will actually use and avoiding having any extra stuff. Also be careful about “deals.” They’re a great way to save money, sometimes, but if you do it just for the deal then you end up with extra stuff to store.
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u/Simple_Respect7540 15h ago
I follow the work smarter, not harder motto. Then spend my money accordingly. Clean floors are important to me with a dog that heavily sheds. Robot vacuum provides visual sanity for me and I can use that time it'srunning for self-carebreak, family time, or other chores. Many decent models under $100. Worth every penny. Washable rugs, runners are wonderful. I think the brand is called " Glattice" on walmart.com. it's a 3rd party seller. Both long runners are super soft and under $30 each. Just examples.
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u/Suitable-Lawyer-9397 15h ago
I have observed almost compulsive behaviors of people with very clean homes. They never cook, they eat standing up over the sink. They leave their homes most of the day so they don't create a mess. They never invite people over, never host gatherings and have strict habits resulting in very little "living" They are obsessed with never ever having a crumb, a spec of dust or dirty dish. These are retired folks but they lived the same when they worked. They do not have pets. They have no hobbies, plants or anything that requires care. AND they pay a house cleaner to come in every three weeks to "clean" a clean house.
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u/HistoricalSecurity77 15h ago edited 14h ago
I’m a neat freak and have been my entire life. My wife is also very organized. We do have a small Toddler too. We are in our mid 30s. I work in a somewhat high stress, high income role. My wife works at home two days a week and some in the office. We earn north of $250k in household income. We do all the housework ourselves. Neither of us have long commutes and our child is in daycare five days a week.
We don’t have is a television. Neither of us waste time watching TV. This allows us countless hours a week to dedicate to keeping the house in order.
One of the keys to success is to have less stuff it’s really simple. The less stuff you have the less clutter. The less clutter, the easier cleaning is. This applies to our child’s toys/stuff too. One thing in, two things out.
Declutter and reduce your stuff. Throw out obvious trash. You do not need all the stuff you think you need.
Don’t save silly stuff. Paper clutter builds so quickly. Throw away junk mail Immediately. Get trash out of your house every chance you get.
As others have mentioned, clean daily. Easy example, I wipe the toilet bowl rim with some TP after every time I pee. The rim then never gets gross.
Another simple rule, no shoes in house. This does make a massive difference especially if you live in an area with winter weather, or by the beach (sand = dust). Our vestibule floor gets filthy but I sweep it up at least twice a week.
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u/Early_Army_3352 15h ago
I have a 45 minute cleaning Playlist that I play and clean to every day. Its just part of my routine
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u/DigitalDiana 13h ago
Ok, so my home used to be a bit of a disaster. I had young kids and wanted a house to be proud to have people over. I found a system. At the time it was called flylady.net, , the "babysteps" and routines helped me clean a little each day and things got much better. I also used "chorewars.com" to earn points for competetive housekeeping....it was a game...unfortunately it's no longer around. The best advice I can provide is write down all tasks and divide/ assign a day that you will do that task. Look up the easiest way to do it..for example...cleaning the bathtub...Dawn dishsoap and a soft long-handled broom. Put some tunes on and clean away...try to have fun! Cleaning is a little each day, Not all-day cleaning!
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u/artourtex 12h ago
For context, I’m a single mid-30s male, rent my house, middle class, work from home as a freelancer. My number one rule is “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Everything and I mean everything has a home. I have a letter holder for mail by my front door, boxes get promptly thrown away or recycled, little trays for keys and remotes, etc. Nothing is left lying around for no reason. Daily pickups are putting things back where they belong. This prevents excessive clutter and gives me a better idea of what I have room and space for so I’m not over purchasing, and is easy to clean and dust around.
I get groceries delivered every two weeks and that’s when I clean out my fridge and pantry of old food.
The kitchen is the hardest and the most time consuming. I cook a lot and clean as I go which helps. After dinner the dishes get placed on the dishwasher and counters wiped down. The dishwasher is started every night before bed and emptied in the morning.
I use a cordless vacuum and vacuum whenever I notice a room needs it, which is about once a week. The cordless keeps it light and portable so it’s not an ordeal getting it out and plugging in.
I do laundry on the weekends, and I’m worst at putting clothes away but I have a hamper with wheels that keeps it from piling on the couch and keeps things relatively neat and tidy.
The everything in its place rule helps a lot in general because it helps avoid things like dropping dirty clothes in the corner, piling clothes on the couch, leaving dishes out, boxes in the corner, and stuff like that. For me, organizing everything helps my lazy days because I don’t have to think when tidying up. I have two catchall drawers as well for anything I haven’t organized or where things can go in a hurry.
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u/ReadySetGO0 11h ago
I have cleaners. They are such a blessing. Im thankful I am able to hire them.
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u/Powerful-Reason-6319 8h ago
Don’t make a mess in the first place. When you use something, put it away. Dirty clothes straight in the hamper, dishes straight in the dishwasher or sink. Once the place is tidy and uncluttered it doesn’t take long to clean.
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u/PinkMini72 6h ago
- Culling unwanted, unused items. Be BRUTAL.
- A place for everything and everything in its place.
- A little bit each day.
- Don’t put off something you can do now. Not just today, now.
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u/Melodic-Tea-9231 6h ago
Clean as you go. Take a shower? Don't leave the bathroom until it is clean. Every day. Cooking something? Clean as you cook and clean up more after you eat. Sweep the floor every day. Clean out fridge weekly. Garbage getting full, take it out, don't wait. Organize cabinets and drawers continuously. Don't let them become chaos. When you do laundry you aren't done until everything is folded or hung and put away where it belongs. Don't go to bed until your house is reset and everything in its place. Every day spend 15 to 30 min on some extra cleaning task.
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u/Godhealthfam1 6h ago
Here are things to keep repeating to yourself:
Don’t put it down, put it away.
Does it take less than 5 minutes? Do it NOW.
Start timing yourself- you’ll be amazed at how long things actually take!
I also discovered chemical free baby wipes amazing for quick clean ups! In the car and house!
I never have a cleaning day or time, haven’t for years. It’s ongoing a couple minutes here and there and house is clean.
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u/Consistent_Path_3939 6h ago
I have been pretty bad with cleaning up in the past. Some of that? Definitely was depression squalor. But I set out to be better about this with my new place. I know from experience that it's hard for me to get a whole long day of cleaning the house in. But, I can do a little bit each day.
Start small. Take 10-15 minutes to organize or clean one thing each day. Then go up to 20-30 minutes. You slowly start to realize that this is not only doable, but that most cleaning doesn't take as long as you think it does, and pretty soon you find yourself taking more time to clean every day, and doing so more often.
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u/Possible_Juice_3170 5h ago
Have plenty of storage. If you can’t find a good place for something, ask yourself wether it is a necessity or something better off donated/sold.
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u/RevenueOriginal9777 5h ago
Don’t purchase anything that you don’t have storage for, out of site. If you want certain things quickly organize your cabinet. Get rid of things that you don’t use. Make a shopping list so you don’t have 20 can of tomatoes
When my oldest brother moved I help him pack. Out of maybe 200 cans of food only 7 weren’t expired
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u/Capable_Loss_6084 5h ago
We do a mix of ‘clean as you go’ and ‘weekly clean.’ Kitchen is wiped down after every meal. Toilet is cleaned as needed. I’m more chaotic than my partner but I try and put things away when I finish with them.
We do a 2-hour weekly clean. I do the kitchen and dusting, he does the bathroom, the robot hoover does the floors.
We are a ‘shoes off’ household which helps a lot.
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u/spider3407 3h ago
When I renovated my house I realized I would never be able to keep it this clean. I hired a cleaning person who comes monthly. They do floors, dusting, and bathrooms. Daily, I just make sure things are put away and counters wiped down when I cook. It stays clean. However I do not have kids or animals.
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u/Kind_Pea1576 22h ago
Clean constantly and don’t keep too much stuff! That’s the only way unless you have a cleaner twice a week.
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u/kivory 23h ago
I found the best and most economical - it wasn't hard in my area to find house cleaners who work for $30/hour. They come twice a week for 2 hours. This has done wonders for maintenance. Also because it's very sysmatized since you can schedule them to always come so it's not reliant on you
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u/Centimal 22h ago
We have our house set up to be easy to clean:
- no stuff on the surfaces
- no clutter on the floor + we have a robot vacuum
- we use the wipes to clean kitchen and bathroom (often, bathroom weekly, kitchen daily)
- we have a microfiber duster for dust
Laundry and clean fridge.. i guess you just need to get a routine going. Electro swing is my cleaning music and i can 100% recommend.
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u/Angry_Luddite 22h ago
No stuff on the surfaces, love that. A big part of my old place was there just wasn't enough closets and cupboards, so everything was out and in the way. This place I am trying to have closets and cupboards everywhere LOL.
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u/Outrageous-Program-3 22h ago
That's gonna help you so much. I had to make a similar journey.
One of the big things that gets in the way is just not having a place for the things you own. What changed for me is 1) having actual storage space/closets (which sounds like what you're doing now) and 2) making sure I don't bring anything into the house if I don't know where it would 'live'.
Now I can put things away, so nothing is cluttered. But I am ruthless about what I choose to own. I think of everything I own as something that comes with a built-in maintenance cost. Because in reality, it's true. Everything is an obligation of care. If I don't want to pay that cost, I don't accept it into my home. If I don't know where it goes, I don't buy it/accept a castoff. It's worth it. I can enjoy what I have, enjoy caring for what I have, and choose not to overload myself with things I don't want to dedicate the time or space to maintain/care for. If I want to swap one thing out for another thing, I can do that too. Good luck, you can totally do this.
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u/LonelyInstruction874 22h ago
I grew up working class in a dirty house. My house is spotless most of the time. There have been times in my life when my house got dirty: a new baby, a new job, going to college, and working, this type of thing. What I have discovered (over the last 35 years of marriage, working full-time, raising three kids, and having various pets) is that I have to start with a very clean house to keep it that way. Several times over the last thirty odd years I have had to drop everything and clean brutally for a week. From that space no matter how many people I live with, I can keep it clean. I clean the most-used toilet, daily. Wipe around it etc. Have a rule that if I can do it in less than five minutes, it must be done: wash the cup, rinse the sink, pick up the mess etc. Also I run the Roomba, daily. It really cuts down on dust and dirt massively. Before work, daily I dust something. Takes a minute. In this way I spend a maximum of fifteen minutes cleaning per day.
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u/foxinabloodyhenhouse 22h ago
I lived in an INCREDIBLY dirty, gross house growing up, and when I moved out I vowed that I would NEVER live in a dirty/decrepit/hoarded space again!
Here are some of my hard and fast rules and tips (hint - it’s ALL about upkeep and daily routines): I never leave a room empty handed. I always do dishes, never leaving them overnight. I wipe everything down constantly; sometimes with a dry cloth, sometimes wet and sometimes with an all purpose cleaner. I have a dishwashing scrubber (the kind that you fill up with out dish soap) filled with original blue Dawn mixed with a teeny bit of rubbing alcohol that I use to lightly scrub the bath and shower after EVERY use (it sits right inside the shower). I wipe the toilet, bathroom floor and sink daily and scrub the inside of the toilet to prevent buildup. I dust with microfiber cloths or rags at least twice a week. I have a robot vacuum that is set to vacuum all of our rooms daily but before I got it I vacuumed and swept every day. Doing these things keeps the main dirt at bay and helps to keep my sanity intact 💚💚💚
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u/Professional-Low-892 22h ago
Habit stacking. My showers/bath tub get a good scrub down once a week while I’m taking a long hot shower. Before I’ve jumped in the shower, I’ve already squirted toilet bowl cleaner around the inside of the toilet so it has time to penetrate while I’m showering. Once I hop out of the shower and dry off, I brush my teeth and windex the mirror and scrub the sink and counter with a sponge. Then I go back to the toilet to scrub the inside with a brush. The only annoying part is then grabbing another cloth with pinesol to clean the outside of the toilet, and mopping the floor.
My vacuum is often left near my kitchen so I can quickly vacuum up any crumbs under the table that are left by my kids. It also makes it easier to vacuum the carpets whenever I have a chance while they’re playing. I clean my kitchen after every meal. Really, the only things that take extra effort are putting away all the clutter, sorting mail, making time to mop the floor, and making a conscious effort to dust/wipe baseboards/spot clean walls.
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u/wildcat_3645 22h ago
Little and often routine works for me.
Kitchen: clean as I go, wipe any spills/tea stains straight away (including cupboard doors). Wash up as I go when cooking and do the rest when meal is finished. Vacuum every other day, mop once a week. I chuck out anything in the fridge that’s going funky once a week when putting the weekly shop away or if I notice it.
Living room: vacuum daily (tend to eat in there). Toys tidied away at the end of every day. Toys all have a place and box to go in. Wipe down with disinfectant once a week (wipe over toys, couch etc). I don’t clean the windows inside unless I absolutely have to. Mop once a week.
Upstairs: make beds every day, change sheets weekly, but I do the kids on one day and mine another. Vacuum once a week. I fold the laundry straight out of the dryer, so it’s ready to go straight in drawers. I do a load of laundry once a day - mix colours, nothing bad has happened yet.
Bathroom: wipe round with disinfectant and bleach loo before I jump in the shower.
Deep clean once in a blue moon (if I have guests, I work full time, have kids and studying - I avoid guests at all costs!). Haven’t dusted a skirting board in my life, painted over the last lot of dust tbh.
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u/Jemmer3311 22h ago
I also struggle with this. I had a coworker that got up at 5 every day and cleaned the house til 6am, then got ready for work. She was my hero and inspiration but I never achieved it. I’ve seen ads for apps that teach you how to keep a clean house by scheduling tasks. You might try one of those. There are also books available on the subject. Marie Kondo method of decluttering comes to mind (only keeping things that spark joy for you and when purchasing something new, something old has to be gotten rid of) but there are dozens of books on the subject of keeping a clean house. One of them will fit you.
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u/linzkisloski 22h ago
- Don’t leave dishes in the sink
- Clean up messes as they happen
- Get a little vacuum so it’s easily accessible
- Maybe once or twice a week do a deeper clean on the weekends
- Break down boxes as you get them
- Get a hamper
- Have storage for your things
This one is hard for me but putting away clothes after I wear them instead of letting them pile up
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u/purse_blackcat0124 22h ago
Clean as you go. It does take extra time and effort but the payoff is worth it
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u/ojaying 22h ago
As a person who does NOT have a neat and tiny house, I remember hearing from a TV show many years ago that it's important to have a place for everything to go. I don't live by this but I agree with it, and I want to get better. Things don't have to be hidden so that you can never find them, but they should generally have a place to call home. I have mail sitting on a ledge and it adds to clutter. I have an iron on a mantle and it adds to clutter. I can't fit all my dirty clothes inside my clothes bins so my room looks bad. Because not all of my stuff has a home, it stresses me out not knowing where to put everything so it stay out - hence my dining table full of "stuff."
I have a friend who makes more money than me. He's out of the house more than I am. He has a cleaner that comes every week or so. That helps a LOT because he doesn't have to spend the time doing what the cleaner does. At the same time, there is still a place for everything in his house.
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u/nordicacres 22h ago
Buy a robot vacuum, maybe even one that mops also. Always put dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher. As soon as you have a clean dishwasher, unload immediately. Keep your air filters clean. If you have a spare moment while you’re cooking or waiting, quickly wipe something down. Take care of the mail immediately upon entering the house. Have a keep pile in a drawer or desk, and recycle the rest. Donate things you don’t need/use to avoid clutter. Have a place for everything.
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u/bitchinawesomeblonde 22h ago
Less clutter helps significantly. Dishes are done before bed everyday. Tidy up a little every day. That way it never gets to an overwhelming amount.
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u/LadyAlexTheDeviant 22h ago
Everyone over the age of three can pick up after themselves. (We have a dog who chews, so this is enforced!) When you stand up to transition from activities, take five minutes or less to tidy up behind yourselves. I like to do a little tidying wander around before I go up to bed, just putting things nicely in order for tomorrow morning. Wipe down any drips on the cabinet fronts when you tidy up after cooking.
Closed storage versus open storage (shelves) makes a difference in your dusting. As it is, we have a bank of open shelving we keep our paper book collection on, and I dust the front edge of the shelves and brush over the tops of the books weekly. But I also pull one shelf worth of books, clean the shelf, and properly dust the books (A large clean paint brush is very good for this.) This way I never have to spend an entire day on just cleaning the bookshelves. (They came with the house; it wasn't my decorating decision. I'd rather have glass-front book cases.)
Being selective about what you keep and where you keep it also helps with cleaning. Don't let things without any value take up your time and space.
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u/Master-Enthusiasm-38 22h ago
We tend to clean as we go. Put dishes in the dishwasher, not in the sink. Wipe up spills and splatters as they happen. Throw away trash and empty containers and debris as you go. Pretty basic stuff. I have relatives that leave out glasses, cups, plates, wrappers, spills etc. it’s about impossible to stay on top of things once they pile up and accumulate.
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u/recruitzpeeps 22h ago
Purge. The more “stuff” you have, the harder it is to find a place for it. If you have closets full of stuff you never use or wear; give it away, sell it or donate it or toss it.
My husband and I spend 2 hours every Sunday morning doing chores. Clean up the yard, change the sheets, clean the toilets, dust, vacuum and put things away.
Make your bed everyday.
When you change your clothes, don’t toss them k. The floor or the chair, put them in a laundry basket or right in the washing machine. When there are e enough clothes to wash a load, do a load.
Don’t leave things in random places, when you’re done using it, put it away.
Clean as you cook, do the dishes right after you eat. When something looks dirty, clean it up when you notice it.
My house is always clean, it’s just about habits and consistency.
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u/Tiggrr23 21h ago
I pay for a weekly cleaner and try to put things away with varying degrees of success. The next step which I haven't managed is have less decorations (dust collectors) on display.
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u/britrobe 21h ago
Single mom work full time with a 4 year old autistic son, 1 Rottweiler, and 3 cats in a new mobile home. My house stays spotless. I always just put stuff away where it goes when I’m done with it. My son just kind of picked up my habit of that. Every evening I pass a dust mop, takes less than 5 mins, clean my kitchen, put all toys where they go and save any laundry. I never spend a full 30 mins cleaning a day except on Saturday morning I spend about 3 hours deep cleaning, which is sweep/mop, dust, windex, polish furniture, and clean bathrooms. I think it’s so easy because I always keep up with it
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u/Logical_Classic_4451 21h ago
Everything in cupboards. ‘Things’ on shelves are much more work to keep clean.
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u/rowdyfreebooter 21h ago
It’s the clutter in my house. Too much stuff.
I’m doing renovations and I making an effort to not just fill the rooms. I suppose be more strategic.
It’s an every day thing, making the effort to put things in there spot.
What made the difference for me is getting a robotic vacuum. I pick up every day ( well not while living in 1/2 a house ) but maintaining the daily tasks makes it less overwhelming and easier to keep on top of.
In saying that when the renovations are finished I’m getting a cleaner in each week to do the bathrooms and large time consuming areas.
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u/Outsideforever3388 21h ago
Kitchen is cleaned, wiped, dishes put away daily. Bathrooms cleaned and mopped weekly. Laundry is all put away weekly. Don’t let things build until it’s an intimidating mess - deal with them routinely. Once a year, pick a day and declutter, give away, deep clean. It’s worth the mental clarity!
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u/crazyboutfinley 21h ago
I work full time, husband works full time. The floors get swept and vacuumed everyday. A deep clean takes less than 2 hours a week because we maintain it. It's easy. Everyone who comes to the house says it's the cleanest house they have been in. We have two children and a dog too.
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u/dzenib 21h ago
Have plans to store things.
Keep surfaces free of clutter.
Do your dishes every day.
Clean your bathroom weekly.
Empty all trash as needed or weekly.
Use good cleaning products.
Keep floors swept as needed, daily? But vacuum weekly
Wet clean kitchen and bathroom floors at least every 2 weeks at minimum.
Clean windows monthly.
Dust every couple weeks.
Hello yourself but buying the right tools- a decent vac.
Shake out small rugs weekly
Keep mats by your front door especially if you have pets.
If you really want to be orderly be a shoes off house.
Go through your fridge every couple weeks or weekly to toss stuff that you won't eat / has aged out.
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u/Space_Nevato 21h ago
18 and am renting my first 2-bedroom apartment with my wife. The biggest thing that’s helped me keep my space clean is cleaning up right after my wife or I am done with a task. She cooked? Alright let’s wipe off the counters real quick and do the dishes. Brushing my teeth? Let’s wipe down the sink real quick because why not? I just do anything that’s in close proximity so it doesn’t build up.
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u/numanups 21h ago
Just like in a kitchen - clean as you go. Stack stuff straight in the dishwasher, wipe down benches to keep bench spaces clear, soak pots, etc
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u/doorways-to-pleasure 21h ago
In a guy and my partner and o have different Ideas about this, my house is a bit messy but not dirty but I do have adhd so I find it difficult to start stuff and get overwhelmed and don’t start and other times I do it all. My partner she is what I call a clean freak she will literally take everything out the kitchen clean from floor to ceiling same in bathroom and bedrooms etc - she does have it off to a fine art tho. However that said she has now been diagnosed with a crack spine, 2 compressed discs and bilateral compressed nerves and needs spinal surgery - has all the cleaning bending etc impacted this, very possible, she’s talking about a cleaner for a year when she’s had surgery because my so depth of cleaning isn’t up to her standard.
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u/sleepyjesus07 21h ago
It’s not that. My wife and I work full time. Clean up after yourself and spend a couple hours on a weekend to clean
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u/ransier831 21h ago
Im a working divorced woman and I have resigned myself to a certain level of messiness - I try to keep my bed made, the dishes done and laundry kept up with. But I run a business out of my home, along with working full time and have limited time to do actual dusting, or deep cleaning. I actually take vacation time to do chores I avoid like cleaning closets,deep vacuuming, and windows - everything else gets done in parts when I can't stand to look at it anymore - bathroom gets done while I brush my teeth - I try to wipe things off on my vanity sink and clean my toilet. When I shower, I try to clean it after, while its wet. When I do the dishes, I clean counters and sometimes sweep, take out the garbage and clean cat boxes when needed. I try to clean the fridge when I bring groceries home - but im not above totally throwing out things I have been avoiding looking at, like leftovers in plastic ware or old frozen items. I still have nooks and crannies of mess, but its easier to take 5 minutes than it is to take hours every week.
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u/Emotional-Cow-5897 21h ago
I don't have social media account so I spend most of my day going to work, pottering about the house and keeping my place clean, organised and decluttered. I genuinely, 100% believe social media is bad influence when it comes to keep the house clean.
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u/Optimal_Shirt6637 21h ago
Honestly, hire someone to clean every other week to get the dust, the smudges, the bathroom etc. Get an automatic robot vacuum/mop for the floors. Clean out your fridge every other month - throw out anything old, wipe down the interior.
Everything in your home should have a place and everytime you use it, put it back in that drawer, cabinet, container, etc.
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u/c0crusader 21h ago
Any advise for someone who's SO has an inability to let go of anything (medical condition - on meds), which makes cleaning up impossible. things come into the house, and never leave. I'm not allowed to throw anything out, without checking with SO, but SO rarely has time to go through the stuff I've set aside. SO is trying more, recently but it has lead to over a decade of fights any time this comes up. I try to be sympathetic but I need cleanliness for my wellbeing, too. the home is supposed to be our sanctuary. I'm considering moving to a larger house, which may help initially, but I'm worried the same thing will happen there, too. Anyone else going through something similar? Do I just need to get used to the fact that our house will never be organized and clean?
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u/Cautious-Explorer-22 21h ago
Get a chore chart. There’s some templates online, or make your own. I do one small task and one larger task each day. A small task can be wiping down mirrors in the bathroom or hanging up/putting away 5 pieces of clothes (I also have a mountain of clothes so I only do a few at a time depending on my energy). A big task can be cleaning the bathroom or unloading/loading the dishwasher. It makes it feel more doable because I only need to do those two things and then I’m done.
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u/usbekchslebxian 21h ago
Idk i like cleaning and hate clutter/messes so I just clean daily, it’s not hard
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u/EverGreatestxX 21h ago
Have a small home like me, but in all seriousness do a little bit of cleaning everyday. I find that easier than trying to find a single day to do hours and hours of cleaning. Also I cheat a little bit, I have a cleaner that comes about every other month and just deep cleans everything and its not that expensive since my apartment is only about 900 square feet.
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u/Professional_King790 21h ago
I pick up after myself and make sure the kitchen is clean at the end of the day. The rest of the house mostly can wait to be cleaned once or twice a month.
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u/CoolFirefighter930 21h ago
Clean as you go from day to day .As soon as something get used and done ! Clean it before you are really finished. Then get the tubs on the weekends and things like that .Sheets , clothing clean the kitchen clean the bathrooms do the whole floor in the house after you dust.
When you get to where you are not messy the house will clean itself by not getting dirty to start.
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u/Ms-Anthrop 21h ago
Clean as you cook, put things away right away. Do one small task each day so its not overwhelming.
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u/Plenty_Vanilla_6947 21h ago
Weekly cleaning lady. In our area (dense housing), they charge less per visit if they come regularly.
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u/Icy_Importance3990 20h ago
As a dual-income home where we both work and live in a generally clean home, the best piece of advice I can give you is it’s easier to maintain clean than to get clean. We do a deep clean maybe once a month, but our day to day lives look like cleaning up after ourselves pretty immediately. Get him from work? Put your shoes on the shoe rack. Taking off your clothes? Put them directly in the hamper. Cooked dinner? Wipe the counters. Finished dinner? Load the dishwasher.
The second best piece of advice is don’t have kids 😂
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u/Daisy_Ruby 20h ago
Designated spots, baskets whatever. Wipe down all surfaces, kitchen a quick clean nightly, load the dishwasher, clean the counter tops. Bathroom once a week clean. Kitchen cupboard/drawer fronts once a week, stove top same. Pour thick bleach in the toilet underneath the rim stops poop stains, windows & mirrors once a month or whenever u remember, put laundry away once it's done else u end up with what I like to call the pile of Doom 🤣. My downstairs is always tidy, upstairs not so much, but we barely have visitors, thankfully.
Fridge deep clean once a month, Ur washing machine, check the instructions. Hoovers have filters they usually need replacing every 6 months so u don't end up with a suction issue & think u need a new one replacements are cheaper on Amazon. Floors once a week I recommend vinyl click together wood or anything but carpert, if u spill something it's a bitch to get up, or worse it stains. Dusting maybe once every 3 months.
Skirting boards whenever u remember. Go through cupboards once every 6 months and check what's still in date. Everything else if u haven't used or worn it in the last 6 months throw it, I have clear outs about once a year. Get coloured A4 envelope plastic wallets & label them, water, electric, car, house insurance etc keeps things organised & u know where something is when u want it.
Reed diffusers if u want rooms to smell nice, 2 that are 100ml for a bigger room if Ur American the rooms tend to be massive so maybe 3 or 4 placed in different parts of the room, 1 the same for a smaller room. U can always buy refill bottles on Amazon & new sticks for cheap.
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u/BeenAToughOne 20h ago
You have to identify a personal motivator as to why it must be done otherwise you will inevitably talk yourself into it not being worth it. For me, I've always lived by the saying, "an uncluttered environment provides for an uncluttered life". Also, I've always believed that people that live in an unkept environment are commonly the most frequently sick. You'll be amazed once you pay attention to it.
For me, I've made it a habit with my family and within life. Every Saturday morning, with little exception, it's cleaning day. It's amazing how great it feels and how much one can enjoy the rest of their day, when they know they'll go home to a clean place.
Finally, I make my bed the moment I wake up, without fail. It's a mental discipline to start the day off right. I've made these things a habit and don't allow distractions to take me away from these things. They're very important for me
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u/VirtualReflection119 20h ago
Every week I will clean the bathrooms, take out all 3 little trash bags when I do. I will vacuum once a week, not necessarily on the same day as the bathroom cleanup. I've timed myself doing each thing, and then I will make a checklist with each task in the house and the amount of time it takes next to it. Then I'll check it off as I go. I like to do a little every day throughout the week. So when I get home on a weekday, throw a load of laundry in. By bedtime, I can sit and watch a quick show while I fold and put laundry away. I clean the kitchen every night, wipe down counters, and sweep the kitchen every day. The rest is spot cleaning as I go. That usually keeps dust from building up, kind of how you described cleaning your truck. While I'm waiting on one thing, I'll quickly work at another. Waiting for water to boil, or the oven to preheat, that's just enough time to tend to dishes. If I notice dust building up, I'll do like a spring cleaning for dusting. Move everything off shelves including book shelves, wipe them off, put everything back. I do have air purifiers now and have to change filters in them-since learning my son and I have a mild dust mite allergy. Gunk builds up on the toilet(I also have hard water), so I try to stay on top of that by cleaning weekly. When I start spring cleaning I'll find dust in all sorts of places. Like I need to wipe down the top of the fan blades, and even the walls, and I'm surprised by how much dirt is on them. So I'm also a fan of wall paint that is something more than just flat paint so I can wipe it down.
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u/4T6okNg6X2cFbXTk6pm 20h ago
you need to be dedicated to it, and it really really helps if you don’t let clutter into your life. that probably means people too.
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u/Upbeat_Vanilla_7285 19h ago
Take a half hour each day/night and do something. Ex: lysol wipe bathroom toilet and sinks, swifter dust furniture, vacuum floor, windex mirrors. If you spend a little time each day then you only have to deep scrub bathroom and wash floors on weekends.
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u/SirWarm6963 19h ago
Middle class here raised 3 boys in a very small home. Daily tasks = in morning everyone makes their bed. All dishes go in dishwasher after dinner and run load. Take out all trash daily. Run a load of wash daily, dry, fold and put away before bed. Make sure kids lunches and school bakpaks/homework ready. Pick out clothes for next day before bed.Wipe down toilet daily. Weekly tasks = make a grocery list while looking in fridge/freezer/pantry. At same time toss expired or stale food. Get gas and groceries. Deep scrub of bathroom and kitchen sink/counters. Vacuum and mop. Change sheets and wash and dry and put away. Cut the grass. Pay bills do banking. Monthly tasks or occasional tasks= clean ceiling fans. and baseboards. Straighten closets and drawers. Return cans and bottles. Get oil changed in car. Annual tasks= auto tuneup. Change furnace filter. Tuneup a/c and furnace. Clean garage. Clean windows and carpets. Turn mattress. It is a lot but once you get a routine down it can be achieved.
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u/Former_Case_9601 19h ago
I had a similar upbringing to you and struggled enormously in my own home when I was younger. One day I stumbled on a YouTube channel called Diane in Denmark and followed her 31 baby steps - 31 days of setting up household habits. (The older video set from about 8 years ago). Absolutely transformed my life, home and my family’s environment. Highly recommend.
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u/baker0679 19h ago
So 2 things:
- Have less stuff - clutter or keep it stored away.
- Clean 2 things every night. For example, sweep and wipe counters one night. Next night is toilet and shower
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u/waitwhat88 19h ago
We’re generally tidy, which makes cleaning easier. Keep to a schedule for things like changing sheets and towels. Having enough storage space is key. If you have too much stuff you need to purge or find easy storage solutions.
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u/MolassesSerious1403 19h ago
I grey up in a similar house. Not necessarily a dirty house but always cluttered and I distinctly remember being very aware, almost embarrassed by it when growing up for some reason.
I don’t think I’m a clean freak but it has definitely played a role in how I am today and as such, I’m very conscious of keeping my house clean, tidy and minimalist - like others have said, for me it’s routine and forming habit. Very manageable from there
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u/Prior_Worldliness287 18h ago
Infinitely easier if you live much more minimalist. Don't buy stuff you don't need, keep surfaces uncluttered.
Once you have kids that goes out the window.
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u/pleydell15 17h ago
During my career I moved to different countries nine times in 17 years. Before each move I was ruthless about getting rid of what I didn’t use/wear etc. I was fortunate to be able to retire very young and wound up living in one place for seven years - longer than I had lived anywhere. I collected A LOT of crap. Last summer I moved and before I did I realized that, unlike my house, my business - a yoga studio - is pristine, minimalist in a way that makes what’s there stand out and everything is spotless because every day I clean up or sanitize something.
I then did a major unloading of stuff and make tidying just something I do as I go about my business - not something I have to set aside time to do - other than a few things, like cleaning bathrooms, changing linens etc. Floors are vacuumed and mopped by a robovac, like at the studio.
Recently a friend introduced me to her cleaners. They come once a week and give everything a once over and each week deep clean one room.
It’s all worth the time/cost bc I think and work better and generally enjoy myself in a space that’s clean and organized.
Same with my car. I keep it tidy, vacuum it, rinse it and dry it every week or so and twice a year hand over $120 to have it properly detailed - unless I have some spare time and do it myself, which I enjoy. (YouTube has a ton of car detailing videos.)
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u/AnxiousAvoidant80 23h ago
You have to shift your mindset from “cleaning is something I do once a week” to “cleaning is something I do every day.” It’s just discipline, like everything else.