For most people, the state of their home is an accurate reflection of how they feel about themselves. This can have a profound effect on your mood and productivity each day. Keeping your home clean isn’t just important for maintaining your sanity; it also leads to better health due to fewer contaminants being tracked into the home. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things you need to do to keep your home clean, we’ve found some tips and tricks that should lighten the load.
Tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy and organized home:
Get rid of messy stuff
Donate or sell items that are no longer useful. Having so much clutter around can be unnecessary stress. This is even more important if you have kids; it’s way easier to keep everything neat in a smaller space.
Soften the blow
Open up windows when the weather allows for fresh air. Use a scented candle or essential oil diffuser to add a pleasant scent without worrying about toxins from burning scents or aerosols. You can also invest in a humidifier to use during dry winter months.
Get smart about lighting
Try using natural light as much as possible, even if it means putting in the extra effort to use lamps or overhead lights. Going without direct sunlight for an hour can be harmful because your body needs at least 15 minutes of exposure to synthesize Vitamin D properly.
Make your cleaning products
There are so many recipes for non-toxic cleaners on the internet. If you don’t have all the ingredients, you can easily find them at your local grocery store. This is a great way to save money and know exactly what’s in your cleaners. Vinegar and baking soda mixed with a few drops of essential oils can help keep things fresh without being harmful to you or the environment.
Organize
Get rid of unneeded stress by having a sensible system for organizing everything from closets to paperwork. Keep items that you use habitually in easy-to-reach places, so you don’t spend more time looking than actually using them. If possible, get rid of things you haven’t touched in over a year because the chances are good that they’re not coming back.
If you want to make sure your home is clean and organized, consider getting a membership at a self-storage facility near you. This way, if there’s too much stuff in your home or you need to get rid of some things before guests come over, it’ll be simple and easy to do.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff that is produced over time when you don’t know how or where to start when cleaning even just one room. One tip is to only bring things into rooms when you need them; for example, if there are groceries you need to put away but no other food in the kitchen, take the bags into another room instead of leaving everything out. This can also save you from wasting time looking for things that could have been put away with less clutter in the first place.
Go low-tech
The less time you spend on cleaning, the more time you can spend with family and friends or just relaxing. Keep things simple by investing in tools that will help out rather than complicating your life with electronics that take more effort than they are worth.
Keep your basement and attic organized
Dust and dirt in these areas can be especially harmful because they’re so difficult to reach. If you have a problem with pests or mold in your basement, clean it up right away to keep potential problems from getting worse, or hire a professional to do it for you!
Check for rodent infestation by looking for droppings and other signs of them, like gnawed wires. Radon can be present in homes, too, and can be found in attics and basements and other parts of your home. Check if your family members experience symptoms of radon exposure like headaches, nausea, or vomiting. Fortunately, removing it is simple so do it as soon as possible to give your family peace of mind.
Clean your windows
Hard water stains can make your windows look dingy and old even when they’re clean. There are a few DIY recipes to get rid of them with ingredients you probably already have around your home, like vinegar and lemon juice.
Use crumpled-up newspaper dipped in the solution to wipe down all sides of the window; it’ll dry incredibly fast and leave you with clean windows and no streaks! Keep this from happening by using vinegar to wipe them down every so often, especially during rainy months.
Having a clean home isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about having the freedom to spend more time doing things you want. With these tips in mind, you should be able to get your house in order without losing too much sleep over it.
