Everybody loves the look, feel and smell of a clean and tidy house but virtually nobody enjoys the work that must go into keeping it that way. In fact, the average woman devotes over an hour each day to maintain the household (not including food prep and laundry). When you put that over a year, it's equivalent to two full weeks of 24/7 cleaning each year; time that could be better spent with loved ones or languishing on a tropical beach. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks to help reduce your housework and increase your leisure time:
Throw Away the Bucket
Cleaning the floors with a big soapy bucket and mop is so 2010. Studies have shown this can actually increase rather than kill the bacteria in addition to being cumbersome, awkward and time-consuming. It is also completely unnecessary. Invest in a good microfiber mop and a couple of spray bottles from the dollar store. Simply fill one with soap and water and the other with plain water. Spray a little area at a time, run the mop over it and repeat until the floor is clean. If the floor seems dull or sticky respray with plain water. No wringing necessary. You can finish an entire floor in the same period of time it used to take you to dig out your old large bucket, fill it with water and mix in the floor cleaner.
Blinds Under Glass
One of the most time consuming and awkward cleaning jobs is blinds. You find yourself climbing over furniture to dust them and they must come completely down for a thorough cleaning every couple of months, wasting hours of your valuable time. Imagine how much easier your life would be without this chore. If you are considering getting a new window installation, ask your window installer about the possibility of putting between-the-glass blinds in. Not only are they time-savers, but these types of blinds add a modern edge to your decor and are much safer for homes with small children and pets.
Going Robotic
People with pets vacuum. A lot. It is a necessary chore for those who cannot live without the love and affection of their furry friends. However, you can make things easier. Consider purchasing one of the robotic vacuums that are on the market. They are both better and cheaper than they were a few years ago, so even if you had one and disliked it, it is time for another try. They are more sensitive, less likely to get stuck, and drastically reduce the amount of time you need to spend vacuuming. Sure you may still need to get out the regular vacuum for the stairs and furniture but having a robot on floor duty drastically reduces this mind-numbing chore. This means more time with Fido at the park and less time with Fido's hair in the den.
There are other ways to reduce your time spent cleaning as well, like hiring a maid service every month or delegating chores to specific family members. The trick is to use your imagination and your own ingrained sense of laziness and remember this quote from Bill Gates "I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it".
Share1 September 2017
After I started focusing more seriously on making over my home, I realized that there were a few things I needed to do. For starters, I realized that I needed to go through and work with a professional to rework the space. We talked about things like workflow and the initial impression of the space, and it was great to hear someone else's opinion of what needed to happen. Within about six months, the entire area was completely finished, and I was really happy with how things turned out. This blog is all about choosing a remodeling theme when you are making over your home.