Would it surprise you to learn there’s a traceable connection between your overall health and the cleanliness of your home? It’s true. According to recent studies, people who live in cleaner environments enjoy better health than those homeowners who don’t.
While correlation may not necessarily equal causation, when your health’s potentially at stake, keeping your home clean year-round is an easy commitment to make.
Since your home’s cleanliness is a general reflection of your lifestyle, you should carve time for routine cleaning and tidying, as immaculate living spaces can promote productivity and relaxation. With this in mind, here are ten tips related to keeping your house clean and organized year-round.
Keeping pests away
Ants, roaches, and fleas are often a homeowner’s mortal enemies. These pesky home intruders interfere with the cleanliness of your house, making regular fumigation a necessity.
An expert like Moxie, an exterminator that offers pest control in Nashville, is the ultimate ally when pests infiltrate your living spaces. In the case of minor infestations, DIY methods will suffice. However, when infestations spiral out of control, you’ll need to recruit the experts who can apply professional-grade pesticides.
Avoid clutter
If your house looks cluttered, it’s going to feel unclean to your home’s residents and houseguests alike. While there’s nothing wrong with buying new trinkets and knick-knacks, you should adopt an out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new approach.
If you want to renovate your home and purchase decor tailored to your new style, you might want to consider repurposing your outdated items. Opting for a DIY makeover instead of buying brand-new decorations that can add clutter and chaos to your living spaces will serve your pest control strategy in the long-run.
Establish a daily cleaning routine
Humans are creatures of habit. If you get in the habit of completing daily cleaning rituals, it will make small cleaning tasks less unappealing. Instead of dreading dusting and vacuuming, you’ll instinctually incorporate these to-do list items into your daily schedule.
If the motivations behind your daily cleaning routine are pest-elimination-oriented, disposing of trash should be a top priority. Remember to recycle plastics whenever possible. When clearing food scraps and tossing soiled grocery bags, put these items in tightly-sealed trash containers.
Organize your storage
Every time you open the door to a disorganized closet or garage, you’ll likely feel consumed by a feeling of chaos and distress, knowing you’re falling behind in your cleaning routine.
The fact of the matter is you’ll save yourself a lot of time if you store your belongings in clearly-labeled containers. Besides averting pests, this lack of clutter will also encourage you to lead a well-organized lifestyle.
While it may seem like a daunting task, with the help of a label maker and plastic storage containers, your linen closets and cabinets will look pristine in a week.
Make your bed every day
The bed is the focal point of any bedroom. If you start the day by making your bed, your bedroom will transform into an organized oasis overnight.
While seemingly trivial, making your bed every day will help motivate you to keep your bedroom and other living spaces clean and tidy. Not to mention, this simple daily ritual can boost productivity. Unfortunately, when your bed is in disarray, this disorganization may ripple into your professional life.
Don’t let dishes pile up
Dirty, food-stained dishes attract pests. Despite popular opinion, it’s much easier to do dishes as you go instead of letting them pile up over multiple meals. With a few drops of dish soap and a sponge, you can do your due diligence and prevent costly pest infestations.
Groom Your Pets
If you have pets, you should maintain a regular grooming schedule. Fur can collect and spread to your cushions, rugs, clothing, and other fur-magnetizing surfaces, making the entire house appear dirty.
Additionally, if you fail to schedule regular veterinary visits and grooming appointments, your pet won’t receive regular tick inspections. Ensure your pet’s fur is free from household pests that can wreak havoc on your spotless living spaces.
Clean spills and prevent stains
If you accidentally spill a sugary drink or dipping sauce, clean it up immediately. If you overlook a stain during your daily cleaning rituals, clean it the moment you see it. The sooner you address stains, the easier it will be to eliminate them.
Do laundry frequently
Typically, people dread laundry day because they allow these sweat-infused shirts and grease-stained pants to accumulate into massive piles until it becomes a daunting endeavor. Remember, it’s much easier to do small loads frequently than trying to do multiple big loads infrequently.
Have family members pick-up after themselves
Everyone in the household should be held accountable for picking up after themselves. If everyone contributes to keeping the house clean, it makes it easier for all family members involved.
For sparkling living spaces, post a chore chart on a refrigerator or bulletin board. This way, you can check-off daily tasks and ensure no dusty baseboard or sticky cabinet is left behind.
Conclusion
Don’t wait for the arrival of the spring-cleaning season to start polishing your wooden banisters and reorganizing your kitchen drawers. Take action, and dedicate 30 minutes a day to daily cleaning rituals.