As 2019 draws to a close a lot of people will be coming up with their New Years resolutions, and some of these may include cleaning resolutions. Unfortunately many resolutions are made and forgotten. It’s easy to make them too big to just to hard to stick to. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Keep things simple and make resolutions that are realistic so that you can stick to them.
To help you choose a suitable cleaning resolution, here’s a list of easy cleaning resolutions that will make a big difference.
1- Effectively use the dishwasher
Run the dishwasher every night.
Empty the dishwasher every morning.
If you get into these habits then it’s easier to move onto the next step of encouraging people to wipe down and put their dishes into the dishwasher as they go.
2- Implementing a 5 minute clutter clear can be the ultimate of cleaning resolutions
Find the right time to put aside 5 minutes every day. Perhaps just before dinner or just before your bedtime routine. For strictly 5 minutes just grab anything that’s not in it’s right place and put them away. Wipe those sticky spots that have been missed. Check under the couch and cushions. Straighten up the books.
Limit it to 5 minutes so that it’s a clear and defined time. Once the 5 minutes are up move on to the next activity. This is why it’s a good idea to do it right before dinner or bed so that there’s something specific that happens next. It’s not about getting everything perfectly done. It’s about putting in a small amount of time to make a difference.
Once this becomes a daily habit, especially if it’s one that everyone pitches in with, ongoing cleaning will be much, much easier to manage. You might be surprised how big a difference those 5 minutes really make.
3- Pick cleaning resolutions that help you clean as you go.
For example, get a shower spray that you can use in your shower every single time you have a shower. Spray it down at the end of your shower to stop the build up of grime and make it easy to do that weekly bathroom clean.
4- Stop the drop and dump
Many of are in the habit of dumping things. When we get home we dump our belongings in a pile. When we get dressed we dump our clothes in a pile.
Have a space to store your bags, wallets and keys. Make the effort to put them away instead of dumping them in a pile. Take those few minutes to put anything else away that you’ve been carrying with you.
It might seem easier to drop and dump, but the reality is that it only takes a minute or two to place things in their spots. It reduces clutter piles and ensures you always know where everything is.
5- Make a food plan
Do you get stuck with wasted food and forgotten frozens that clutter your freezer?
Put aside an hour or two each month for a monthly food plan so that you know what food you need to purchase each week for your meals.
When you do your shopping don’t just haphazardly put things away. Separate your meats into meal size portions and store each portion in a freezer bag. Label them with the date. If you’re super organised label them with the meal they are intended for, or if they’re spares.
The more organised you can become, the less waste you will have. As a bonus it also makes it easier to stick to a budget. And, since this is about cleaning resolutions, of course it also makes your cupboard, fridge, and freezer cleaner because you know exactly what you need and what you have at hand.
6- Pick a space to keep clean
Choose just one space that you will keep clean.
Depending on your current situation this might be a specific bench or shelf that you can focus on, or it might be a room that you are going to concentrate on as being the clean room.
Make it a habit to ensure that this select space is cleaned on a daily basis. Once you’ve got your routine down pat for keeping that one space clean it should be easier to add a second space down the track.
Habits can be created one manageable bit at a time.
7- One small thing every morning can be the cleaning resolution you need to change everything
Pick one small thing to do every morning that makes things a bit tidier. For most people the logical choice is to make their bed. A well made bed makes even a cluttered room look better. It gives you that lift that something has been done and helps encourage you to notice the positives. This in turn psychologically increases your mental capacity for the day.
8- Add some steps to your trash routine
You already take out the trash everyday (or perhaps every second or third day if there’s not a lot of waste in your home). Make this routine more efficient by adding some steps.
Open the fridge before you take out the trash. Make a quick scan over the fridge to find any empty wrappers, old food, or expired products. Add these to the trash bag before you take it out. This reduces the potential for your kitchen to start to smell bad and your fridge to pile up with rotting or useless items. You’ll prevent containers from sitting in there getting mouldy and reduce the chance of coming across nasty surprises down the track.
9- Do a nightly wipe down
Make sure you have a cloth and some spray on hand in the bathroom. When you use the bathroom at the end of the day add in a quick wipe down of the sink and bathroom surfaces.
This way when it comes time to doing a full clean you won’t have to deal with built up layers of toothpaste, soap, hair and dust. It’ll keep things looking tidier as you go and reduce the amount of elbow grease needed to really get things shiny.
10- Change your cleaning products to stay on top of your cleaning resolutions
Do you struggle to clean because you don’t like the way your cleaning products smell? Try something new. After all, you’re much more likely to use your cleaning products if you actually like the way they smell and feel good about the effect they have on your room.
Toss away the stuff that is off putting and replace them.
If eco friendliness is a big concern for you then put in the effort to ensure that your new choice is eco friendly. There are lots of options nowadays. Many small businesses use ecologically friendly, and even locally sourced/made products. When you choose products that make you feel good about using them, you’re more likely to use them.
11- Load up your trash can with multiple bin liners
If you have multiple bin liners set up it is easier for the regular trash removal to be a simple matter of literally taking out the trash. It doesn’t have to involve the addition of finding and setting up a new liner every single time.
Pick simple cleaning resolutions that you can follow and start doing it
It doesn’t have to be the thing that most needs to be addressed. In fact, sometimes it can be harder to tackle these obstacles and you’ll give up before you get started when you go for the tough challenges first. When you pick something that is easy enough to implement so that you can actually follow through in creating the new habit, you will be encouraged and motivated to make the next change. Remember that habits take time to form. It will take an effort to make changes and a conscious decision to do that little thing every single day. Know yourself and challenge yourself in a way that’s workable. Then grow from there.
While you can tackle the daily bits and pieces, if you really do need that extra help to keep cleaning simple contact a local cleaner. If you’re in Perth them, as CleaningBest is the solution for you.
