The cleaning tip that makes all the difference is often overlooked or hidden amongst the endless stream of cleaning tips. When it comes to cleaning there are a lot of tips, hacks and checks available. There are shortcuts that get the job done more efficiently and home supply alternatives to a professional product. You can read about 10 minute cleaning plans, easy solutions to tricky traps, and 101 ways to use a lemon. It’s all great stuff.
But do you know what really makes difference?
It’s the one simple cleaning tip that isn’t even directly about cleaning.
The cleaning tip that makes all the difference is organisation. To really get the job done it takes a little organisation. You can have all the tips and tricks, hacks or fancy products you need, but if you don’t get organised and stuck into it, nothing gets done.
Fortunately there is more than one way to be organised…
Plan and Plot It
The super organiser
If you’re great with planning AND follow through then you’ll be great with this one. You can plan and plot your cleaning needs out to the t. The tasks that get done as you go. Daily tasks. Weekly tasks. Monthly tasks. Plus the big annual super clean. Every day you have a plan that goes well beyond a surface level clean and helps ensure you are always on top of it.
Basically you’re Monica from friends and you know exactly what you’re going to do and exactly when you’re doing it. If you’re not working with food or offering your services as a home organiser, then you’re probably running a cleaning business.
Let’s be honest, if that’s you, then you’re not even reading this blog. Why are you reading this blog? Just so you can nod away and show it to Chandler to prove your point, right?
The Ten Minute Tasker
For those who find the time overwhelming, just take it in ten minute chunks
Don’t panic if you’re not super organised or struggle committing to lengthy tasks to get through those super organised schedules. By which I mean, don’t panic if you are totally unorganised. Just be a ten minute tasker. Prepare a simple organisational list with manageable chunks of time. It won’t keep your home pristine, but it will keep it liveable.
To make the most of your cleaning requirements the ten minute tasker needs 3 things:
1- A plan with an order of the jobs to get through.
This allows the ten minute tasker to tackle the first job on the list for ten minutes before going off to deal with something else. When they’re ready for the next cleaning job they move on to the second list, even if they didn’t quite finish the first. Once they get through the list then they go back to the first area listed and start again.
This ten minute tasker may never have a super spiffy home like the Plan and Plot It does, but they will be able to basically stay on top of things if they just keep working through, ten minute blocks at a time.
2- A commitment to doing at the absolute bare minimum, one ten minute cleaning chunk a day.
Now ideally they are working through several chunks a day, but on those particularly busy or challenging days it just may not be possible. It is, however, possible to prioritise doing at least one ten minute task everyday. Even if it’s the absolute last thing you get to before bed.
3- The ability to prioritise immediate cleaning needs in addition to those ten minute chunks.
If someone spills milk on the floor this needs to be cleaned up immediately. It’s a mess that can’t sit and wait until your next ten minute task, especially if the spill is in the kitchen and the kitchen floor is still 3 items down the list.
Daily Doses Doer
For the every day clean and the every day distraction
If you’re like most people then you’re probably somewhere in between the Plan and Plot It, and the Ten Minute Tasker. You can make a reasonable schedule and stick to it to a reasonable degree.
So this is what you need to do.
Put aside some time to make that schedule.
Work out what tasks are daily, what tasks are weekly, and what tasks are monthly. Set aside times to manage each type of task with specific days allocated to the weekly tasks. For example, vacuuming the lounge happens on thursdays. Cleaning out the fridge is every Monday. Then for monthly tasks make a list of what you need to get through and break them into 4 groups. Instead of trying to tackle all the monthly tasks in one go, list them out then do a different one each week.
And here’s an important tip: Don’t panic if you don’t get through it all. Make sure you tackle the most important bits first so that the least important tasks are left to manage if you are able to. If you don’t get to them, simply bring them up the priority list for the next day or week (depending on which type of job they are).
The Daily Doses cleaner understands the importance of proper organisation but also recognises that things don’t always go to plan.
Send Help!
Some tasks are just too much to do on your own.
Have you worked out which type of organiser you are? Maybe you’re a little mix of different styles depending on what else is going on around you.
Unless you really are Monica and you’re not too busy running your own cleaning business, then everyone can use an extra hand. That’s where hiring a professional cleaner on a regular basis comes in handy.
When you hire a professional cleaner, what you’re really doing is:
Keeping your own schedule needs to do the surface level requirements so that it’s more manageable
Freeing up your time
Easing your mind
Making sure those tricky bits don’t remain overlooked
Giving your home that healthy, fresh boost that you really want to shine
Stay organised and give CleaningBest a call to add that cherry on top.
