Have you ever wondered why people use cleaning as a coping mechanism? There’s a psychology to house cleaning and how it relates to treating anxiety. Discover ways to minimize the time you organize your home with these stress free cleaning tips.
Finding the perfect home for my family was a stressful process. Even when I thought I had found it, I almost lost it to a bidding war.
Let’s face it, taking on a home that someone else has lived in can be scary. You just never know what to expect, and no matter how much you inspect that home, something is sure to come up once you live in it.
Redirecting My Focus
To help myself cope with headaches, I kept myself calm by organizing things in the rental home my family and I lived in. Setting aside items that I wanted to keep, and putting others in the donation pile.
During my morning conversations with my dad, I’d ask how he and my mom were able to overcome the headaches of purchasing a new home. He’d always remind me that when the right home comes along, I’ll know whether or not it’s for me and my family.
Knowing that finding our perfect home takes time had me feeling impatient. Aside from the constant letdowns, there’s the thought that one day you’ll be able to finally make the move.
That kept me hopeful.
To help calm my nerves, I’d focus on the things I have control of, such as the current situation and minor steps leading up to the big move. Putting away items my family and I no longer used or needed for upcoming months had lightened my load — not just the laundry.
Doing so made the rental home easier to clean and looked less cluttered. During the time, I’d alternate between two bedsheet covers instead of 10, and 2-3 towels as opposed to 15.
This mentality followed me to the new home, and has helped me learn techniques that help me maintain the house.
Why Does Cleaning Calm Me Down
On weekdays, I spend my evenings tidying up before my husband gets home. Most of the day is spent entertaining the kids and catching up on work.
The pups lounge around since they spend an hour to an hour and a half in the morning running around at the dog park (you can imagine what that does to the white tiles in our home).
I used to drive myself crazy every day trying to clean up messes, putting things in their place, and making sure all the toys were neatly put away.
Today, I’ve learned to lighten my load and keep calm while I tidy up the house.
Everyday Tips To Help Clean Up After Yourself
Cleaning your home can be overwhelming at times, but the more you do something over and over again, the easier it becomes. Tackling a room a day at first is the best approach when you’re feeling exhausted from the mess.
With time, you will be able to take on more throughout the day because it’ll become a habit to clear up the mess and organize your space. Having a plan of attack helps.
The question is, are you prepared to take on the mess? Once you can answer yes to this, then you’re ready to move forward.
It’s no secret that a clean home is important to your health. Whenever I don’t dust my home for a couple of days, I notice the boys get stuffy noses.
To help minimize the amount of dirt in my home, I try to tidy up every day. Even if it’s just one corner a day. It allows me to have a little bit of sanity.
There are simple ways you can clean it up without getting overwhelmed. Below are some ideas that may come in hand.
Place a basket at the steps/front door
If you’re looking for ways to get the kids involved in tidying up the house, then you’ll want to try this technique. Placing a basket at the bottom of the steps or beside the entryway is a great way to remind your family of the importance to placing things where they belong.
If you want to get even more creative, you can ask everyone to pick out their items from the day and bring them to their place.
Use a vacuum for dirt
By having a vacuum, you’ll be able to pick up all the dirt from your home. If you have a pet, then I highly recommend this one: BISSELL Lightweight Vacuum. It’s great for lifting pet hairs and dirt they track in from outside.
Downsize on the clothes and other items
No matter what you feel is important or will one day hold value in your home, you need to remember that clutter can lead to stress. Start with a closet and work your way throughout the house.
I can assure you that it gets easier with time.
Learning How To Easily Clean Up The Mess
Cleaning is the last thing on my mind when I have a million and one things to do throughout the day. Before I had kids, I enjoyed cleaning. It was a great stress reliever.
Today, things have changed. Cleaning with kids in your home can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.
When I mentioned the issues I faced when cleaning up after the kids, I was often told I should hire a cleaning service. Although I’m all for researching, I didn’t think looking into cleaning services was going to simplify my load.
Personally, I rather clean my home and not hire a stranger.
The problem is, you’re asking me to outsource something. I’m not a fan of having anyone do something I could do myself.
Although it has created problems in the past, I rather make time to do something, especially when it’s something like cleaning my home.
One of the simplest ways to focus on having a tidy space is by creating a cleaning schedule that works for you and your family. Simple house chores can be done by the kids and it helps to have an extra set of hands.
Basic House Stress Free Cleaning Checklist
Finding a place for everything is helpful in learning how you can clean up after yourself and your family. Something as simple as hen you clean up the table can make a difference in your day.
Targeting areas in your home daily can help you improve the look and feel of your home. From the kitchen to your car, there are a number of ways you can start to clean up the mess.
There are 3 basic house stress free cleaning techniques you can apply to your everyday life that can help you minimize the amount of cleaning tasks you have throughout the week: 1) Invest in good cleaning supplies; 2) Put a load in the washer; and 3) Prep the toilet bowls.
Invest In Good Cleaning Supplies
By investing in the right cleaning materials, you’re arming yourself with the necessary tools to get the job done. I like to use a mixture of vinegar, water, and essential oils to clean the house.
Below is the mixture I like to use for surfaces as well as the mixture I use to mop the floors.
– Vinegar, water, and peppermint essential oil for surfaces; and
– Bleach, water, and lemon essential oil for the floor.
Not only do these combinations smell amazing, but they also leave your home with a natural glow, especially on the wood materials.
Cleaning with peppermint essential oil is a great way to keep ants and other pests away from your home. It’s been known to have antifungal and antibacterial properties as well.
Put A Load In The Washer
Adding a load to the washer first thing in the morning is a great way to ensure that you start cleaning up your home. Doing laundry is like a never-ending story.
The sooner start a load, the quicker you get started on the tasks for the day. With a load in the wash, you can organize other parts of your home and separate the next load.
One thing I will advise you not to do is to do a load right before bed. You run the risk of forgetting about it only to have to wash it again the next day.
Prepare The Toilet Bowls
Nothing has more germs in your home than the toilet, so cleaning your toilet bowl as often as possible is beneficial to your health. Before bed, I like to drop bleach cleaner into the toilet bowls.
Once the kids are up and running in the morning, I get to scrubbing the bowls. Sometimes I’ll do it after my husband finishes his morning routine… just in case.
Easy Cleaning Routine For Your Kitchen
If there’s one room in your home that needs attention and cleaning every single day, it is your kitchen. Whether you’re exhausted from the day or looking to leave the mess for the next day, there’s something you need to understand.
A messy kitchen means crumbs, and crumbs mean pests.
One of the best ways to motivate yourself to create an easy cleaning routine for your kitchen at night is to remind yourself of this: leaving a mess out for the next day is like dragging on a problem when you already have the solution.
So, get to those dishes and wipe down those counters! You’ll be glad you did, and it helps with stress free cleaning daily.
Read on to discover 6 super easy and actionable speed cleaning checklist ideas for an easy clean kitchen even when you’re pressed for time.
Pick A Corner
One of the simplest ways to clean a dirty kitchen in a short period is to start from a corner and then move on to other parts of the kitchen. Clorox wipes are a great way to remove tough grease stains from your kitchen.
If you prefer a natural cleaning option, then I recommend Schmidt’s Cleaning Vinegar. I recently tried it on the kitchen counters and loved the scent. Schmidt’s Cleaning Vinegar has essential oils — amber and aloe — to help minimize the smell of vinegar.
Wash As You Go
Getting the entire day’s worth of dishes in one sitting can be a task, especially if you’re doing them without a dishwasher. That’s exactly why doing them in smaller chunks, spread throughout the day can be a great idea.
Yes, it will feel as though you’re constantly washing, but it helps when you’re exhausted at night and only have little to no dishes to wash. Dry them as you go and place the items where they belong.
Minimize The Mess
The best way to ensure that you don’t actually have to put in a lot of effort while you clean your kitchen is to reduce the number of things you have or use. You can start by getting rid of the plastic cups and gift mugs you’ve picked up along the way.
Planning ahead by placing items where they belong is a simple way to learn how to clean a messy kitchen.
Work Smart
If you don’t like having to spend much time doing the dishes, then I suggest soaking the ones with food residue in soap and water. Doing this as soon as you finish using the dish will make it easier when removing the leftover food.
You can do this before adding the dishes to the dishwasher. Also, create a simple house cleaning schedule that will include a daily kitchen cleaning checklist for you to stay on top of the essentials.
Organize Your Dishes Accordingly
Sometimes it’s not only about how you clean your kitchen, but how you organize the space as well. In fact, most times it’s about how accessible things are in your home.
Make sure you have your everyday items placed closest to the sink. This way, whenever you need something, it’s within arm’s length and is easy to put away after.
Use Multipurpose Tools
Multifunctional tools can be useful in your kitchen. Not only does it make for an easier cleanup, but it also minimizes clutter. Kitchen shears are great to have. If you have a great knife, you can do without one.
How To Easily Clean Your Car At Home
Having kids doesn’t mean you need to have a messy car. With three kids and two dogs, it’s easy to think of ways why the vehicle should be dirty.
To be honest, for a long time this was the best way to approach the messes in my life. It became normal for my family and I, and I embraced it.
It wasn’t until I decided to take control of these messes that it began to inspire others at home.
You can bet our kids started to take more responsibility and began picking up after themselves. I set some rules about the home and the vehicles, and how as a family, we’d maintain the things we have so they last.
Honestly, when I told the kids about preserving their things, they were all for it.
Good hygiene stems from how you maintain yourself and the things you own. Having the kids help when you clean your car at home can be helpful. Not only are they learning to preserve things, but they’re also creating habits that will last a lifetime.
That, and it allows for stress free cleaning at home.
With a change in the weather comes this urge to get out and get moving. For my family and me, that means more road trips. To get the kids excited about upcoming events, I always ask them about snacks and other things they’d like to bring along for the ride.
How Often Should You Clean Your Car
Living in South Florida means warm weather throughout the year. This increase in weather creates odors from unpleasant things, like leftover snacks and pieces of candy in the car.
Something as simple as a plastic bottle can warm up from the sun and create undesirable smells.
Getting a detail and a car wash from a local gas station might seem like a great plan. However, if you’re looking to save money, this isn’t the best option. Instead, you can opt to clean your car at home.
You can add an exterior and interior car wash to the spring cleaning with the kids to-do list. This will help lighten the load.
Also, I prefer to clean the vehicles at home by hand because most places will leave scratches on your car and watermarks on the windshield and throughout.
You can always pick up an at-home car washing kit to help make it easier.
Before you begin cleaning the vehicle, it’s important to separate the items you’d like to trash, keep or donate. Some people are quick to trash their items instead of offering them to someone who could use it.
You can start organizing the items that you plan to keep by properly stashing them as you wipe down surfaces. One of my favorite products for surfaces is Schmidt’s Cleaning Vinegar.
You can use the vinegar combination to wipe cup holders to remove sticky spills as well. If you have small children, you might be asking how to clean your car seats.
Be sure to remove car seats and clean well underneath. I chose two of these Graco All-in-One car seats that have machine-washable cloth and are easy to move from one car to the next. (Here’s an alternative)
After sorting things and wiping down surfaces, it’s important to vacuum the carpet/flooring. Keep an extension cord handy to have access to all the hard-to-reach areas.
I keep a handheld vacuum ready for the crumbs and minor messes the kids leave behind. This is the best way to clean out crumbs, dirt, and other things that hide in cracks and crevices.
Once you have vacuumed you’ll notice areas in the vehicle that need a deeper cleaning. Floor mats can always benefit from a good brushing. The best way on how to clean car seats fabric yourself is to use dish soap and water to help remove some of the tough dirt and vacuum after.
Keep fabric refresher handy to make the seats and carpets smell fresh and clean after a good wash.
