Cleaning a Small Cozy Home [Preparation, Steps and Products]
A clean house is relatively clutter-free and welcoming to guests while serving its family needs. It is restful and relaxing that you look forward to going back to it at the end of a long day. It is full of life and energy as well.
On average, every person spends an hour a day cleaning. Between work, errands, and the chaos of everyday life, learning how to keep a house clean can be one of the toughest lessons to learn.
It is not impossible, hence here as you read on I have provided a few tips on keeping the house clean.
Various systems and routines keep the cozy clean home feeling running smoothly without all that much time and effort.
These are things like not leaving a room empty-handed and using the five-minute rule. ‘If it can be done in under five minutes do it’ making the bed every morning and prioritizing your cleaning.
You can clean later, and do some cleaning instantly. For example, dishes are done regularly as compared to the laundry which most people choose to do at the end of the week.
1. Keep everything away
This is an obvious tip but failing to put everything away is the main culprit of untidiness. Make it a habit to take something with you whenever you are moving from one room to another. This also goes for anything you wear, use or move, ensuring it ends up where it belongs.
While it is easy to leave a pair of shoes near the front door, a few clothes on your bed, and some dishes on the sink for later, these tiny piles can easily turn into big messes.
Since it is a small house, the space might be lacking therefore, it is good to consider DIY closet organization ideas. I found tension rods and over-the-door organizers to be very helpful in extending existing spaces in your bedroom and bathroom closets. Everything should be accessible without causing messes.
It takes much less time to put away your belongings each time than it takes to run around looking for them when you need them.
2. Do one room at a time
This is an easy way to keep your house clean while not overwhelming yourself every time you clean it all at once. At the end of it all, you get So tired that even the tiniest crumbs irritate you. I mean if you ask me, splitting up the cleaning of the rooms by day and tackling it a bit at a time, is a way healthier relationship with cleaning.
3. Stick to a schedule
By splitting your small household tasks into daily, weekly, and even monthly routines, you can keep your house in perfect shape all year round. I usually make a list to not only make myself feel organized but also for the household. The schedule contains not just what needs to be done, but when it needs to be done.
Daily tasks would include cleaning as you cook, grabbing as you go, and wiping up messes as they happen. While the weekly cleaning schedule could handle the cleaning of one room at a time.
How to prolong the time before doing the deep clean in your house. The time here is relative and I highly recommend doing it whenever the time feels right. These are just tips I found to be useful in between the deep cleaning time phases.
4. Believe in a “power clean”
A power clean-up is spending 10-15 minutes nightly before going to sleep. This way you can prevent piles of clutter from forming in your home. I usually put a timer and have some fun with it by prioritizing the items that form the biggest mess.
5. Clear the rubbish
Clearing visible trash is an extremely easy way to see instant progress while cleaning. You can always start by walking around the house with a trash bag and putting all the waste in.
It is always good to separate food waste from other waste to reduce the foul smell. Remember to wash the trashcan plus leave it out to dry in the sun.
6. Wash the dishes
Nothing is as uninviting as dirty dishes. They bum you out immediately especially if they are from the previous day or be at the sink for the whole day. They do become dirty faster than anything else in every home. Do you agree?
To make it easy for you, decide on the time of the day for you to tackle the dishes. Always gather your dishes in the dishwasher and soak them in a detergent even when you are not washing them immediately.
Soaking not only removes oils and the tough stains but also you get to clear the leftover food. Almost as if you are halfway done.
7. Create a laundry routine
Personally, I have a day set aside each week to do laundry. And each week I choose which type of clothes to clean. For instance, if all towels are done this week then the other week it will be blouses and sweaters. I keep a rotation.
A laundry basket is very helpful as well, I never have dirty clothes laying around the house. Plus they have their own designated space. If you can fold clothes immediately they are out of the hanging lines, I salute you. For me it is a struggle, takes me a couple of days to fold and that’s okay too. I even designated a specific area for them so they do not get in my way.
8. Crumb free floors
You will agree with me that walking barefoot on a floor covered with crumbs of food and dirt is quite uncomfortable. Sometimes even dangerous in case of sharp objects.
The best way to keep the floors clean is to scrub them at least once a week with detergents and a disinfectant to kill germs. Then during the week, you can choose areas to clean that seem dusty. Your rugs should be in your schedule of doing laundry as well as shaking them out regularly.
Sweeping the kitchen every evening is the simplest way to keep out rodents while keeping it clean. This is the heart of your home and a lot of time is spent here. Every area in your home that involves food should be cleaned out regularly.
9. Bathroom daily touch-ups
Apart from the thorough weekly cleaning the bathroom needs daily touch-ups. From toothpaste dribbles and mirror stains to wet floors and shower grime, the bathroom endures a variety of messes throughout. Because they are in constant use.
You could choose to do a little brushing of the floor after taking a shower. And cleaning the toilet bowl every night before going to sleep. Clean the sink and remove the mirror stains every two days. It makes the house smell fresh considering the Feng Shui of this area is doomed to negativity if not taken care of.
Remember to regularly clear off the countertops, wipe down the sink and mirrors, replace the hand towels and empty the trash if necessary.
The bedroom
You are more likely to keep your personal space clean if you have proper spaces for all your clothes and accessories. This is the key to keeping your bedroom clean, the storage.
I don’t encourage putting clutter under the bed. Feng Shui is not right. However, going for nightstands, wardrobes, armor, or bookcases that are tall with cabinets at the bottom could be very helpful. The end of the bed bench with inbuilt compartments can also provide extra storage.
Make it a habit to make your bed every morning and fold your blankets and throws. It makes a grand rise with a feeling of accomplishment on the side.
The living room
If you are not careful this space can easily get littered with an assortment of everyday items. It is the place with the most traffic in the house. Besides being the room that hosts guests and you always want to create a good impression.
Try to clear all the clutter by placing everything where it belongs. Being a small cozy house, I am certain you practice intentional buying therefore everything has a home.
Keeping surfaces clear
This includes the kitchen surfaces, the living room, and the bedroom. These surfaces are where dust collects a lot and hence require daily touch-ups.
In the kitchen after clearing the dishes, scrub the sink and wipe down the large appliances. In the living room wipe the table, the art or photos, and the area around the television to keep the area looking pristine.
How to keep a small room clean and organized
Here are a few steps to follow to always have an organized space
1. Separate rooms into zones
In a small space, many times one room has to serve many purposes. It is easier when you create zones within the room, to separate the spaces and define their functions, rather than throwing everything around. It helps with keeping things organized.
For example, the main living space could be one big room. So you can divide it up using part as the dining room, part as the hanging out television space, and part for toys if you have children. The perks to it are it creates more family bonding since you get to spend all your free time together.
If there is no space for an office, you could opt for a secretary desk in one corner of the room. It can work as a perfect work zone without taking up too much space. When not using it, just close it up.
2. Maximize storage space
Come up with storage systems that allow you to really maximize the space. This helps with the organization.
Look for ways to use space creatively. Just because a house says a room has to serve one function, does not mean that the room has to serve that certain function.
For example, you can use your basement as the gym or an office instead of as storage as it is meant to be. You could also use the walk-in closet as a pantry.
If you are one to have guests often and the living room is much bigger than the dining room. You can always flip the two and make maximum use of your space. The same case applies if it’s the kitchen and the dining room.
3. Create cleaning habits
Get rid of everything on the floor. Do not use it as storage space whenever possible. It soon becomes a dumping ground and looks messy all the time. Opt for stacking shelves.
This not only helps in taming clutter but also makes cleaning easier, without having to move a bunch of things around.
4. Use vertical space
If you are limited on space and can not go out, go up. Use a vertical shelving unit, vertical arts corner, and vertical bookcases. They create more storage while keeping you organized. Stick to the rule of three for each grouping of use baskets to avoid a messy look.
5. Get rid of excessive small pieces of decor
Some people call them spot fillers which are typically the cheap small stuff you pick up because they are cute.
They barely provide any aesthetic benefits to your room. Except for messiness and clutter. Opt for statement pieces like artwork, lighting, or furniture for a more organized look.
How to purge your house
Having a small space is not usually the problem, the problem is that you have too much stuff that you most likely do not even use.
The question is always, ‘what if I need it someday?’ While it is a tough choice to make, it is very necessary due to keep your house clean.
What is more important? A calm, peaceful uncluttered space or keeping stuff that you might absolutely not need later. Since there is not much space to work with, every inch has to be used well.
Start by taking an inventory of everything you have and get rid of the items whose job could be done by something else.
These include items like gadgets, small appliances, utensils, shoes, and clothes. You can throw out the things that can’t be used by someone else and donate those that can help.
Keep what is really important and be very choosy with what you allow into your house. I always have a rule, if something new is coming in, something of equal size is going out. Also, practice intentional purchasing, this is to mean not getting a bunch of stuff just because they look good.
Get rid of the cord and wires especially if they are all wadded up into a big electrical tumbleweed. Throw out old phone chargers, and cords of appliances no longer in use.
In conclusion, studies have found that clutter and messes in your home can damage your overall well-being. The decorations do not matter if nothing looks or feels good. If you follow the tips shared here, you will be able to create a clean, cozy, organized, and welcoming home.