Tips To Keep Your House Clean All The Time

To us, the house doesn't always look clean, especially at the end of the day. However, I know that the house is clean and whenever someone comes in, they are shocked that a house with 4 adults, 2 kids, and 10 dogs, 2 cats, and a lizard can be that clean. Why? Because we have tricks that keep the house clean!

1. Do something every day. This is crucial. Even if I don't feel good or I'm running around like crazy, I do something every day in the house. This may be straightening a shelf, doing a load of laundry, or scrub the toilet. 

2. Schedule weekly and monthly tasks and put them in the calendar.

3. Keep a running list of tasks that need to be completed on the fridge. This lets everyone in the house know what is going on. These are items that are not weekly, monthly or seasonal- they are just things that you see that need to be done.

4. Know how often you need to do tasks like sweeping your floors- we have to do ours every other day because of the dogs and the kids running in and out. 

5. Don't go to bed with your kitchen dirty. This is something I've done as long as I've been an adult and it feels so good to pour your coffee in a clean kitchen.

6. Every morning and again before bed walk through your house and straighten things up.

7. Have a list of daily chores available to the whole house and expect them to help out.

8. Keep cleaning products handy- we keep our general cleaning spray in the bathroom and the kitchen- then it is always available. All of the other cleaning products are easy to get to in the hall cabinet (but away from little hands and dogs)

9. Use products that make it easy. We dust with rags that we can throw in the wash. Actually, we use rags we can throw in the wash for almost every kind of cleaning. 

10. Keep the clutter down- it really does make it easier to clean.

11. Remember- A place for everything and everything in its place. 

12. One thing we do is - we do not leave the house without it being clean. What if something happened and we needed to get someone to come to the house for some reason. We don't want anyone coming into a mess. I really learned this the hard way when Tbomb went to the hospital. I was in the middle of redoing and sorting their room- it was a horrible mess. I ended up having to buy things because I knew I wouldn't be able to find them and it was hard on my hubby finding things for Koda. So, I haven't done that since!

13. The key is figuring out what works for your family, streamlining it, and keeping up with it. 

14. Teach your kids to clean up their messes when they are made. Just like putting things away when they are finished.

15. Don't stress- have fun with your family. Remember, Children don't keep.

There is something I want to discuss after #15. Not stressing over everyday life is essential to happy living. The journey my family has been on for the past year has taught me this. After watching my MIL battle breast cancer, watching my son struggle with ITP, and facing some scary tests I have coming up, I have realized that stressing about a clean house, work, and everyday school work is pointless. Is stressing making it easier, no! Is stressing helping get it done? No! This is something I have always struggled with. Stress was my natural state for many many years, starting in middle school. It is not easy to stop doing that. However, if you make a conscious effort and realize what is truly important in life (not a sparkling spotless house), it makes it easier.

I do also know that for some people, there is so much more than stress involved. That has been my situation, but with a loving and supportive family and some outside help, I am getting past this. Getting outside help isn't always convenient. But, did you know that you can talk to a therapist or counselor online now? Even better, therapy is available online and may be exactly what you need.