How To Clean and Organize Your Home

There are many books available to help you with tips on cleaning and organizing your home, you can find specialists listed in the Yellow Pages who make a good living by helping with this task if you do not have the time or the energy (or interest ) in doing it themselves.

This should make it clear to you, if you fall into one of those categories:

1. You are not alone, many people need help with cleaning and organizing
2. There is help available! Mrs. Clean’s house cleaning tips can help you.

It’s not uncommon that after you’ve hired someone to come in and help clean or organize for you, suddenly you experience a need to clean up before the professional organizer or maid service arrives. That’s okay, too. Removing clutter beforehand will help the cleaning service do a better job for you in cleaning up the dirt and grime.

Tips For Keeping Your Home Clean And Organized

How To Get Started

The first major decision is deciding where to start. The second is deciding when. If it’s been a while since you’ve had a cleaning and home organizing “work party”, it might be an overwhelming thought. The answer lies in strategizing – planning where to begin, and then choosing the day.

Many people consider deep cleaning projects in spring. Flowers begin to bud, the air is warm, the sun comes out, and shines on all the dust and cobwebs and spots on the windows. Yuck!. Typically, these are more thorough cleanings or organizing projects – or “deep cleaning” projects or tasks. Deep cleaning involve moving furniture, cleaning behind and under the pieces, even cleaning the furniture itself.

How To Start Organizing

The first step to getting organized is to get rid of clutter and any items that you no longer use, is the first step of becoming organized.

1. Toss your unwanted and unneeded items. Chances are you have a lot of stuff just taking up room. Gather up the useful but unwanted items and have a garage sale, or donate them to a charity or a thrift store.
2. Go through your closet and free up closet space by going through your family’s clothing and donating that which is no longer being used.. Anything that can still be worn can be donated to a shelter.
3. Don’t forget to go through the miscellaneous items – kids’ toys, kitchen accessories and old books.
4. Check your cosmetics – makeup and fingernail polish. Throw out the old stuff.
5. Check your refrigerator, kitchen cupboards and pantry: Throw out opened food products that are not being used.
6. A good rule to follow is, “When in doubt, throw it out!”

How To Clean

After you have some order restored by organizing what you use and donating the rest to charity, it’s time to tackle the cleaning chores.

Tackle one room at a time. A good rule of thumb is to start on the top floor, at the back of the house and work your way forward, then down, back and forward until you find yourself at the front door.

Routine Cleaning Process

1. Remove clutter from the room.
2. Remove contents from bedroom drawers and closet shelves; wash lightly, using appropriate cleaning solutions and allow to dry before replacing contents.
3. Dresser drawers benefit by using scented liners available at most home department stores.
4. Remove the contents from kitchen or bathroom cabinets, wash shelves and drawers with appropriate cleaners; after they are dried, you may line shelves or drawers with paper liners. Replace contents, organized according to product.
5. When everything is back in its place, dust thoroughly, then get your vacuum out and prepare to spend some time cleaning your home.
6. If necessary, have someone help pull the furniture from the wall. Get behind the furniture and vacuum slowly going over the carpet two or three times.
7. Put furniture back in place and vacuum the rest of the room, paying close attention to the high traffic areas.

Overall, when cleaning the rule is to make every motion count, move from the back to the front, from top to bottom, and left to right. Touch each item only once and clean thoroughly before moving on. You should practice ongoing routine organizing and cleaning your home each day. One of the benefits in maximizing organization and reducing clutter is that when something is out of place, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Then, when you see it, put it away.

Once these seasonal cleaning chores are done, you are free to relax and enjoy the spring, summer, fall, winter and – the best part – put your feet up, relax and enjoy your clean and organized home!