Keeping a clean and tidy home feels calmer and more productive in a tidy and clean home, but so many of us get out of the habit of keeping that way. There are so many things you can do to prepare your house for different seasons or make it presentable for when you have guests coming to stay. But why not have it that way all the time for you to enjoy too? Read on to find out how you can improve your home and make maintaining it much easier:
Get Inspired
Looking at inspiration via Pinterest is a great way of knowing how you can improve your home. Knowing what you want to improve and figuring out how you are going to improve that is the best way forward. When changing your home, either because you are tired of the design or something needs repairing, knowing the desired outcome makes it that much easier to get started and stay focused to completion. There are loads of blogs online, Instagramers and YouTubers that have loads of inspiring content online. Having a look for things that inspire you online will help you have a clearer vision of how you can improve your home. If you have a design style or look to aim for, then you are more likely to do a great job. (It also makes communicating what you might need for that job so much easier too - your handyman will thank you!)
Make Tidying as You go a Habit
Tidying as you go creates way less mess at the end, and because you don’t have a huge amount of things to wash/fold/put away at the end makes it less of a daunting task, meaning you are probably more likely to do it. Minimizing the amount you have to do means minimizing the build up of mess and stress. This habit makes keeping a clean and tidy home so much easier, and will make your home a pleasure to live in.
Another great habit to have is making sure your home is clean and tidy before you go to bed. Although it might not be done perfectly every day, it's worth doing to wake up psychologically happier (Sam tested fact)! Getting into positive habits like this can all the difference to your day and to your life as a whole. Caring for your home in this way can help care for and maintain yourself, physically and mentally. Don't underestimate the power of your environment.
Spring Cleaning Isn’t Just for Spring
There are so many cleaning jobs about the house that might only be done as a spring clean, but have you considered spring cleaning every seasonal quarter instead? Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you become Sadie with nothing better to do, but instead, attempting to make it all way easier. Doing bigger cleans a bit more often avoids the overload build up that can be just so hard to get started on. Plus the impact it will make will be so obviously lovely it will inspire you to keep it that way. Factor them in prior to after a long weekend, roster 'THE BIG CLEAN' into the calendar, and delegate jobs for the whole family to get it done even faster.
Fix Little Problems Fast
There are some problems, like pests, or damp, for example, that will only get worse if it is not addressed. These kinds of problems will literally eat away at your home and damage it, which can cost so much more to fix than if it was resolved early on. No matter if you’ve got bed bugs or an infestation of wasps in your garden, get these problems sorted as soon as possible! They are not only bad for your home but potentially your health as well. And try these organised ideas to get odd jobs done faster:
- Keep a few light bulbs on hand for different fittings around the house so you're never caught without light for weeks when one blows and you keep forgetting to put it on the shopping list (especially important if they are a fancy bulb that requires a special trip to the hardware store).
- It also wouldn't hurt to have a stock pile of cleaning products and accessories on hand including bleach, cream cleaner, floor cleaner, sugar soap, etc, and various handheld sponges, scrubbers and mop replacement heads. Then there's no excuse when the time comes and no distracting trips to the hardware store needed...or at least less trips and only a specific list to stick to!
- Just as you might create a cleaning crate used to carry products from room to room as you clean, also create one for car care for outside of the car, car care for things that may go wrong on the road and store inside the car, a garden care kit to help keep your plants alive and well, and one for odd repair jobs around the house. Include in it a heavy duty tape measure, a few screw drivers, an Allen key, duct tape, superglue, a shifting spanner, a hammer, WD40, rags and a small tin of your trim paint colour and a paint brush for little touch ups.
Having this kind of proactive approach to home care will help you to have a proactive approach to your life, and fixing these small problems easily and quickly will make living in your home that much more safe, comfortable and enjoyable all year round.
Give Your Garden Some TLC
The exterior of your home is as important as the interiors of your home with the garden often been one of the first things you see on arrival, adding a beautiful (or not so beautiful as the case may be) element to the character of a home. Seasonal cleanups also work best for the garden so start with tidying it up, some weeding, cutting things back and nurturing the grass. Improving your home in this way can be very cathartic and will put you in such a good mood when you step back and look how amazing your handy work is. And the very visible results you get from garden maintenance is sure to be major mojo for completing the jobs around the rest of the house. ENJOY!
Improving and maintaining your home can seem like a difficult task, but it is so much easier than you think. Cleaning more often and developing good cleaning and tidying habits can help you have a much better home to live in. Things like cleaning up as you go and making sure your house is tidy and the dishes are done before bed is the best way to make sure your interiors look great. Even the best interiors can look not up to scratch if they are not kept well, so make sure you keep up your good habits so your home is always a joy to live in. Improving your home and doing maintenance tasks as soon as they arise is a good way to keep on top of things, and to ensure your house functions just as it should do.
