Tips for cleaning & organizing my house?

sam

New member
I have been in my house now for over a year. @ first I thought it was just me & that I did not have any motivation or skills of cleaning but then I thought, "OK how hard is it to clean a house?" well now I'm back to my first impression. I can't clean. I can't get motivated. I know I should probably just do one room @ a time to get started & organized like I want it to be. Can you give me some tips on everyday things that will help each day so that it does not get in this condition again. I have 2 closets & no building outside so I really don't have a lot of storage space. Any ideas of how to organized "non frequently used" things? Please help!
 

LaDy In ReD

New member
I am very anal so remember everything where i've put it and why its there so cannot answer how someone else could do it... just me I suppose!
 

BabyMama

New member
This website (below) will help you out a great deal. It was specifically created for that.Do small amounts at a time -For instance on Mondays I do two loads of laundry.On Tuesday I organize the garbage and recyclables.On Wednesday I do 30 min of organizing paperwork.etc...Also, get comfortable with the idea of throwing things away or donating them."When in doubt... just throw it out!"
 

Kara

New member
I could spend all day with you giving tips on cleaning and organizing however go to the website below and check it out!
 

Mama

New member
Well, if you have room, put stuff you do use, just not as much to the back of the closet (or where ever you are putting it) and put stuff used a lot toward the front. To keep the house cleaner try to just remember to put stuff back when done with it. Your house doesn't have to be spotless all the time, but clean enough to live in. To save space try Space Bags (they really do work) and storage tubs. The hold lots of stuff in a smaller space. Hope this helps.
 

Kara

New member
The best thing you can do for yourself is to clean one room at a time by chosing one corner of the room and move towards the door. Also Clean from the top down, that means dust the higher areas first that way any dust that falls hits your next target. Vacum and mop last. It sounds like you're going to have to do a whole house cleaning to begin. After that it's just a little maintenance. Always put things back from where you got them. If you keep up with it, the work is minimal.
 

Mama

New member
plastic tubs w/lids are the best thing, when it comes to motivation it always helps me to ask a friend or someone up beat to help not so I have less work just for motivation because sometimes I get bored and easily distracted when I have to clean my house and, I hate to clean! but to keep it clean, I always try to do a little every day keep a "paper/mail/filing" basket either by the door or on the kitchen counter, some where you'll always walk by for paperwork and stuff and make sure everything has a specific place so after it gets used or something it can be put away.Need any other help or have other questions feel free to message me.
 

xxBabygirlxx

New member
Get rid of all of your nicknacks. They usually just look like clutter anyway. Then go to the container store and get organization things. I have a bin on my counter for my junk mail. I have a 2-level lazy susan for my spices. Don't keep plastic containers. That help keep the kitchen uncluttered.If it is totally out of control, hire a maid service for a one-time gig to clean and dust. Then do what I do and just always always always clean up after yourself. Always. Don't make excuses. Don't put dishes in the sink, put them in the washer. Go through your mail immediately, don't let it mound up. Always make your bed, it takes 1 minute. Do your laundry at least once a week and don't let it sit around. Fold it and put it away right away.I'm a bit crazy about it, but I live in a beautiful house that is never dirty. I go so far as to always hang my towels nicely, close my shower curtain, and keep the toilet seat down. That last one is a hygiene thing though as much as anything else! :)One thing is certain, I always feel better when my house is clean. I'm not sure which causes which, but cleaning always helps. For me, a clean house is a clean mind!
 

FallenAngel

New member
I wish I could come to your house and help you get started, I'm good at these kind of things.Start with your hardest area first. Give away everything you don't use. Throw away trash paperwork and organize whats left over into categories that make sense to you. Then invest in some new shelving and storage containers. Make your space happy so you won't want junk to clutter it up. When you have organized all your stuff it's time to have a spring cleaning. Beg a friend to help and make it fun. Heck have a bottle of wine while you clean. When your finished up-keep should be easy as long as you keep up with it weekly. Good Luck and make it fun!
 

Maryjane

New member
First you need to weed eat through all the stuff and get rid of things you never use (like the board games, stuffed animals etc. if you do not use them). Then get everything you are going to keep in order. Find a home for them, and lable their home. Take for example, towels, under the bath room sink, put a lable on the doors so it can not be seen from the out side, but when you open it up, you can remeber where to put them. Clean the items, get the dust off them, wash any type of linnes, clothes, pillows, etc. Then go to walmart and get those bags where you suck the air out of them. Put your beach towels, extra pillows/bed linens, seasonal clothes youa re not using in them, suck the air out with your vacume, they hardly take up any space with out the air. Then store them. Other non soft items, put in larger plastic containers, lable those and put them in the closets. they are easy to stack and by labling them, you can get to what you need in a hurry. Also get those long flat storage bins with wheels that can go under a bed, crid, coutch, love seat, or anything else that there is a 1/2 foot gap between the floor. Get Decor items like baskets with lids that can hide the storage but still look sheek. Once everything has a home, then get to working on the cleaning. Scrud your kicten top to bottom, with a 50/50 bleach to water. As well as your bathrooms. Dust all other things taht can not be cleaned with sprays with a swiffer wipe, traps dust like you would believe. If you got cob webs, use a swiffer sweeper and get up there and get those down! Get all out clothes put away on hangers and folded put away in your dresser. vaccum all floors very well, and hit your base boards (major dust traps) , mop your hard floors with bleah water(unless they are wood in that case, use very hot water to kill off the bacteria) Then rent a shampooer for your carpet. Go over all floors twice!! After you have done all the heavy duty cleaning, buy products that are quick and can clean. Like a swiffer sweeper, and wet mop, lysol wipes (for cleaning kicten and bathrooms) toliet wands that you just throw away, tub wands that you throw away after use, clean every week. Then once a month, do the heavy duty cleaning. I know it is hard to get movtivated, but tell your self if you get it done, you will buy a reward and just keep that reward in your mind while cleaning. best of luck!
 

Allie

New member
hire a cleaning person and have her make suggestions and work with you to get it in shape the first time then make out a maintance schedule and stick to it
 

Rachel

New member
Hi Tiff I think you are on the right track of doing one room at a time. It sometimes helps me to hire a teenager to help me. It seems to keep me motivated. Once you get it clean you can just hit it alittle each week or hire a helper again in about a year to help you again.
 
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