9 Habits of People Who Never Have to Clean Their Homes
I’m posting this because I am one of those people who thinks they need a maid. This article was obviously NOT written by someone with children because there is no way that if you didn’t do your dishes each day that at the end of the week there would only be 15 dishes! I wish!! Haha! In our home if we leave all of the dishes for a full week there are at least three dishwasher loads full of dishes. You’ll see what I mean – Read on.
Okay, so here are their suggestions.
1. They put away their clothes every night.
When you’re changing into your pajamas, it might be tempting to just toss your clothes on a chair or even on the floor, but don’t fall prey to that lazy trap. It takes a couple of seconds to put them in your laundry hamper or return them to your closet. You’ll be thankful that you won’t have to spend extra time rounding up stray socks all over your room when it’s laundry day. Same could be said when you’re trying on an outfit or when you’ve just finished doing your laundry.
My thoughts: I need to clean out my closet and my dresser of old clothes so that I have enough hangers and room to put the clothes I wear. My personality is the guilty kind…I have a hard time getting rid of stuff (especially clothes) because I *may* need them in the future. Seriously though…I still have shirts from high school (I graduated 17 years ago). I think it’s time for a run to Deseret Industries (my favorite place to take our second hand items).
2. They don’t own extras.
What are you going to do with a dozen sets of sheets or five cheese graters? If you don’t need it: Edit, edit, edit. You’ll be saving much more space.
My thoughts:Yes, 5 extra cheese graters are probably not necessary but having 5 spatulas is when you have a home of 5 people. So are 10 plates in three sizes each, 6 glasses in two sizes each, 10 bowls in 2 sizes each, plus a myriad of storage containers, cutting boards, pots, pans, baking dishes, etc… I do want to live in my home and actually feed my family.
3. They keep a paper trail to a minimum.
It’s easy to leave stacks of junk mail, delivery menus, and old newspapers on every surface of your house. Create a good filing system to save the important documents and toss the rest.
My thoughts: Honestly, they lost me at “create a good filing system”. If I knew how to do that it would have been done 14 years ago. I don’t have an organized brain – just ask my poor husband. Maybe I need to hire a professional organizer as well. Ha!
4. They wipe down every surface after use.
Let’s be real, the less grime build-up, the easier it is to clean. Mildew, grease, and food stains are not a good look for your house.
My thoughts: My problem in the past was that I hated using the washcloths because I would have to get a new one out everyday because they get the nastiest smell on them after sitting out for a day. I did solve this problem with getting Norwex cloths though! LOVE them. Still though, it takes doing step 7 in order to make this one even possible.
5. They don’t have beds piled up with too much stuff.
Sure, it’s nice to have some decorative pillows and throw blankets to maintain a perfectly styled bed, but let’s keep it to a minimum. The fewer steps it takes to make your bed every morning, the more likely you’ll actually do it.
My thoughts: Why oh why didn’t I get this naturally in my genes? When I was a kid I wouldn’t sleep under my covers just so I didn’t have to make my bed (crazy thing, my 12 year old daughter is now like this). I guess I just feel like I have a full day and I get sucked into it first thing. I do want to add this to my list of things to do though because I love getting into a freshly made bed at night (which is usually when I make it – right before I get back into it). Ha!
6. They put their shoes and coats away.
It’s common for an entryway to have a shoe pile-up or for coats to be haphazardly placed on the entry bench, but it sure doesn’t look tidy. Put your shoes in your closet or place a shoe rack near the door. Make sure to hang your coat as soon as you take it off.
My thoughts: No problem here! We’re still in flip-flops so we don’t have to worry about a plethora of warm weather clothing.
7. They never let dishes pile up.
This one’s pretty much a no-brainer, but taking a few minutes to do three or five dishes is way better than doing 15 at the end of the week.
My thoughts: I already shared my thoughts on this at the top…15 dishes! Please!! 🙂
8. They put things back where they came from.
If you do this, you won’t have a precarious stack of DVDs, magazines, books, and toys on your coffee table. This habit makes the panic-filled, 5-minute clean-up before guests arrive a little better.
My thoughts: This one is a great idea. It’s a little harder to implement with a three year old who likes to take things back out once they get put away. 🙂
9. They dust and vacuum on the regular.
A few minutes of dusting or vacuuming at least 2-3 times a week will save you from doing a deep clean on the weekend when you could be relaxing.
My thoughts: Again…lost me at 2-3 times a week! Haha!
Final Thoughts…I think I do still need a maid. Here’s why. We recently hired lawn care guys to come and weed our flower beds, mow the lawn, edge, etc… They are in and out in less than 30 minutes. For us to do that it would take a few hours (You should see their mad weeding skills! I don’t have them, nor do I want to “practice makes perfect” that aspect of my life either). Just like yard care, house care takes me a ridiculous amount of time. It isn’t something I love, it isn’t something I desire to do, and I know there are people who do have an amazing gift for cleaning. Why not support local businesses in doing something they want to do (it helps take care of their families) since it isn’t something I want to do but is something I want done. Here’s the only reason why I haven’t at this point…I worry about the impact on my kids, I worry about having a stranger in my home, I always feel like I have to clean before someone comes over to clean (I know it’s weird).
Would LOVE to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below.
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