Who likes having a clean home? *Raises hand* I think it’s safe to say that we all enjoy having a clean space. Because I work from home, keeping my home clean is a necessity. If I neglect our home, I can’t run away from it or go off to work and forget about it. It’s in my face all day long. Over the years, I’ve found that certain nighttime habits help me cut back my daytime cleaning. None of these things take up an extraordinary amount of time and the benefits they yield are well worth it.
How To Wake Up To A Clean Home
1. Pick up the main living areas.
Every night before I call it quits, I do a quick pick up of the main living areas. This typically takes me 5-10 minutes max since most of it is small items the kids left out. I just gather all the items and get each child to put away their own stuff. I also fluff up the pillows and adjust the cushions. This small habit enables me to wake up to a clean living room space every day.
2. Toss out junk mail.
Mail is my nemesis. I swear it multiplies by the second. In order to keep the paper clutter to a minimum, I go through the mail each day. I do this everyday when I’m picking up the kitchen space at night. I quickly sort through our daily mail pile and pitch the junk. This simple step keeps our mail piles small and our paper clutter to a minimum.
2. Take care of the dishes.
For some reason dirty dishes gives me mild anxiety. I can’t focus or function with a sink full of dishes sitting nearby. Each night my goal is to wash all dishes, so I can start fresh the next day. This enables me to wake up to a clean slate and not have to worry about dishes first thing in the morning. This simple step will make your mornings easier and help you get started on breakfast without any distractions.
3. Clean the kitchen counters and do a quick sweep.
Before going to bed, I like to put things away that were left out and wipe down the kitchen counters. I start by getting rid of trash and spraying everything down with a surface cleaner. Since I keep my kitchen counters clutter free, this step is pretty simple. I also do a quick sweep to get the floors cleaned up. The kitchen is the heart of the home, so I try to stay on top of it as much as possible. By doing this daily, you won’t have to worry about doing a cleaning overhaul.
4. Wipe down the bathroom surfaces.
At night while you’re in the bathroom brushing your teeth, spray down the sink, counter and toilet. I like to keep cleaning supplies under the bathroom sink, so I don’t have to go searching for anything that I need. This simple step will save you a ton of time in the future and you’ll wake up to a clean bathroom space. Win-win.
5. Put clothes away.
Scattered clothes will make even the cleanest space look messy. So instead of tossing clothes over a piece of furniture or on the floor at night, place it where it belongs right away. You won’t have to worry about dealing with it the next day and won’t have to second guess if something is clean or not.
6. Don’t eat in the bedroom.
This was a terrible habit of mine for many years. I would get in bed and crave a snack or a bowl of cereal, so I would bring in the bedroom with me. The following day I would have to deal with my dirty dishes or trash. It may not seem like a big deal, but even small habits like these can add stress to our mornings. Instead, treat yourself to a late night snack in the kitchen and keep the bedroom food free.
7. Keep it clutter free.
I truly believe that a home that is clutter free will be much easier to keep clean. You don’t have to worry about working around things that are in the way or piles that continue to grow. If you find that keeping up with a simple cleaning routine is too exhausting, start by de-cluttering your space. A clutter free space will be much easier to maintain and even gives the illusion that a space is clean when it’s not.
Remember that at the end of the day, you have to decide what’s important to you and your family. Perhaps you’re in a season where dirty dishes are the least of your worries. Or maybe you find that starting a load of laundry is where you should put forth your efforts. There’s no right or wrong way of doing things, and only you know what works best in your home.
Do you have a nighttime cleaning routine that helps you wake up to a cleaner space? I would love to hear your tips.
Junk mail has never been an issue in our home. Probably because we get very little of it! The mail that is real goes onto either my desk of the Mister’s (depending on who it belongs to, of course), and then junk goes straight into the trash. I don’t have the mental capacity to set it down and say “I’ll deal with it later” – as later never comes. Somewhere along the line, I got in the habit of this, and it’s managed to stick around. Probably has to do with how sad it is to open the mail box, see something inside, only to realize it’s an ad for a store I will never go into. There are “sighs” being had walking back to the house (because it isn’t “real” mail), and right into the bin it goes xD
I’m jealous! 🙂 We get so much junk mail it makes me want to cry. Tons of free magazines (that I never signed up for) and just local stuff with promotions. It’s just way too much and can pile up in a matter of days. Love your technique. I used to sort right away too, but since my teen gets the mail now, it sits for a bit.