Hey guys!

So, I have a confession; I hate cleaning.

Okay, that isn’t really a confession I guess because I can’t think of many people who truly love to clean. But putting my hatred aside my real confession is that I love YouTube clean with me videos. I don’t know what it is about watching someone else clean but it gets me really pumped to do my own cleaning.

I could watch various YouTubers clean for hours on end without getting bored. But while this gets me pumped up to tackle my entire cleaning list and not stop until I drop (pshhhh) sometimes I get so engulfed in these videos that, *sigh* I end up losing track of time and getting no cleaning done at all.

So throughout the last few years I have tested various techniques to keep my space clean, to be motivated to clean, and to create an effective and useful cleaning schedule. The majority of these things have failed immensely and a few have really stuck with me and I have worked to improve upon them and set small goals for myself along the way.

SO I have decided to write a mini cleaning series for you guys. I want to share with you some of my favorite products, tips, tricks, and routines that I have found to be effective. My hope is that this helps you to avoid the struggles I’ve put myself through.

So, for this first post I’d like to share my top 10 cleaning tips.

1. Make A Cleaning Caddy.

   This is a great time of year to get a “cleaning caddy” for yourself. Some people use a dorm room shower caddy (which can be found in most stores right now as students prepare for college), a basket, a bucket…whatever works for you.

   I have used all of these and for me personally the most useful thing I have used was actually a plastic bin from the dollar store. The holes in the sides help to vent the cleaning rags so they don’t get smelly (which I feel is a big pro) and there’s a lot of room to keep everything I need.

   In your caddy you’ll want to make sure you have all the cleaning products you use on a regular basis. This helps when you’re going room to room- it’s all there and you don’t have to juggle your supplies in your arms or have to run around trying to find the one you need.
   In a future post I’ll talk about my own cleaning caddy essentials.

2. Try To Set A Cleaning Schedule.

   You don’t have to drive yourself nuts sticking to it but it really helps to kind of break up your chores throughout the week so you don’t stress or feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have staring back at you.

3. Make Your Bed Every Day.

   I know, I know, your parents probably told you this growing up and it drove you nuts (or maybe that was just me?). But for me, no matter how messy my room is, just having the bed made helps me to think clearer and to feel like I’ve got my life/room somewhat together. It’s such a small thing and only take a few minutes but it really helps me keep a clear head and start the day out better.

4. Straighten Up As You Go.

   I still struggle with this one but it’s probably one of the best tips I’ve ever been given. Basically, the idea is that whenever you leave a room you take the things that belong in the room you’re going to with you. So when I’m in the living room and heading to my bedroom if I have my phone charger, laptop, etc in the living room (and I don’t need them anymore) I take them with me to my bedroom and put them away right away.
   This lessens the amount of clutter build up and lessens the chance of me having a panic attack when I go to do work the next day and can’t find my laptop.
   Everything has its place and everything is in its place.

5. Involve The Kids.

   I have a whole post coming up about chore charts/responsibility charts to help teach kids responsibility from the start. When I was younger my sister and I helped mop, vacuum, made our beds, and were responsible for putting toys away. As we got older we were given other chores to help out such as doing the dishes or taking the trash out. It lowered my parents stress levels because it took some of the household stress off their backs and taught my sister and I responsibility and we felt like we were contributing to the family.

6. Try To “Clean As You Go”

   This is different than the concept of “straighten up as you go” because what you’re doing is cleaning up after yourself right away.
   Basically the idea is to “make your mess less” so when you get ready in the morning you could wipe down the mirror and sink when you’re done so you won’t have to scrub it like a maniac when it’s time to clean it. Or so that if you have unexpected company you know you’re bathroom is decent.
   Another idea is to have a shower spray on hand that when you’re done showering you can spray your shower walls and such down and it will help to prevent mildew and stains from appearing. I’ll go into more detail on bathroom cleaning in a future post!
   Another idea is to wipe down your kitchen counters and stove each night when you’re done eating and doing the dishes. Things like this just prevent you from having to do a deep and aggravating scrub in the future!

7. Get A Room/Linen Spray.

   Do this. We have 2 dogs and 3 cats and try as we might sometimes we think our house smells like our adorable stinky beagles. We use air fresheners and carpet freshener but we still sometimes feel like our house smells like the pets. So one of the easiest things to do is use a linen/room spray.
   You can get these at a store like Bed, Bath, and Beyond or at a local fragrance bar. We actually have two local stores that we buy our linen sprays from and they are amazing!
   We go to Stinkleberry Soap Co. and Paisley and Company (LINKS). I’ll also have a future post about making your own linen/room spray so stay tuned for that!

8. Do A Power Hour Once In A While!

   Power Hours are amazing and I take some time maybe once a week to do one; I get SO much done! There’s a whole post coming soon about Power Hours and how to make the best out of them and use your hour to its fullest but for now you just need to know that it’s great and it’s an hour of uninterrupted cleaning time!

9. Make It Fun!

   Use music, put on comfy clothes (those crazy patterned leggings you bought on a whim and now are unsure about wearing in public – again, is this just me?), put on a TV show that you like, anything that makes it fun but doesn’t distract you.

• DON’T STRESS

**None of the posts in this series are sponsored. Everything is my own personal opinion or from personal experience.**