Tag: Cleaningroutines

Quick POWER HOUR Cleaning Routine | Daily 60-minute HOME RESET
Is your home a complete mess and you don’t know where to start? The power hour cleaning routine can your super assistant.

If cleaning leads your entire day and you can’t find time for important business, a power-hour cleaning routine could help too.

Let’s accept it, cleaning takes up plenty of time and energy. With little kids, it’s hard to keep on.

And even though we put effort into cleaning, our house barely stays like that.

Maybe that’s the main reason we put off cleaning. But doing so is a recipe for disaster. Which is going to take twice as much time and effort.

What is power hour cleaning?

Briefly, power hour is an intensive speed cleaning time when you concentrate only on essential housekeeping tasks. And focus on getting them done at a fast pace.

You can do power hour in many ways.

You can do it daily to get your home back in order. You can do it when your house gets out of control and you lack motivation.

In fact, we all can benefit from this cleaning session.

If you’re a working mom and struggle to keep the house clean throughout the week. Doing power hour cleaning on weekends can help reset your home.

If you’re a work-at-home mommy, the power hour cleaning can help you accomplish your entire cleaning in an hour so you can put extra hours into work. A great way to get cleaning out of the way and find enough time for work and family.

Similarly, stay-at-home moms can benefit too. Cleaning tasks spread throughout the day? Not anymore. You no longer need to spend the entire day cleaning. One solid hour devoted to cleaning and your home will be all set.

Either, you wake up before your family for your power hour or do it after your kids go to bed. The evening is also an excellent time to reset your home for a slow and peaceful morning.

That said, there’s no specific time to do your power hour cleaning. It’s just that I find early morning and nighttime the best to avoid distractions.

What to expect?

This isn’t deep cleaning. This cleaning method won’t give you a spotless, pure, perfect place. Rather your home will be a better place to function. The people in your home can relax, find stuff effortlessly, and enjoy their time at home.

After your power hour cleaning, you’ll be able to serve meals on time, provide fresh laundry, ascertain the bathroom is hygienic, ensure clean floors for the kids to play on. Plus, family members can find what they’re looking for.

Quick tips before we start our power hour:
- Create a short cleaning checklist of tasks you want to accomplish during power hour.
- Keep cleaning supplies accessible to prevent breaks (disruption) and time wasting.
- Be aware you’re not using your phone, except for something really important. Some people find watching Television while cleaning distracting too.
- Avoid the temptation to deep clean something. That’s a project for another day.
- If you plan to do power hour cleaning on weekends, you must keep up with at least a few things during the week. You may need to wipe your kitchen table, counters, bathroom mirror, and sink, and swish the toilet several times a week. Throw in a load or two of laundry and run the dishwasher once or twice a week. So it is easier for you.
Quick POWER HOUR Cleaning Routine | Daily 60-minute HOME RESET

We’re going to work room by room.

We’ll start our power hour by starting laundry. As soon as we finish our power hour cleaning we’ll be done with a load of laundry too.

LIVING ROOM:
- Collect toys in a basket/container
- Keep a trash bag with you and collect trash
- Collect any dirty plates and cups at one end of the room. You can grab it while leaving the room.
- Fold blankets, straighten up, and fluff the cushions.
- Put away – remotes, magazines, books, pens, etc
- Tidy up the entryway
- Dust
- Vacuum
Read How To SPEED CLEAN Your House In Just 30 Minutes

KITCHEN:
- Load the dishwasher and get it running.
- Run a sink of hot soapy water and slip in the remaining pots and pans.
- Let them soak while you clear clutter from the countertops.
- Put everything back and wipe the surfaces
- Wash the pots and pans
- Clean the sink
- empty trash.
- Sweep/vacuum/mop
Related
- How To Clean Your Kitchen in 10 Minutes or Less!
- 8 Daily Habits For A Clean Kitchen
BEDROOM
- Put dirty washing into the hamper and fresh laundry away
- Put belongings back in their places
- Make beds
- Change sheets (if you’re cleaning on weekends)
- Dust
- Vacuum
BATHROOM
- Clear clutter from countertop
- Wipe down the sink and mirror
- Quickly wipe the shower area
- Scrub toilet
Read How To Keep Your Bathroom Clean In 5 Minutes A Day

There are no standard rules. You can make changes as per your requirements.

It all depends on your priorities, the number of people in your family, their age, and the amount of help you receive. So pick what’s best for you and your family.

I hope this power hour cleaning routine helps you stay on top of your household chores (daily or weekly).

Don’t forget to share your cleaning tips, tricks, and routines in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading. Happy Cleaning!
December 17, 2022
Quick Morning Cleaning Routine for Busy Moms
The simplest way to keep your home clean consistently without even realizing it is by following a good house cleaning routine. When your morning, nighttime, and weekly cleaning routines are easier, you’ll have an easy time keeping at them. Here’s a quick morning cleaning routine that’ll help — stay-at-home moms, work-at-home moms, and working moms keep their homes clean and tidy almost all the time.

Daily morning cleaning routine (for stay-at-home moms)
- Start one load of laundry
- Unload dishwasher
- Make beds
- Tidy up main living areas (including bathroom)
- Sweep/vacuum high-traffic areas
Morning cleaning routine before work (for working moms)
- Start a load of laundry
- Unload dishwasher
- Make beds
- 5-minutes tidy up (Put things back, straighten up pillows, fold blankets, put toys or things that don’t belong to that room in a basket)
You can either follow this routine on a daily basis or go for a Saturday morning cleaning routine. (More on this soon).

Morning cleaning routine (for work-at-home moms)
- Start a load of laundry
- Unload dishwasher
- Make beds
- Tidy up high-traffic areas
- Sweep or spot mop
Here’s what MY MORNING CLEANING ROUTINE looks like:
- Start one load of laundry
- Put away clean dishes (I do not own a dishwasher. I prefer to wash dishes by hand. But I always let them dry off so I put them back in the morning)
- Make the bed
- Take out trash
- Swish and swipe the bathroom before taking shower.
- Tidy up and clean the floors (I sweep & mop all three rooms every single day. My home is really small — 1 bedroom apartment so it’s easier for me)
- Clean up breakfast dishes
- Wipe down counters
Read: Homemaker Morning Routine: My Morning Routine As A Housewife

How to make the morning cleaning routine easier for you?

1// Prep up the night before:

A productive morning is a result of a thorough nighttime routine followed religiously.

In order to make your morning cleaning routine easier make sure you prepare the night before.

Preparing ahead you won’t have much to do in the morning.

2// Use timer:

I have tried both using a timer and setting the same amount of time on the clock.

But I must say the timer technique does wonder. It eliminates distractions and helps you concentrate on the task at hand.

Truly, I cannot explain how fast it gets the cleaning job done.

3// Purge unused items a few times:

Keep the counters clutter-free for no sweat cleaning.

Purging unwanted items every now and then allows you to wipe down the surfaces faster and makes the place visually appealing.

4// Get help:

Make kids put their toys back in the basket. My dad is a super-organized person. He loves to do the tidying and dusting for my mom.

Sharing responsibilities and housework, irrespective of age group is always nice and helpful.

If nobody is willing to help, hold each person responsible for their own mess.

5// Have good nightly and weekly cleaning routines:

Aid your morning cleaning routine with good nighttime and weekly cleaning to keep your home clean consistently.

This will help keep your house clean on autopilot.

6// Make it interesting:

Put on some upbeat music, listen to a podcast, watch a cleaning motivation video, chat with your partner, or make it a family fun activity to make it interesting.

Final words:

This simple, quick morning cleaning routine will ensure your home is clean and tidy. The further part will be covered in our nighttime and weekly cleaning routine.

Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you so much for reading. Happy Cleaning!
March 9, 2022
9 Habits Of Women Who Always Have A Clean Home

Learning these habits of women who always have a clean home will help you keep your home clean and tidy (all the time) too.

To some extent, we all get motivated to clean — when the holidays are here or when a company is expected.

But keeping the house mostly clean, all the time, amid a daily grind, seems an unachievable thing.

Especially after the holidays, when you’ve been already cleaning and hosting extensively.

I have never been a neat freak, be it cleaning or any part of homemaking. Nor do I aim for. I only wish for good enough results.

I swear by the beauty of a lived-in house.

A few things make a great deal of difference over others.

And so today I’m listing out some things that can make a difference in how clean or messy your home appears to someone.

I love watching YouTube for cleaning motivation videos.

Moreover, I am more into watching real-life homemaking vlogs and learning tips from them than the “cleaning experts”. I enjoy watching genuine homemakers’ lives. Their daily routines. The way they perform their household duties. I admire their hard work. And I keenly learn homemaking tips, tricks, and techniques from them.

Over time, I’ve observed one thing that all of these women (full-time homemakers and working moms) have in common. They knew what was next. They hardly got sidelined. I think that’s because they grew accustomed to the sequence of tasks. That’s the power of habits.

Today, I’m putting out habits these ladies had in common that helped them keep their house clean (all the time). Well, in particular, these tasks are more organizational than cleaning. Because they make your home come out more orderly or tidy than clean.

How?

We’re not working toward excellence here. So, there’s nothing like hard scrubbing, washing, or purifying — daily. Just executing the tasks, and doing them well. That’s it.

9 HABITS OF WOMEN WHO ALWAYS HAVE A CLEAN HOME

Habit #1 Clear sink:

Clean freak women never let dishes pile up in the sink. They’re just conditioned to wipe off everything in a jiffy. They never mind if things are spic and span. They just devotedly get them out of the way. Washed utensils, clear drain traps, and clear countertops are three mere tasks that keep your kitchen feeling nice and fresh, and easy to operate.

One habit of women who always have a clean home is deep cleaning. If they had a few spare moments, they would just remove the stuff from the drawers and give it a good wipe; purge unused/out-of-date things, and quickly place everything back.

They exercise their cooking time. So, they would just put away clean dishes, dust the cabinet tops, wipe down cabinet doors and surfaces, refill food jars, and so on.

Habit #2 Tidy surfaces:

Meticulous freaks make time to tidy surfaces every day.

They discard and clear trash like banana peels, tea or coffee cups, plates after eating; plastic wrappers, and clothes scattered on the bed or floor.

They place dustbins around the house and encourage kids (and ADULTS) to use them. Something that is of utmost help.

They pick up as they go. Example: They keep a basket near the stairs to put the items that belong upstairs. While going upstairs they look for anything that needs to go up.

Similarly, they make sure to grab the basket downstairs.

Habit #3 Clutter control:

Neat freak women know clutter can be paralyzing. They declutter and organize from time to time.

They assign “donate‘ or ‘discard‘ boxes. While dusting or tidying surfaces they review and discard musty, outworn, or things they don’t love or need anymore, then and there. Which helps them keep things super manageable.

They deal with the paper clutter — mail, newspapers, magazines, brochures, immediately.

Read: The Secret To Staying On Top Of Homemaking

Habit #4 Refrigerator care:

Refrigerator — one more thing that demands attention regularly.

One of the secrets of women who take care of the house is – they discard molded food from time to time.

They put placemats in the refrigerator. Quick tip — to make your fridge look clean instantly you can remove the placemats/sheets and ta-da you have a clean-looking refrigerator in no time.

Another tip is to keep a bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator. Baking soda absorbs the odor and makes your refrigerator smell fresh.

Habit #5 Spot-free floors:

They have a no-shoe rule.

In India, it’s a common rule followed by most households. Especially, traditional cultural families. I am one of those. We don’t bring shoes inside the house. And if we do, we have a shoe rack at the entrance. This not only helps prevent soil, dust, or dirt but also bacteria from getting into your home.

The women with clean homes also make sure to sweep/vacuum/mop the floors each day. They deal with the spots and spillage instantly.

Habit #6 Dusting/wiping down routine:

Neat women sense the importance of routinely dusting and wiping down surfaces. They know how to maintain dust-free walls and surfaces. Like removing cobwebs; and dust on walls, windows, furniture, and light fixtures.

Women with clean homes consider periodically cleaning windows, blinds, ceiling fans, carpets, doormats, upholstery, etc.

They learn about the newest tools and techniques that provide an effortless dusting and wiping experience.

Habit #7 Well-ordered bathroom:

Another habit of women who always have a clean home is they keep bathrooms well-organized. Not squeaky clean but enjoyable.

They ensure that they wipe off the shower glass and floor with a wiper.

I can guarantee that these prompt steps — restoring items, and a quick wipe down will make your bathroom clean and appealing.

Habit #8 Crisp bed:

While making the bed, I observed one woman — remove the sheets, shake them out well, and place them back neatly. She did that every single day in between the laundry intervals.

Doing this helps knock off tiny dirt and dust particles and keep the bedsheet looking fresh until cleaning time. Plus, you know how good a crisp bed feels.

Habit #9 Laundry routine:

Organized women quickly squeeze in a couple of minutes to start a load of laundry. They stop being lazy and show care. To avoid buildup and to complete the cycle — they wash, dry, fold, and iron right off.

This is such a helpful tip to keep on top of things.

Final words:

Those were the habits of women who always have a clean home. That I’ve learned from some dutiful homemakers. And you guys, they work. THEY’RE. JUST. SO. EFFECTIVE.

Do try them and don’t forget to share your thoughts. Also, let me know if I missed out on something. Thank you so much for reading. Happy Cleaning!

February 13, 2022
How To Get Motivated To Clean

The holiday season is here, it’s time to shake things up a little bit at home.

During this time of the year, when you just want to get cozy snuggling up in your warm blanket with a hot cup of coffee. Cleaning is the last thing on your mind.

Sunny mornings have something to brighten up your mood and get you to clean without thinking much. Fall cleaning? Certainly calls for motivation.

If you’re still easing up, I’m here to help you with some tips and tricks to get motivated to clean.

HOW TO GET MOTIVATED TO CLEAN

Have a cleaning caddy:

Firstly, in order to make the cleaning process convenient, buy yourself the appropriate tools. Trying a new appliance or product is a great way to get motivated to clean.

Having a well-organized caddy will make cleaning the entire house a lot easier (grab and go).

Check out why you must own proper cleaning tools and some affordable options here

Dress suitably:

Outfit changes our attitude. So dress up for success.

I have a separate pair of cleaning outfits. Something comfortable and nice-looking. I also like to tie my hair up in a bun and wear my apron and gloves.

Identify your cleaning personality type:

Do you like to get the cleaning done in one go or one thing at a time? Determine your cleaning personality type to work accordingly.

If you’re someone who likes to clean in one go, set aside two or three days depending upon the level of cleaning. Dedicate those days to cleaning only.

What I do on the days I deep clean is – order food from outside and use disposable cups and plates to save additional workload – cooking and cleaning. I also skip the laundry that day. I don’t blog and don’t exercise. Instead, I only spend my time cleaning to get it done as quickly as possible. That saves me energy and time from my daily activities and helps me get the deep cleaning done real quick.

Limit the time:

I love how The fly lady says “your house didn’t get messy overnight don’t expect it to get clean in a night “.

Ascertaining time is the key to getting motivated to clean. The timer technique does well in this case.

Stopping amidst a project you could no longer resist the urge to clean the next day.

Speed up:

Often, the chores take lesser time than we think.

Getting lost/consumed in thoughts or distracted by your phone or TV reduces our pace of work drastically. But actually being sluggish is a huge stumbling block too. Nobody wants tedious tasks.

Similarly, some mistakes can impede speed.

For many years, I didn’t realize what was taking me so much time to do just a few dishes. Then I figured I was using the dish detergent excessively. By excessively I mean awfully.

I don’t know what got me thinking more product means cleaner utensils. In fact, more product means 5x times more rinsing; more waste of water; more cleaning to do. Plus, it is harmful to your health if the dishes didn’t get rinsed properly.

One way to increase your working speed is by recording the time it takes you to complete each task (from start to finish). Then, next time, while performing the same tasks set the timer five minutes early than the time you require to finish them.

Challenge yourself to finish the task before the timer goes off, and do it well.

Practice this every day to increase your speed of work.

Make a cleaning checklist/use free printables:

Having a visual checklist will keep you sane. You’ll have a basic idea of what you want to accomplish.

With a list, nothing will be forgotten or undone. Printables will point out unremembered tasks.

It’ll help you keep track of your progress as well.

Conquer OCD:

Once you have cleaned one thing really well. Proceed. Don’t get stuck in one place ensure everything is clean over and over again.

As we saw in the earlier post, there’s no such thing as perfection.

Don’t strive for it. Or you will feel unfulfilled all the time.

Remember done is always better than perfect.

Related: One Simple Trick That’ll Transform Your Homekeeping

Avoid needless cleaning:

Clean only what needs care and attention. You shouldn’t get caught up with things that are clean already.

Watch someone clean:

Watching someone else cleaning or working hard on their home is a surefire way to get motivated to clean. I have learned far simpler dusting, cleaning, and organizing techniques from YouTubers.

You can check out a few cleaning YouTube channels to see how they do things differently than what you’re doing.

Are you following an inappropriate cleaning sequence, using the wrong tools, or following improper methods? Is there anything you do inaptly?

A friend or an aunt who always has a clean home can be your perfect cleaning guru as well.

Final words:

Forget about festivities, for ones like me, need the motivation to clean – Every. Single. Day.

So, I keep on looking for ways that make cleaning dreadless.

I hope these tips will come in useful and get you motivated to clean.

Would you like to add something to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you for reading. Happy Cleaning!

October 19, 2020

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