Let’s get this out of the way right now: tidiness and cleanliness are NOT the same thing. When you have 10 minutes notice that a friend is stopping by, or a date is coming to pick you up, you probably tidy your place to so that it looks presentable. When your in-laws come to visit or you host a party, that’s when you want things CLEAN. But for the day-to-day stuff, if you can at least keep things tidy, you’ll be in better shape when it’s time to deep clean. To help you stay on top of that, are some TIDY home tips to help your place look neat in 10 minutes.
1. Ready, Set…
First, grab a laundry basket, a damp cloth or cleansing wipe, and a garbage / recycling bag. Set a timer for 10 minutes to see just how fast it can be to tidy up and feel better about your home. Turn on some music if you like, but not so loud that you can’t hear when your timer goes off. Something about setting a timer motivates you to be efficient. Decide which room you’re going to start in and which direction you’re going to go as you use these tidy home hacks from room to room.
2. Go!
Work from your starting point and go from room to room picking up everything that’s not where it belongs. As you move to the next room, take a quick look in your basket. Anything that actually does belong in the room you’re in can be put away now (or do another round of putting away after you’ve collected everything first). As you go, put any trash in your trash bag (carry a sack for recycling if you want to separate it now, but it might take you a bit longer). You’ll be shocked at how much better things look after this quick pick-up.
3. Wipe
Got your damp cloth or pre-moistened wipe? Great! Use it to wipe up any obvious smudges, dirty fingerprints, etc. that you see as you work from room to room.
4. Straighten
As you go about your home, straighten books, pillows, lampshades, artwork, etc. Just make sure things are lined up and in place. It should only take you a few seconds in each room. Just give everything a look-over and ensure things look neat.
5. Fold & Fluff
Got blankets or pillows around? Fold them, fluff them, and just make them look fresh. If they’re dirty, take this opportunity to grab them and put them in your basket so you can deposit them in the laundry room when you get there.
6. Take Out the Trash
All the garbage you’ve collected goes right in your main trash can. If the bag is pretty full, take it straight to your outdoor can or dumpster. If your main trash can is full, you might as well take that out, too.
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