5 Cleaning Tips to Keep Your Home in Tip Top Shape

If you are anything like me, you know that a clean home matters. It matters a lot. I used to spend hours cleaning my home each week, but with kids, work, and other obligations, I found that I was irritable from all the housework. As I chatted with other moms during playgroups and preschool drop offs, I found this to be a common complaint; we are all stretched too thin. However, rather than dwell on the problem, I decided to focus on a solution, so I turned to every woman’s best friend: Pinterest. If you browse Pinterest for “house cleaning tips,” you will soon find yourself bombarded with tips of dubious merit with some good ones thrown in. I sifted through many, many pins to find the top five tips that have worked to help keep my home clean with less effort, giving me more free time to enjoy with my family.

  1. Start at the top: Dirt tends to fall down from places where you least expect it, like your ceiling and AC ducts. To keep you home clean year round, schedule a duct cleaning each year. I called the Midwest AC Experts at Midwest Comfort and they were able to get me in the same day. Once your air ducts are clean, less dirt will circulate throughout your home when your AC turns on, which means less cleaning. This is also true of your ceiling fans, so make sure to dust their blades once or twice a month.
  2. Clean up daily: Rather than waiting until cleaning is large, daunting task, do something small each night. This may mean making a cleaning schedule, or just picking up clutter and doing the dishes every evening.
  3. Clean your floors a couple times a week: If you’re like me, you have kids, pets, and a husband which all lead to gross floors. I found a dry duster broom to be a life saver. I use that on my tile each night and it takes about 15 minutes and saves me from having to vacuum. I also use a wet mop a couple times a week to do a quick once over.
  4. Don’t forget the closets: I am going to confess to something here, I am a closet stuffer. Meaning, when it is time to clean up, I tend to stuff things into closets or junk drawers, rather than actually putting them away. Every six months I clean and organize my closets to help them from getting too cluttered. I sell anything we aren’t using on a swip swap page on Facebook which also helps to make a little extra cash (BONUS!).
  5. Ask for help: Don’t make cleaning a solo activity. Get help with tasks from your husband and kids. They live there too, after all.

Once I started implementing these cleaning tips, I found that cleaning was happening as a natural part of my routine, rather than a dreaded chore that was looming for the weekend. This helped to free up some time for me to relax and enjoy my family. This has made me a much happier mama and part of a much happier family.

Easy Steps To Get Your Home Ready for Winter

It seems like we were just preparing for spring and now we are almost hitting winter again! Take advantage of the cooler days to get some things done around your house before the winter weather sets in and the holiday season starts sucking up all of your time (and extra money!).

First things first, schedule HVAC service. When it comes to heating and air conditioner service Louisville residents know that it’s better to schedule routine maintenance than it is to have to call for repairs if something goes wrong! Prevent problems before they become major issues or impact your comfort levels. It’s a good idea to have your AC system checked before turning it off for the season and while they are there, the technician can also inspect your heating system to ensure it will keep you warm all winter long.

Trim tree limbs that are growing near your home. Tree limbs that are brushing against your home or roof, or just getting a little too close for comfort should be trimmed. During windy or stormy winter days, those limbs can cause damage to your home simply by brushing up against it over and over again.

Clear out those gutters. Get ready for winter rain by clearing out your gutters. Wait until the leaves are done falling off the trees to ensure that you won’t have to do the job multiple times. Clogged gutters can lead to leaks and roof damage.

Winterize your garden beds. Add a layer of fresh compost to garden beds to provide nutrients throughout the winter and top it off with a fresh layer of mulch to keep it insulated. Cut back dead or browning foliage and consider planting some fall plants like mums to add a little color.

Take care of painting or staining projects now. Don’t put off staining that deck any longer! If you have chipping paint on your trim, it’s time to take care of it. Winter weather can take its toll on your home and if wooden areas are sealed properly, you could be facing a much bigger repair in the spring.