Want to have a neat and clean home without having to spend too much time on cleaning it? This is actually possible – and yes, you can still pull this off without spending most of your day out of the house. By simply laying out your home in a way that accommodates for neatness and makes it easier to keep clean, you’ll slice the time you spend on housework in half while being able to enjoy an even cleaner sanctuary.
Here is a handful of great ways to do this so that you can enjoy your time at home a bit more. It might be better to try this when you’re in the process of planning a home renovation, though, but keep it in mind in any way and you’ll be able to implement it over time.
Simple Fixes: Swap out your couches and blinds
Some things are possible to pull off right away and regardless of when you’re planning on redecorating your home. Suede couches are prone to stains and gather dirt easier than leather and vinyl, so consider upholstering them or just swapping out your couches altogether if you’re tired of always having to keep an eye on your kids and pets when they’re in the living room.
It will be a lot easier to wipe them down when somebody spills something or leaves crumbles all over the place – and they will even last longer, so it really is a win-win. Your blinds may also be swapped out for washable curtains, by the way, to reduce the amount of time you have to spend on wiping them down and dusting them off.
Blinds look nice but it’s impossible to get them completely clean unless you carefully wipe each blade every time you clean the house. Washable curtains are quite trendy too and they won’t gather nearly as much dust as those blinds do.
Another small fix that might improve your life slightly is to simply move the laundry room to a more convenient location. If the piles of laundry tend to end up in places you’d like to keep clean, it’s a good idea to move the machine closer to the bedrooms and bathrooms. If it already is in a convenient place but the piles of laundry end up in the living room, nonetheless, it’s time to have a chat with the rest of the household.
Medium Fixes: Paint with high gloss and install more storage
If you are about to choose a different shade for your rooms, it’s a good idea to move away from the trendy matte finished and choose a clever high gloss type – particularly if you have kids. High gloss paints are much easier to clean in case something stains the wall as you won’t risk scrubbing off the paint as you go – and that makes it a lot more durable too.
The storage solutions of your home can also have a lot to say about how tidy it looks and, of course, how much time you end up spending on trying to make it look a bit tidier. The more storage space you have, the easier this becomes as you can simply stack everything away and out of sight.
Try to think about furniture that doubles up as storage in case your home is rather small; that way, you won’t have to give up precious floor space.
Larger Fixes: Swap out your carpets and get a second dishwasher
A major influence on how clean your home is and how easy it is to actually keep it clean is the kind of floors you choose. Polished concrete floors beat dusty carpets any day, it looks much nicer and is a breeze to keep clean – keep this in mind when your home is due for an upgrade and you’ll thank yourself whenever it’s time for a clean.
Another slightly large home upgrade is to invest in a second dishwasher. While it may seem like an overkill, it’s going to make your life at home so much better when you’re able to actually keep up with the dishes and enjoy a clean kitchen at all times.
You probably won’t need this unless you have kids at home, though, but you’ll be happy you made the investment when you notice the difference at home.
At the end of the day, all homes need to be cleaned – but how long you spend on it is up to you. Make a few tweaks and changes and enjoy a cleaner home for much longer.
*This is a collaborative post*