This makes cleaning significantly easier and your home will seem clean and tidy. Every item in your home should either be something useful or that you love or (at the present time). 15-Minutes to a Clutter Free Home • First 5 minutes - Walk through your houses with a bin or garbage bag and fill it with items that can be thrown away, such as, empty soda bottles, worn-out shoes and old newspapers, magazines and those sorts of things. • Next 5 minutes - Fill a second bin or garbage bag with items to be donated, old toys, books, clothing, etc. • Last 5 minutes – Set up a designated spot for items to be sold, such as, furniture, collectables, electronics, etc. Repeat this exercise once per week until you have a clutter free home and some extra cash. The NBC Today Show reported that the average American family has $2,500 worth of goods that they don’t like and don’t need or want. Craigslist is a great way to sell your items. Ebay’s another option or you could hire someone to sell them for you, they will simply keep a portion of the profits, usually about 50%. Many Professional Organizers offer this service or you can go to Ebay.com and find a PowerSeller in your area. To keep your home clutter free it is imperative that you get rid of an item every time a new item that comes into your home. Set up a box or bin for items to donate or sell. If you don’t do this you will just accumulate more and more and eventually fill your house up again. Every time you or anyone living in your household brings something into the home, something has to go. If you bought a new shirt today, find something to get rid of. Step 2 - Create a Place for Everything Keeping your home clean is virtually impossible if you do not have a place for everything. Find a place for every item in your home from paperclips to hair spray to receipts. At the end of each day, spend just 5-minutes walking through your home and put away all items that were left out. If everything has a place it should only take 5 minutes to put everything in its place, if you do it everyday. Step 3 - Set Expectations for Yourself and Others in your Household Set an expectation that each member of your household (including yourself) puts away every item they take out, preferably as soon as they are done with the item. Also, set an expectation that every member of your household contributes to keeping your home clean and tidy. Divide up chores such as laundry, dishes, vacuuming and dusting. Set a schedule for getting these chores done. Young children can be in charge of simple chores like washing sheets and towels once per week and older children can do chores like vacuum and dust. Step 4 - Set a Cleaning Routine Having a daily "maintenance" routine will keep your home company ready at all times. Possible Morning Routine • 3-Minutes in the Bathroom - Keep a roll of paper towels under the sink. Wipe down the counter and faucets and wipe up hair from the floor. • 2-Minutes in the Bedroom - Make your bed and put away your PJ’s. • After each meal clean up the dishes and wipe down your counter tops and table. If you have toddlers, clean up the floor. Possible Evening Routine • 5-Minutes - Walk through your home and put away items that were left out and empty the garbage's, if needed. • 2-Minutes - Put away your clothes before going to bed. In addition to these daily routines, your home does need a thorough cleaning at least once every other week. You could hire a professional housekeeper to do it or divide up the cleaning among all of the capable members of your household. Hold yourself and everyone else in your household accountable. Written by Heidi DeCoux: A Professional Organizer who specializes in helping people get organized, simplify and save money. She is also a Public Speaker and Author of the Fast-Filing Method audio program, which shows you how to eliminate piles of papers and how to file and find any paper document in 30 seconds or less. For more information on this unique audio program, visit http://www.ClearSimpleLiving.com. Heidi offers a FREE e-Solutions Kit filled with tips and solutions on how to make your life easier, calmer and more organized. To get yours, just visit her website at http://www.HeidiDeCoux.com and click on e-Solutions. |
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How to Keep a “Company-Ready Clean” House, A Fast & Simple 4-Step Plan
How to Keep a “Company-Ready Clean” House, A Fast & Simple 4-Step Plan
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