Switch to Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
If you haven’t made the change to using eco-friendly cleaning products, this is the year to do it. According to WebMD.com, cleaning with harsh chemicals doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting a better result than when cleaning with natural ingredients. The harsh, toxic chemicals that are found in products have been shown to damage the environment as well as negatively impact your health. What should you look for when choosing products? In addition to the words “green” and “non-toxic”, carefully read the labels and avoid ingredients such as chlorine, alcohol, triclosan, triclocarban, lye, glycol ethers, and ammonia. Safer options will say “petroleum-free,” “biodegradable,” “phosphate-free,” “VOC-free,” and “solvent-free” on the label.
Get On a Cleaning Schedule
You’re probably thinking you don’t need yet another thing to add to your already overloaded schedule. But by devising a schedule for your cleaning you’re more likely to stick to it. Assign a different day of the week for certain chores. For example, make Monday and Friday laundry days; designate Saturday as your dusting and vacuuming day, and assign Tuesday evening as the day you tackle cleaning the bathroom. The idea is to clean in stages so you’re not left with the overwhelming burden of trying to get your home clean all in one day. Be sure to get help from members of the household. Older kids can help in many ways such as transferring laundry from the washing machine to the dryer or folding clean laundry.
Don’t Forget To Do This Before Bedtime
Before your head hits the pillow each night do a quick once-over of your home. Is everything in its place? The pros at the American Cleaning Institute suggest placing dishes in the dishwasher, putting away clean laundry, and getting rid of junk mail and other recyclables. Doing a little each night will help keep everything in order and avoids the hassle of having to face a dishevelled home in the morning.
Eliminate the Clutter
Have you run out of storage space in your home? Does your home look messy even after you’ve cleaned it? Chances are clutter is the culprit. For many people, the clutter in their home seems to accumulate out of nowhere. Start the new year by going through each room – the closets, cupboards, and drawers – and donating, recycling, and getting rid of any items you haven’t used in years or haven’t used at all. When it comes to parting with items, the general rule to follow is: if you haven’t used it in a year or two chances are, you likely never will. Gain valuable storage space by donating clothes, kitchen gadgets, and other items to someone who will get greater use out of them.
Avoid a Clutter Repeat
Once you’ve cleared your home of the clutter, adopt the €remove before adding a € rule. When it’s time to replace old or worn items such as storage containers, be sure to recycle or toss the old ones before adding the new ones. Also, before shopping for a new item, check to make sure you don’t already own it. That can opener or skillet you’re thinking of buying may already be hiding in the back of a drawer or cupboard. This strategy helps you save money and storage space.