It may surprise you to know, but cleaning actually is one of the best things that you can do to keep yourself healthy and de-stress. Cleaning around your house can help keep you in shape due to the light workout that the repetitive motions that certain household chores—like dusting and scrubbing— can provide. Doing household chores is also a good way to revitalize your spirit; there are many people that have reported how cleaning away their old clutter and trash has helped them to clear away a lot of their mental and emotional issues.
Yet despite knowing all of this…I still hated cleaning. After all, just because something is good for you doesn’t make it easy. I always found the task to be tedious and irritating. There was always a sense that I was doing something wrong because I could never find that peace that people say comes with getting rid of all of your old junk and smelling the fumes from the cleaning products was just awful. I eventually decided to do some in-depth research and was pleased to discover that there actually are ways to make cleaning easier! Below, are the tips and tricks I’ve found that have helped me de-stress and as a bonus, they’re even good for the environment as well.
You Got Chores? Make a List
If you’re like me and practically everyone else on the planet, you’ve got chores that need getting done. Now you could spend time worrying and pitching a fit about how you’re going to get everything done or you could create a checklist. It seems very simple, I know, but a list can really help to streamline cleaning and help you prioritize what it is that you need to get done in a concise manner. Having everything properly arranged and ordered can also help you assign tasks to other house members which allow everything to get done faster. A good idea is to give kids some age-appropriate chores so that they can develop good habits and become more self-efficient.
Stop Holding on to Things You Aren’t Going to Use
You can be honest, we all hold on to things that we are never ever going to use. Maybe we blew a lot of cash on it or maybe it’s just something that we own that we’re just really attached to. Regardless, we are all guilty of it and its ok, kind of. We tend to build up plenty of clutter when we do this and it can make cleaning really hard to do because it just adds to the already large amount of things that you have to organize. If you like, you can donate some of your belongings or give them to friends and family members who may have a use for them. It may also be a good idea to make a rule of not buying any more new things until you’ve organized or gotten rid of some of your old things.
Get Organized
Yes, being organized is a good thing, but try not to go overboard and start out small. Pick through and organize all of your things and only hold on to the things that you are looking to keep. From there you can place all of your things in either a drawer or organizer with labeled compartments in order to avoid having all of your belongings placed randomly about your home.
If You Like It, Then Refurbish It
For those of you not in the know, up-cycling is essentially taking an item— be it unusable or unwanted— and giving it a new use or purpose. If you’ve got things that you can’t find a suitable use for, then try cranking out some good ideas to give it some new life. If for whatever reason you can’t get your imagination flowing, and then try the internet; it’s a goldmine of DIY techniques that you can use to revitalize all of your old stuff. Corks, cans, t-shirts, practically anything that you own can be reused in the manner. Really, the only thing that can stop you is your own imagination.
Lay off of the Chemicals
Chemical cleaners are kind of terrible; they aren’t safe for you or your home and come with a variety of health risks. To avoid these potential issues you can instead make your own house cleaners. Now I know that after reading that, you might be sitting there thinking, “Why on earth would I bother when I could just buy them from the store faster?” Well, look at it this way, chemical cleaners can cause skin and respiratory irritation, watery eyes, and chemical burns. They do get the job done, but the health hazards that you can face from their use may make you reconsider using DIY cleaners instead. If you are interested in making your own cleaning products but are also concerned that homemade cleaners may be difficult to make, then don’t be, all you’ll really need are just a few things from your kitchen.
One DIY cleaner that can do pretty much anything is vinegar. Let’s say, for example, that you have some glass surfaces in your home that need cleaning; a mixture of water and ¼ cup vinegar can make your glass look as good as new every time. Mixing a tablespoon of vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda and two cups of warm water does wonders if you’re looking to deodorize your carpet. Speaking of baking soda, it really is a fantastic cleaning agent when coupled with vinegar. Not only can it make your carpet smell fresh, but you can even use it to clean your bathroom tiles. Simply apply the vinegar/baking soda mix, scrub, and rinse with warm water. It’s also good for whitening porcelain surfaces, like tubs and toilet bowls.
Conclusion
Alright, well, you’ve made it to the end. You’ve read through all five tips that I’ve put together that can help make cleaning a truly relaxing and therapeutic experience. Maybe you’re like how I once was and just hate cleaning. Maybe you don’t really hate it per SE but could do with better methodology. Regardless, of which category you’d classify yourself, these techniques can do wonders for you and your household just as they have for me and mine. Just keep in mind that these changes may not be easy to make all at once, try to easy yourself in. We all have to take baby steps sometimes. Once you do start to use these techniques, however, you will definitely be on your way to a better cleaning experience.