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CLEANING, STORAGE + ORGANIZING

5 Simple Tricks for Keeping Your House Clean and Organized

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When trying to keep your house clean, is a daunting task. Keeping up with things throughout the week can be a hassle when you’ve got other things to do. 

You can use some basic tricks to help save time and get your home spic and span! Here are some easy and practical ideas for cleaning your home when you’re rushed for time and pressed for space. 

Keep reading for these simple tips for keeping your home clean and organized. Read along to learn more!

1. Make a Schedule

It’s important to have a routine schedule. Begin by assigning yourself specific tasks to carry out throughout the week.

Start off basic tasks like vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping and move on to more detailed tasks such as dusting furniture, reorganizing closets, and cleaning out cabinets. Give yourself one larger task to complete each week, such as deep cleaning the bathroom or washing all the windows. 

2. Have a Place for Everything

Each item should have its own confined area, and you should work towards making sure it never ends up anyplace else. Make sure to label these spots, whether it’s a simple basket or a drawer, to ensure that they’re being kept in order. Once you have everything in its spot, you’ll be able to clearly identify what needs to be put away each time you use something. 

3. Create a Decluttering Checklist

For each room, list out specific items that you want to declutter and organize, such as closets, kitchen cabinets, and drawers. Additionally, deep clean-house tasks should be included in the checklist.

This might include dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and wiping down surfaces. Assign a timeline for each task and be sure to cross off each item as it is accomplished.

4. Assign Everyone in Your House With Cleaning Tasks

It is important to make the tasks realistic for everyone in the house, such as having young children only do simple tasks like gathering toys or unloading the dishwasher. Allow everyone to have input into assigning tasks that can be easily accomplished within the time frames given. Make sure to clearly communicate the tasks that need to be easily completed and have a schedule to follow. 

5. Hire Professionals

Many people can’t do any cleaning because of their busy schedules. In this case, it would be best to look for professional services to help you out.

Research potential cleaning service companies like Maidluxellc.com by checking customer reviews and interviewing potential candidates. Make sure you find someone trustworthy and experienced in the type of cleaning and organizing you require. 

Start a Clean and Organized Home Today

Keeping your house clean and organized doesn’t always have to be complicated. Use some of these simple tricks and you’ll be on your way to making your home spotless.

When you’re busy with work or don’t have much time, remember that small steps can make a big difference. So why not give it a shot today and start making your house a more enjoyable space?

If you find this helpful and want to read more great content, check out our latest blog posts now!

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CLEANING

Tiny Home, Big Mess?

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Some people buy tiny homes with the idea that it would be much easier to clean. But soon, they discover that mess and clutter accumulate faster in a small area, and they find that they are spending more time cleaning their small homes rather than relaxing in it.

So how could you manage the clutter and mess in your tiny home? Here are some strategies you could use to stay organized and clutter-free.

Clean as You Go

Cleaning up after dinner, after relaxing and lounging on the sofa, or after a few drinks with friends can be a big help in maintaining the cleanliness of your apartment. Especially if you rent a furnished condominium unit, you need to keep the furniture clean and maintained well. If you find any of them damaged, it’s best to inform the owner (if you are renting) so they can replace it.

Washing the dishes immediately after a meal and throwing out the garbage can help prevent pest infestation. If you are composting your waste, make sure to cover it entirely and do it outside the house.

Don’t Buy Things You Don’t Need

Collecting things can be a hobby for some people, but if you live in a tiny home, it is a hobby you must do without. Collections take up space and could become a source of clutter, mess, and dust, so don’t start one once you move in a tiny apartment. The same goes for things that you think you will need in the future. If you are not going to use something today, it’s best not to buy it as it will only clutter your home.

Clean Everyday

Living in a tiny home means whatever mess you bring is immediately noticeable. Devote five minutes a day to vacuum the floors or dust the shelves. You can do different things every day, and you’ll find that your daily five-minute ritual has kept your home looking organized and clean.

Invest in Cleaning Equipment

It’s best to buy a powerful vacuum cleaner, a turbo power scrubber, a spray mop, and a hand duster as part of your cleaning arsenal. A powerful vacuum cleaner can suck all the dust and debris between small spaces, and a powerful scrubber could remove all kinds of grime and debris on your bathroom and kitchen walls. A spray mop makes it easier to mop small spaces, and a hand duster is the best tool to remove dust on your furniture.

De-clutter

Organize your things so that they will be placed on shelves, boxes, and stands. Buy organizers to keep wires, cables and electrical equipment stowed away. Clips, papers, notes, and even pens and pencils should be organized in drawers sothat they won’t create a mess on your desks and tables.

The most important thing to remember when you move into a tiny home is that it is a lifestyle that is minimalist and functional. If you want to live a simple life with little mess and clutter, then moving into a tiny home is one way of doing it. But you have to be organized and disciplined, so your small house won’t become a big mess.

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CLEANING, HOME DECOR, STORAGE + ORGANIZING

How to make your home visitor-ready at all times

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Have you ever encountered the anxiety when the doorbell rings and you realize it is someone who will expect to be invited in? You apologize profusely for the mess and make excuses as to why the house is in the state it is. Fear not, this is not something you have to continue to experience. There are ways in which you can make your house visitor-ready for all occasions. Continue reading for our advice.

Declutter

The first step is usually the biggest. Decluttering will help to get rid of any unnecessary stuff. As well as clearing the rooms, it can also help to clear the mind. Having fewer things within a room means that it is much easier to tidy up. It also means less dust meaning allergy-sufferers should be less unwell. It can be challenging to declutter in one go. Some people choose to do it in stages by focusing on certain categories or areas of rooms. For others, seeing that the clutter is not improving sets them back. Putting as many items as possible into boxes to store in the garage, for example, can be helpful. Then one box at a time can be sorted.  

Tidy up routine

Spend ten minutes at the end of every day putting things back into their home. Get other members of the family to do the same. Once you get into a routine, you will find that you spend a lot less time tidying up. It feels like much less of a chore to do a little bit every day rather than it all building up and doing hours on end within the same period of time.

Playroom

If you have a room which could be used as a playroom, we highly recommend this. Children’s toys strewn everywhere five minutes after being sorted can be frustrating and demotivating. Of course, this is a natural part of a child’s development. However, keeping it out of the living room is ideal. Having a separate room especially for your child or children can be great. Just don’t forget to tidy in there regularly. It can be easy to subconsciously forget about an area until it is too late and a deep clean needs carrying out.

Finishing touches

Being proud of your home is essential to feeling comfortable and confident about inviting a visitor in. They always say that when people view homes, the smell of baked bread is important as well as the sight of fresh flowers. Flowers can boost your mood too as well as making a statement about how positive you feel about your home. Fresh bouquets, such as these gorgeous ones from this local Houston florist, can make a huge impact. Ensuring that your décor is up to scratch is vital too. Yellowing woodwork and grubby walls can be off-putting and embarrassing. A quick lick of paint can solve these problems. In fact, you could always consider employing the services of a painter to do it for you. Finally, a selection of photographs framed and some homely additions like bright, colorful cushions can also help you to feel more confidence in your home and keep it visitor ready! 

FINISHING TOUCHES…

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STORAGE + ORGANIZING

4 Ways To Usher Your Home Into The New Decade

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Not only is it a new year, but it’s also the start of a new decade and what better way to ring in the roaring 20s than to get organized? We all love The Addams family but who has the luxury of entire closets just for knick-knacks? Organizing all your closets can feel very intimidating so just think of one at a time! Where does one start the day? Tackle your coat closet first with some masterful hacks from The Home Blog to get your morning rolling. 

Kitchen Confident

There is nothing more demotivating (at least for me) than an untidy kitchen. Edit your crockery and other kitchen equipment or utensils and get rid of the excess (but never the teaspoons… can’t have too many of those). Having fewer dishes to dirty means you have fewer to clean later on and keeps things simple! No clutter also frees up your brain to get creative with all those meal prep ideas you’ve been dying to try but haven’t found the time.

Space Oddities 

Every single home, whether it’s a studio apartment, duplex or sprawling four-bedroom house has those weird spaces that nothing seems to fit in. That weirdly shaped stairwell or really high cupboard shelf may be worth investigating for its storage potential. Investigate the myriad of custom storage ideas on offer from companies or tackle a DIY project to utilize those odd corners of your home. 

Garage Bland No More

How many movie plots are built around cleaning out an old, badly packed garage and discovering something marvellous? Far too many, but although quite a cliche, you too may have the pleasure of that discovery. For many, a garage is simply a place where the car sleeps but it has so much more potential! Don’t have a car? Turn it into an entertainment space or even a home office with the addition of some shelves and a nice rug or two. Do have a car? The storage options abound! From floating shelves to stackable storage and even suspended shelving from the roof beams there’s very little reason not to make the most of this oft-neglected space.

The Office

Working from home sounds luxurious but as the initiated well know, it can drive even the most stoic of humans to madness! The antidote to this insanity is bringing order to the chaos. Getting a professional filing system might seem absurd but having that security for your important documents is a huge relief. Without the stress of losing paperwork, you can spend that energy on tackling your business goals for 2020 and keep track of all the progress you’re making.

Having an organized home is not just about the physical simplicity and ease it brings to your life. It also helps keep the mental clutter at bay! There are a plethora of ways you can life-hack your way into a more organized and productive year and hopefully, these have just gotten you started! Go forth and conquer! 


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STORAGE + ORGANIZING

Storage with Style

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Storage…..when it comes to keeping a busy family organized storage is key! It’s not easy (or necessarily affordable to add closet space) but finding the right baskets can keep your space organized and without Mom and Dad doing all of the work.

Storage Baskets for Kids’ Stuff

I love baskets for kids because it is easy for them to tidy up! You can teaching them how to sort by labeling your baskets (one for trucks, one for LEGO…..can you tell I have 3 boys!) Plus with stylish baskets you can keep a shared space like a living room or family room, clutter free and calm.  I have made a rule that if we run out of room in the baskets – we don’t add baskets, we de-clutter!

Storage with Style

You might think that a storage basket may not work with your decor but there are so many shapes, sizes and styles…..I have sourced a number of different options and they are all on amazon (who doesn’t love online shopping?!)

1 – Large seagrass woven basket

2 – Woven wicker basket with handles

3 – 4 piece cube stripe storage baskets

4 – Large cotton rope stripe basket

5 – Round grey storage basket

6 – Grey linen storage basket

7 – Medium nickel wire basket

8 – Round large wire basket (antique copper)

I also love using baskets for smaller spaces that tend to get disorganized – bathroom vanities (in my home anyway) tend to get messy and fast.  I love small wire baskets for storing various products (shampoo, conditioner etc…).  The wire makes it easy to see what’s inside and if there’s a spill – it’s so easy to clean.

I also love to use baskets to keep my pantry organized. Mostly for smaller things like spice packages and my coffee pods.

What do you use to keep your space organized?

MORE GREAT STORAGE PIECES …

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INTERIOR DECORATING TIPS, TRENDS

5 uses for trays and why I love them!

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Trays are nothing new.  They aren’t trending and they aren’t usually on any one’s ‘must-get’ list.  But I love trays.  There is something so simple and tidy about them and they can be used in so many rooms.

Trays come in different sizes, colours and materials and I love them all!  They keep items in an organized yet stylish arrangement plus when it comes to cleaning – just move the tray out of the way and clean !

When using a tray as a part of your room’s decor be sure to add some decorative elements like a vase of flowers, candles something so that it just doesn’t look completely functional.

1 – The living room:

I love having a tray on an ottoman or even the chaise of a sectional.  They provide a flat surface for serving up snacks and drinks but they also provide a neat and tidy space for TV remotes and coasters.  But you can also use them as a display area for decor on a coffee table.

2 – The Kitchen:

Not the usual spot for a tray but again they keep the items you need easy access to at arm’s length but without the clutter.  I have one in my kitchen to hold my knife block, salt and pepper, olive oil, a tea towel and other small essentials.

3 – The Bathroom :

A smaller tray would be needed but it saves the same purpose keeping your counter top clean and clutter free.  Depending on the look of your bathroom, you could opt for a mirrored option to add some sparkle and shine!

4 – The dresser:

A tray is a great spot to group items you use everyday together.  So think lotions and potions, jewellery and scarves, make up etc…You could likely opt for a larger tray for on top of the dresser (if you have the surface space).  I also love small dishes (think tea saucers) for small jewellery items.

5 – The Bed:

Breakfast in bed!  Serving space for coffee, fruit, croissant and more…such a wonderful way to wake up someone special!  Do I need to say anything more?

Useful and stylish – the perfect piece to have at home, I love mine!


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HOME STAGING, STORAGE + ORGANIZING, WE ANSWER WEDNESDAY

We Answer Wednesday – Closet Space and Organization

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“When you are selling your home do you need to stage closets and other storage spaces like the unfinished basement and garage?”

One of the first things buyers look for in a home is space, especially more storage space. 

Buyers will be opening up and peeking in storage spaces like kitchen cabinets, pantries, closets, vanities and other storage areas in the home.

 

It’s ideal to go through all your closets, kitchen cabinets or any cabinets that are provided in built-ins and included in the sale of the home. Buyers are nosy and they want to know what they’re buying so focus on organizing and packing up items you won’t need while on the market.

You really want to show off all of the features of the home and storage is a big must for buyers.

Remove as much clutter as you can and start pre-packing.  You will be taking it with you anyway, so pack what you don’t need (while living in the home during the selling period) and look into storing it off site maybe with a family member or a good friend.

For ‘staging’  your storage, follow these tips:

– In bathrooms:

use small baskets or trays to keep everyday hygiene items looking neat and tidy.

– In the kitchen:

be sure that cabinets are neat and tidy (no tupperware overflowing), pantry is organized, and be sure not to store items (decorative or functional) above the cabinetry or fridge it looks messy and it screams that there is a lack of storage

– In all closets:

be sure to hang clothing, be sure that the closets aren’t over stuffed, remove items from the floor (unless they belong there) and fold items that don’t need to be hung.

– In unfinished storage areas like the basement and garage:

they are used for storage so ‘stuff’ is expected but keep it organized and tidy in boxes and bins – people will want to see where they can store seasonal decor items and sports equipment like skis.

 

Remember the person buying your home is buying their new home…

so make every aspect of the home exciting from the kitchens and bathrooms to storage spaces.

When it comes to staging your home for sale – it’s always a good idea to remove that clutter (don’t waste time, money and energy packing and moving things you don’t need).

Present an organized home – it looks and feels great plus it sends the message to buyers that there’s lots of storage here and that’s something all buyers are looking for!

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