We only have a few more weeks of summer left and the last thing any of us want to do is spend these warm days cleaning our house when we could be outside enjoying the sun with friends and family. This goes for our team of cleaners as well. We all love cleaning, but when it comes to our free time, you will not find us passionately scrubbing our toilets.

At the same time, we also don’t want to come home and find our homes in disarray, dust bunnies floating by in triumph, and toys making themselves permanently comfy on living room floors. So, what in the world can we do to maintain our home without taking time away from enjoying the rest of our summer (or throughout the entire year for that matter)?

I know I shouldn’t say this, but sometimes, the bare minimum for house cleaning is enough. All we need is a plan to keep our minimum from expanding into hours upon hours of cleaning.

So, let’s get you back outdoors enjoying your summer days with a few tips to maintain your house by doing the absolute bare minimum for cleaning!

Clutter Storage

More often than not, your home isn’t dirty…it’s overrun by clutter. All this means is that you have clutter that can be stored. The best way we’ve found to handle clutter without taking too much time is with storage boxes.

 That’s right! Bins and boxes are the bare minimum cleaner’s best friend as you can simply toss things into them, quickly stopping sock piles from becoming sock beds. A few bins our team and our clients benefit from include:

• Keeping shoe bins by the main entryway to keep shoes from sprawling out and wandering through the house.

• Storing hats/mittens/etc. bins at the main entrance to toss the many layers we take off when we walk in the door (especially during the winter months).

• Handy toy boxes where kids can simply toss their toss when done playing with them.

• The family junk drawer for all those random bits and pieces that float through the house. Just make sure to set aside some time every now and then to clear it out…you still want to be able to open the drawer.

I have yet to meet a family that does not have clutter to one degree or another. It’s simply a matter of keeping it contained rather than spread out that helps reduce the visual anxiety and “dirty” feeling it can create.

Kitchen Control

It’s easy to let dishes pile up in the sink with hopeful and well-intentioned thoughts of, “I’ll do this later” or “these need to soak…for days!” Not only does this often add to our stress and anxiety, but it can also lead to odours, stuck on grime, and, if you have pets, unhealthy and potentially harmful “treats” should they be able to reach the dishes. A few ideas on how to keep your kitchen clean without all the arm grease include:

• Wash the dishes and/or put them in the dishwasher as soon as you’re done with them. Do this every single time you use a dish, every single day.

• Clean up as you go when making meals or baking rather than waiting until after you’ve eaten.

• Wipe up spills and slops immediately before they dry on the counter and/or floor.

• Clear off the counter immediately, especially if you have pets. Remember - animals will not let anything come between them and the food they desire.

• Put your groceries away as soon as you get home. Just be sure to schedule the 5 - 15 minutes this will take directly into your grocery shopping activity.

Bathroom Benefits

I know, I know - the bathroom can be the bane of the home cleaning existence, but of all the rooms in your house, this is the one that should be cleaned the most. Sometimes, though, pulling out the scrub brush and shower squeegee is just too much. A few tricks to make this space feel a bit less scummy involve using the storage that already exists in the bathroom.

• Use the bathroom cupboards. As much as we like to have everything handy and within reach on the counter, this just creates clutter. Use plastic boxes to store your usual counter items such as hairdryers/hair products, toothpaste/floss, and makeup/makeup brushes, to organize these items. Then, put the boxes in the cupboard. When needed, pull them out, use the items you need, then put them right back where they came from. Personally, I’ve found dollar store containers work great for this without breaking the bank!

• Stand your items up. In the containers you’re storing, stand up your items if you can. This helps save time in identifying what product you want to use so you can easily locate, use, and put it back.

• Quick toilet scrubs. I always recommend cleaning the toilet because the toilet is one of the dirtiest seats in anyone’s home, which can be a health risk. But, you do not need to do the full scrub-a-dub-dub of the toilet. A quick pour of your toilet cleaner, sloshing around of the toilet brush, and a simple flush will suffice as a bare minimum cleaning hack.

One-Touch Policy

I have a colleague who uses a “one-touch policy.” This means that she only touches something once and deals with it right away. If she knows she can’t do something right away, she won’t touch the item until she can. Items I’ve since started using this policy for in my own home include:

• Emptying the dishwasher. Do not take the dishes out unless you are able to put them away in your cupboards immediately. Taking them out and leaving them on the counter simply creates clutter. Clean clutter, but clutter, nonetheless.

• Hanging coats and jackets. Hang coats and jackets up in the closet as soon as you walk in the door. If putting them on a hanger is too much - and it is for many people - invest in a coat stand where you can place your jacket.

• Controlling clothing sprawls. When you take off a piece of clothing either throw it in the hamper if dirty or hang/fold it and put it away if it’s clean and can be worn again.

The overall benefit of these bare minimum house cleaning hacks helps with your overall state of mind, your overall house cleanliness, and your overall enjoyment of your home. Plus, when/if you do have cleaners coming in, you are saving time and money because your cleaner will not have to remove everything, clean, and then put the items back having to organize them.

The bare minimum is about using a few minutes a day to tuck things away to maintain your home. Then, you can go out and enjoy your activities without having to worry about all the piles of stuff when you come home. Yes, it may take some time to start working these new cleaning habits into your schedule, but as you do, you’ll notice that you have more time in your day…and more space in your mind for the things that matter most to you!

If the bare minimum is all done and you’re ready for a deep clean, then that’s where a professional cleaning company can come to clean, sanitize, and bring back even more sparkle to your home.

Ready to go enjoy the last few days of summer and need a deep clean? Connect with us and we’ll get you back in the habit of easy, bare minimum cleaning ASAP!