When it comes to how to keep your house clean and tidy, I often go for the easiest option. I am not a fan of cleaning and now my Fibromyalgia prevents me from doing too much at once. I need to make sure the house can stay relatively tidy with as little effort from myself as possible. Not an easy feat with a messy teenager at home, however not totally impossible either.

Decluttering.

Recently I have been decluttering and getting rid of a lot of things I no longer want or need at home and trying to become more organised. Thanks to my Fibromyalgia, I need to find out how to keep my house clean and tidy easier than I have been. To start with, if I haven’t used something in the last 6 months, I obviously don’t need it. Honestly, I have been as ruthless as possible. I have a long way to go before I reach the point where I am happy and my home is easier to maintain. Especially when said teen is a self-confessed hoarder!

Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash

Decluttering is the easiest thing to do when looking at how to keep your house clean and tidy. If you want to reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning, then getting rid of as much ‘stuff’ as possible is the best place to start. Make a list of each room/area and tackle each one its own. This will help break the task down as much as possible into a more manageable job.

Sort everything into piles of keep, donate, rubbish and undecided. Be as strict as possible and try to reuse and recycle as much as possible. Advertise on local selling or free to you sites to help you redistribute anything you no longer want or need. It will also take some of the pressure off as people can collect from your home.

Use this method for toys, clothes, household gadgets and anything else you feel may be of value to someone else. It may take a while but pretty quickly you will start to see the benefits of having less at home to tidy up.

Once you have decided on what you are keeping, give it a specific home. This way you will know where it needs to go instead of just leaving it lying around until you get around to putting it away. Organisation is key once you have decluttered to help keep on top of what you have left.

Furnishings.

Keeping soft furnishings and furniture clean can be a big task on its own too. Especially carpets. this year, I am replacing as much of the carpet in my house with an easier to clean option. I have been looking at laminate, vinyl and engineered wood flooring. This way, I no longer have to worry about having a carpet cleaner at home or hiring one. A quick brush or vacuum and mopping will keep the floor looking good all the time without the need for more chemicals.

It will also help keep dust at bay which is perfect for my niece who stays frequently and has allergies. This type of flooring is minimal fuss and easier to keep clean than carpet. I have found my perfect flooring on offer and will be snapping up a white oak style pretty soon. In my opinion, if you are looking at how to keep your house clean and free from allergens, this is a great way to do it.

If you are looking at replacing your sofa, a leather suite will be easier to keep clean. As will one where you can remove the covers and clean in the washing machine when needed. My current suite gives me the option to do this and the arms and base are a leather style which is easier to keep clean.

Schedule Cleaning.

I am terrible for letting things build up and doing a big clean all at once. I am looking at implementing a more organised system. This means doing little bits more often. This means not only will it make cleaning more manageable for my Fibromyalgia, but will keep my home looking tidier in general.

So look at breaking tasks down into smaller jobs and allocate time slots during the day to keep on top of household tasks. 10 – 20 minutes slots will allow you to do more than you think, as will focusing on one room or job at a time. Set a timer for regular intervals in the day and do as much as you can during that time slot. For example, my washing machine has a 39-minute cycle. I use this time to clean around the kitchen, wash the dishes and brush and mop the floor.

Alternatively, when I am working from home, I drop Olivia off at school and then I use the time from when I arrive home until 9 am to do some small tasks. This usually allows me 20-30 minutes to tidy around my living room and hallway. As well as rounding up any laundry that needs doing and opening up some windows around the house.

If it makes things easier for you to set up a routine and clean certain areas on different days. Then break this down and try to stick to it as much as possible so things don’t build up and become too unmanageable.

What have you found is the best way for you when looking at how to keep your house clean and tidy with as little effort as possible?