by Mindy Laughton

I live in Orange County, one of the most expensive parts of Southern California. Located near Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, the county encompasses some of the highest priced real estate near Los Angeles. My house is not particularly big, but for the cost of it I like to maintain it and keep it clean. The trouble is that with children running around, this can be a challenge. our cost of living is estimated to be at least fifty-percent more than comparable cities, so it’s difficult for me to justify a cleaning crew for the home 24/7.
It’s said that one’s space is reflective of their state of mind. Keeping that space clean can be a challenge, with rewards that aren’t immediately clear. Cleaning is the gift that keeps on giving. It might be the aftermath of a party or just everyday clutter building up. Hardwood floors are tough to keep dust free, carpets get stained. What’s a girl to do for sanity and peace of mind?

Keep the Kitchen Spotless

Your kitchen is the toughest place to clean because it sees heavy use and it’s prone to buildup if you don’t stay on top of it. The first thing you can do is prioritize your work load. Clear a few minutes out of your day to do dishes, and have your spouse wipe down the stove. Families sometimes adopt a rule where the person cooking doesn’t clean.

Remove the glass plate in your microwave and give it a thorough wipe down with a damp cloth about once a week. You should also remove the burners and grease catchers from your stove and let them soak in warm water.

Go through your cabinets and get rid of appliances that you no longer use, like knives that have gone dull or dishes you don’t want to keep. Give these things away to your local salvation army or church.

Set a Chore Schedule

Create a manageable chore schedule that everyone in your home can stick to. You can give the same job to each person each week, or just have a list of what needs to be done and let people claim the work as it comes up. A schedule helps identify what needs to be cleaned and who is doing the cleaning.

If you want to gamify chores in your household, try offering an incentive like a dessert or a movie date if all chores are completed on time.

Hire Someone for One Day

Hiring someone to clean your house for a day relieves you of the heavy lifting and gives you a day off. Some cleaning companies offer deep cleaning services and this is really what you want for the bigger jobs that require more man power than what you have on hand. Smaller cleaning chores are a different story, depending on how much of a clean freak you are. But the basic premise is: you want to disinfect your house. The recent article on CleaningOrangeCounty.com even recommends running your kids’ toys through a wash cycle to disinfect them.

Bathrooms

If you want to clean up shaving quickly, ask the men in your family to shave over a trash can. A wet rag and a ten second stop to wipe down the sink will work too. If you’re thinking I know, and I’ve told them, try gamifying the task. Each time the men wipe down the sink, they get a point earned toward something they want.

Get a scrubber brush from your local market and use it with some bleach to clean the bathtub. Do the same for your toilet and sink. Go over mirrors with window cleaner. All you need is about once a week, twenty minutes per bathroom.

Laundry Tips

Get one of the big plastic bags they sell at furniture and grocery stores. Those are good for transporting laundry around the house, or to a Laundromat if you live in an apartment. Using a laundromat may be cheaper for you, and you can arrange for other things to do while you’re out and about. Get some extra reading done, or shop for those inedible necessities like office supplies.

‘No Shoes’

Establishing a “no shoes” rules for the home can cut down on the amount of dust and dirt you track into the home. [Editor’s note: Fewer pollutants come in that way, too!]  That helps cut down on the vacuuming you need to do daily to keep the house clean and tidy. Take that extra time and use it toward doing something proactive for the home, like cleaning the back yard.