Are you struggling to maintain a clean home? Let this one simple tip be just the motivation you and your family need to keep your home tidy once and for all!
It’s no secret that I enjoy having my home clean. But, let’s be honest. With 8 people living in our house, 6 of which are still very young, things get messy around here! Recently I found and implemented the easiest trick to keeping my house clean. In just a few short minutes each day, I can keep my house tidy and presentable should any unexpected guest drop by! Want to know the secret? I call it The Clean Sweep!
The Clean Sweep
The Clean Sweep is basically where I quickly go through the house and pick up anything that is out of place. The key to this method is to quickly put things back where they belong, not to just push it aside. If it is trash, throw it away. If it belongs in a different room, take it where it belongs and put it away!
Twice a week I will carry an extra cleaning tool around with me. One day it is the duster, another day is the vacuum. This way, everything stays in pretty amazing shape! I just walk around and quickly pick things up as I dust or vacuum.
When To Do The Clean Sweep
Each morning as the kids are getting ready for the day and I am putting in a load of laundry, I start The Clean Sweep. I check in each of the kids’ rooms to make sure they are tidy. I also do a Sweep of my room and all the bathrooms to put everything in order for the day.
In the evening before the kids go to bed we work together to make sure the kitchen and main living areas are clean. As they are getting ready for bed, I remind them to put dirty clothes where they belong, and clean up any messes made in their rooms throughout the day.
How this Makes a Difference
Master Bedroom
This room quickly becomes the dumping ground for everything that we don’t know where to put. I wanted/needed my bedroom to be an oasis from the chaos of the day. As I included my room in the clean sweep, my bedroom became a haven instead of a collection zone.
Bathrooms
The crusty toothpaste in the sinks and on the counters is GONE! We keep a washcloth on the counter to wipe up spills throughout the day and at night we give the counter a quick wipe and replace the washcloth for the next day. Best. Decision. Ever.
Kid Stuff
The kids are all responsible to keep their rooms clean. I was noticing things getting put away in odd places though. Under dressers and beds and in the corners of the closets were favorite hiding spots for all sorts of things. I was also noticing that their morning charts were being done fairly quickly, but with extra lumpy beds. This was actually the catalyst for The Clean Sweep.
When we meet together for morning scripture study, I just remind them of the items that I have put on their beds during my Clean Sweep that they need to take care of. This ensures that things are cleaned up and put in their place early in the morning before too many distractions can happen.
The biggest difference I have noticed by doing The Clean Sweep has definitely been in the kid bedrooms. When I ask them to clean their rooms, they aren’t immediately overwhelmed by the mess. They also are now in a habit of putting things where they belong so it is much quicker for them. They have also commented more than once on how they like their room to be clean and how it is easier to find things. We are creating life long habits for the kids of taking care of and being responsible for their own belongings.
Are You Convinced?
Seriously, if I were to say anything less than how life changing this has been, I would be lying. My house is easily cleaned from top to bottom super quick. I usually spend 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night getting everything in place with The Clean Sweep. If 15 minutes twice a day seems too much, think back to the last time you had to clean the whole house that had been neglected all week. Peace of mind and a clean house is what The Clean Sweep has brought me. Try it out! Let me know how it goes!
Do you do a Clean Sweep?
