Four ways to spend less time cleaning and more time chilling at home
We spend a lot of time, effort and capital on making our homes perfect. Discover four ways you can spend less time cleaning and more time chilling at home.
However, in recent months, most of us have spent an unprecedented length of time indoors. And that’s lead to a lot more wear, tear, clutter and mess around the home.
And if you’re the sort of fastidious person who can’t relax until the home is clean and tidy, this has likely exacerbated the inherent stress of lockdown. While we all like to keep the place clean and tidy, we don’t want to spend every free moment cleaning our homes.
Here are four ways in which you can spend more time chilling and less time cleaning while you’re at home.
1) More surfaces, less clutter
Are your window sills lined with photos, ornaments and knick knacks? Are kitchen countertops choc-a-bloc with utensils, pots and pans? Is the rim of your bath tub lined with bottles of shower gell, shampoos and conditioners?
The less surface we can see, the harder it is to keep the home clean, and while we think the items on display are lending a sense of personality to the home, the truth is that all they’re really doing is creating clutter… and that can be problematic for the state of our homes and our mental health.
The less you have on display, the less you have to clean around. So focus more on seeing more surfaces and less clutter!
2) Eschew carpets for hardwood flooring
Carpet looks cosy and feels lovely underfoot. But it’s also extremely hard to keep clean. As people come and go they treat dust, dirt, pet dander and even tiny insect carcases deep beneath the pile of your carpet.
And no amount of vacuuming can get rid of this stuff because it’s ground in so deep.
An alternative may be to invest in parquet flooring. It looks great, it’s easy to clean and maintain, it’s super tough and durable, and it can even positively affect your home’s value if you choose to sell it later.
3) Protect your sofa from spills with changeable sofa covers
Red wine spills, curry, tomato-based pasta sauces. Any one of these can prove a nightmare for your sofa. And it can take a lot of scrubbing, dabbing and swearing before all traces of the stain have vanished.
Save yourself a great deal of time and effort by investing in some changeable sofa covers. They’re quick and easy to put on and whip off, and they can be machine washed.
What’s more, they’re affordable enough for you to have several and alternate to change the look of your sofa depending on the season (or your mood).
4) Bribe the kids
Finally, it’s not fair for you to have to keep the house clean and tidy on your own. But kids can be serial procrastinators. While they may agree to help with cleaning and tidying readily enough, they may not share your sense of urgency.
A little ready cash or the promise of a special dessertis usually all it takes to motivate them, so you can enjoy some much-needed you-time!
