Few things put me into a feverish sweat more than the threat of company. I was raised in a household with four generations of incredibly tidy women who led me to believe that your home was to be as clean as a five star hotel at any given moment, just in case someone was to “drop by.” First of all, if any one were to “drop by” my apartment in this day and age, I’d honestly go into some sort of millennial-based freak out, similar to the gory horror of the unexpected phone call, but I digress. Furthermore, my Dad likes to vacuum parallel lines into the carpet and didn’t allow me to wear shoes in his car until I was 18, so you could say I come by this all very honestly.
The Mommie Dearest style cleaning method that I was reared on has instilled a level of perfectionism and aggressive hospitality that I need to impart onto others, not only so that I don’t suffer alone in the quiet terrorizing thoughts of un-fluffed pillows, incorrectly folded towels, and dusty baseboards, but because I am genuinely grateful for this cleaning knowledge and am sharing some of my favorite cleaning hacks to help you keep your space Spring clean, all year round!
Daily
- Make your bed! Something that takes less than five minutes can have such a positive impact on your day. I like to make my bed as soon as I get up, it signifies that I’m about to attack the day and I’m also doing future me a favor because she gets a nice fresh bed later.
- Do your dishes! (This is the best sponge of my life.) Keep your kitchen sink free of dirty dishes and wiped clean of any residue. Give it your Mariah Carey “My All” and try and wash your dishes after every meal so the pile never gets so daunting that you never even go back into your kitchen and now you only eat take out, which is simply uneconomical and not the “you” I know.
- Spot clean your bathroom! The bathroom sink should be wiped down so it’s free of any soap scum and toothpaste. This is easy to add into your routine either after you shower or after you brush your teeth before bed. I love this Mrs. Myer’s Lemon Verbena Multi-Surface Cleaner for wiping everything down. Also, try to keep your sink area free of too much product. Minimalism is key when you’re trying to keep a clean bathroom. I recommend a pretty soap pump and a freshly scented candle for the perfect sink display.
- Fluff your couch and pillows! Nothing says, “I’m ready for my close-up” better than a freshly fluffed seating area. I make it a habit to reset my living room decor before I go to sleep every night so that I wake up to a picturesque habitat. A couple of times, I forgot to do this and I woke up at 3:00 AM (yes, the Devil’s hour) in a cold sweat and had a terrible night’s sleep. This could all have been avoided with a swift fluff of a pillow and a specifically placed throw.
Weekly
- Vacuum! Once a week, it's time to vacuum, Swiffer, or mop your floors. Or maybe all three. I recommend picking the same time every week so it becomes habit. Once I started really getting into the weekly vac, I noticed my allergies were better so basically the saying should be “A vacuum a week keeps the doctor...away.” I invested in a Dyson Cordless Vacuum and have zero regrets.
- Deep clean that bathroom! I mean it, toilet and all. Get a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and cast some spells on that tub! Also, clean your hand towels, don’t you hate when you go to someone’s house and you’re not sure if a. the towels are clean or b. is this their body towel that I’m drying my precious clean hands with? My hands, so precious, so clean, please help them.
- Change your sheets! There are few pleasures greater in this journey we call life, than slipping your sweet bod into a FRESH ASS BED. I literally have goosebumps thinking about the swishy sound of a clean duvet rustling against a down comforter. I recently made the plunge into linen and I’m never looking back. H&M do a really nice set here. I also recommend buying deep sheets like these, to avoid having them pop off the mattress. That is truly the worst. It’s like a wedgie but for your bed-gie...I’ll see myself out.
- Clean and dust all surfaces! This means evicting all the dust that has settled and a Windexing of all your glass tops and mirrors. For me this is really more of a daily thing because I live in Dust York City so feel free to adjust the timing of this as needed.
Monthly
- Get the corners! Pull out all of your furniture and vacuum and dust those hard to reach areas. I am also OBSESSED with this extra tall duster for getting the ceilings, walls, baseboards, fans etc.
- Clean your fridge! This makes a huge difference in your life. Having a clean organized fridge helps me personally eat healthier and not waste food and money. I love these refrigerator bins to help keep things tidy.
- Clean your stove! Mr. Clean recently came out with these sheets and I’ve been waiting for something like this for years. They are the perfect size for getting out really tough stove stains and you don’t waste any of the “eraser.”
- Organize! Get rid of anything that’s not “sparking joy” and make sure your drawers and closets are decluttered. I love going through my clothes especially, because I feel like I forget about things if they get pushed to the back of the closet. It’s like getting a new wardrobe!
Ultimately, this is all about being on top of things and doing yourself little favors so that future you can enjoy a nice clean space, and just in case The Queen drops by, you’ll be ready.
