The 10 Commandments Of A Clean & Tidy Home

Everyone loves a clean and tidy home, but busy lives and ongoing distractions mean that we can't always achieve this.

I've put together Ten Commandments to help you keep your home lovely and clean. Please let me know in the comments if you have a cleaning commandment that you live by.

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1. Thou shalt sort through my clothes every year

This commandment is for those who enjoy shopping for clothes. If you find yourself with a wardrobe jam-packed with clothes and drawers stuffed full to the brim, it's important to take a look at them.

Take everything out and lay it on a clean vacuumed floor. Grab three sheets of paper and label them with the words:

1. 'Keep'
2. 'Donate'
3. 'Sell'

Easy!

Here's an easy tip to help you work out the clothes you really use:

Once you've gone through your wardrobe, hang everything back up with the hangers facing the opposite way to how you usually have them.

Every time you use an item of clothing, hang the hanger back the correct way on the clothes rail.

After a year, place all the clothes you haven't worn in either the 'Donate' pile, or the 'Sell' pile, depending on the item.

2. Thou shalt not spill

It's easy to unlock the door, come in from a hard day and kick your shoes off, and throw the rest of your belongings - shopping or handbag, wherever they may land.

As satisfying as it is to drop everything on the floor, you'll end up with a cluttered hallway, bedroom, kitchen, or living room because of this lazy behaviour.

The next time you come in from the outside world, take your time to stick to a routine.

Why not:

1. Throw your keys in their home
2. Put your shoes away
3. Hang up your coat
4. Empty shopping bags
5. Relax!

This will mean that all your bits and bobs will be put safely away in their rightful homes and when it comes to leaving, you'll know exactly where to find it all.

A little organisation goes a long way!

3. Thou shalt declutter

Clutter is 'a collection of things lying about in an untidy state.' I'm a magpie -  my house is full of little bits and bobs which means that all of a sudden, I can find myself surrounded by clutter.

Luckily, I'm a well-practised... er... declutter-er.  Check out my article on how to declutter your home... for good. It's important for you to know how to declutter your home and keep it a calm, stress-free place. 

If you have trouble letting items go, ask a friend to help you as you go through your belongings. They won't have the same emotional connection as you and will help you realise whether you truly need it or not. 

Remember to repeat the following mantras:

• I will not keep something out of guilt, or obligation.
• I am not afraid to let go

I know how tricky it is when you've been given a lovely gift from your aunt or friend, but it's important to realise that you are not obliged to hold onto them for the sake of it.

Repeating the mantras will help you to remember that getting rid of a special object does not mean that you are a bad person. 

4. Thou shalt dust & vacuum

There is a lot of debate around whether you should dust or vacuum first.

1. The first is to dust before you vacuum - this way you can suck up all the dust particles that fly into the air and land on the floor. 
   
   
2. The second is to vacuum before dusting. It is thought that your machine will kick up dust that will then settle on surfaces which will require dusting.

We don't mind which one you do, but we do know which one we think is correct. Check out our other article to find out the answer.

5. Honour thy cleaning rota

However the cleaning duties are divided up among the inhabitants of your home, it's important to make sure you, and everyone else, is fully aware of what they have to do and when they have to do it.

Whether your rota is handwritten or printed out, make sure it's positioned somewhere that everyone can see it. 

Try:

• Taping it to the fridge
• Hanging it up in the hallway
• Sticking it on the front or back door
• Pinning it on a noticeboard

There are lots of different ideas on the web, so whether you're in a shared student house or family abode, you'll be able to find a cleaning schedule for you.

Do you have children?

Here are some cute printable kids chore charts from Molly Maid which include achievable tasks for children, such as:

• Put away toys
• Feed the dog
• Set the dinner table

Student household cleaning rotas can include more grown-up tasks.

Try:

• Recycle bottles
• Clean the toilet

Whatever your cleaning rota includes, be sure to make sure everyone involved understands each job on the list.

Once it's all understood, you can relax and enjoy a clean and harmonious household.

6. Clean-as-you-go when cooking in the kitchen

We all know that kitchen mess is frustrating, especially when it's left piled up for a few hours. The key is to clean up as you go, meaning that you fill that sink with hot soapy water so it is ready and waiting for your pots and pans. 

Place any empty cans and wrappers straight into the normal bin or into the recycling bin. After peeling, put those peels straight into the food waste bin!

Wipe up accidental spills as soon as they happen - you don't want greasy oil or sticky sauces to hang around on your counter.

If you're vigilant to the created mess, then you can be quick to act and keep on top of it.

7. Thou shalt invest in a clutter basket

A clutter basket is one of the most popular cleaning solutions at Expert Home Tips, in fact, we all have one!

It's simple really, all you have to do is purchase a beautiful basket to go in your living room, one for your kitchen - any room where your family, household members and clutter gather.

Here are some of our favourite baskets from Amazon:

• Chevron storage basket set - ideal for kids rooms
• Seagrass storage baskets - great for home offices
• Woven storage baskets - perfect for the living room

At the end of every day, make sure everything that doesn't belong in the room is placed inside. Toys, magazines, clothes- make sure all the clutter is gathered up.

Every few days, carry your basket and return everything back to its rightful home, and dispose of any rubbish. 

If you can, get everyone working together to put items around them into clutter baskets. Teamwork makes the dream work... and that dream is a tidy home!

It's such a simple tip and will help to keep your home clean and organised throughout. 

8. Thou shalt organise thy fridge

Do you often peer in your fridge and rifle around trying to identify where a particular pong is coming from?

This is the sign of an unorganised fridge.

Here are our top tips to keep your fridge under control:

• Dedicate the top shelf to foods that will go off the quickest - fruits and vegetables.
• If you spill sauce, wipe it up quickly, or consider covering your shelf with cling film to prevent spills.
• When undergoing a big clean, wipe down the inside of the fridge with the soapy water, taking care to clean and dry shelves and drawers.
• Keep items in labelled baskets, e.g. 'lemons + limes', 'vegetables'. This will make things easy-to-grab... as well as easy-to-tidy!
• Store condiments such as mayonnaise, which has natural preservatives, in your fridge door. They can stay fresh in the warm space.

Like with all household mess, if you manage to stay on top of it, the less intimidating the cleaning task will be.

9. Thou shalt wipe after use

Help out Future You by cleaning as you go in the kitchen and bathroom. There are lots of surfaces that you can wipe after every use, including:

• shower door
• bath
• kitchen surfaces
• microwave
• table
• stove
• sink

If you use it, give it a quick wipe with a cloth 0r sponge.

Position cloths or wipes around the kitchen and bathroom so they're easy to grab.

Our secret shower door cleaning trick:

Try hanging up a Squeegee in your shower so you can give it a quick swipe when you're done. They can also be used on fogged mirrors and windows. 

10. Go easy on yourself

This last commandment is an important one. It's important to remember that your house is above all, a home, and you shouldn't let a little mess get you down. 

A little clutter doesn't mean you're a bad person. 

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