Our house has been on the market a little more than two weeks and we’ve had a number of potential buyers come in and out during that time. Some have given us a day’s notice to prepare, while today’s all but knocked on the door while I was still in my pj’s!
Whether you’re selling your home or are pressed for time and want easier ways of cleaning, there are ways to thoroughly clean your home without spending your day off doing so. Below are a few tips that have cut my cleaning time in half:
Stick to a routine. My entire house doesn’t need to be cleaned every single week, but I do have a dog who sheds so vacuuming the floors and furniture is part of my daily cleaning ritual (especially now that the house is on the market.) If you stick to those areas that get dirty or cluttered faster, you’ll avoid having to clean the whole house more often.
Work smarter, not harder. I used to use a bunch of different tools to clean my house: newspaper and white vinegar for streak-free mirrors, windows and stainless steel, dust cloths for furniture, swiffer for blinds and ceiling fans, along with a bevy of different cleaning solutions.
After reading an article about the wonders of microfiber cloths in one of my many home decor magazines, I bought a five-pack of them at Marshall’s and went to work. I may be the last on the block to discover this, but they are amazing! I can use them on everything-furniture, mirrors, windows, glass, the kitchen sink, you name it, and it saves me some dough on paper towels. Throw them in the wash to disinfect and restore their plushness.
Use less cleaner. Do you pile on the cleaning solution, thinking it will clean your bathroom sink or mirror better? Think again. Spray less to clean less. Spray cleaner directly on to a microfiber cloth and hit only dirty areas-instead of wiping down the entire back door, just hit where kid’s fingerprints have been left behind. You’ll cut your time in half.
Photo by swgrlimited
Another smart trick is to clean from top to bottom. Clean counter tops first and then vacuum or wash floors. You’ll save yourself having to go back over things
