Some helpful tips for cleaning house
 

From REAL SIMPLE @aol

Quick and Tidy
Just 19 minutes in the morning makes for a clean house all day


KITCHEN: 4½ MINUTES

• Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
• Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
• Wipe down the counters (one minute).
• Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).

Tip: Always start with the sink. "Keep it empty and shining," says Marla Cilley, author of Sink Reflections (Bantam, $15) and creator of FlyLady.net, a housekeeping website. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen's benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stove top spick-and-span, too.


BATHROOM: 2 MINUTES

• Wipe out the sink (30 seconds).
• Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
• Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
• Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
• Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).
• Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).

Tip: Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don't stop there. Get the most out of your premoistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.


BEDROOM: 6½ MINUTES

• Make the bed (two minutes).
• Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
• Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).

Tip: Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed will inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seem like a high priority as you're rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.


LIVING ROOM: 6 MINUTES

• Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
• Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
• Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
• Straighten coffee-table books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos (two minutes).

Tip: Start with the sofa — as long as it's in disarray, the room will never look tidy. Pop in a CD while you dust and you should be able to cover the whole room by the fourth track.

Thank you...this is a good checklist.

Just do what I do and that is get your girlfriend to tidy up. That way you get to spend more time in bed. If she complains just tell her she is fat and could do with the exercise.

:eek: :hmm:

oh i hope you simply forgot the [/sarcasm] tag, and are not serious!

SiN, look at his profile...
I don't think he was kidding...

My Hero.

;

thats some funny stuff, its not right though, but funny

Heh.

I don't think somebody like Arc101 will make it far in life. :D

Thanks for the suggestions JadziaDax! :)

Arc101, you wouldn't last long in MY house... I'd tell you to get off your ass and earn your keep at that point! ;)

Those are good tips, Jadzia!

great tips. the only thing I would add is to PAY ATTENTION TO SMELL. The cleanest house in the world is disgusting if, for example, the fish you put in the trash can sat in your hot kitchen all day while you were working.

So, i'd add to this:
- check each trash can in the house and empty if necessary
- check litter boxes
- get any dirty laundry out of the bedrooms and into a closed hamper in the garage
- no overnight dirty dishes. ever.
- spritz some lysol around if you need to.

I have some particular friends with dogs, and while they are good housekeepers, their house always is disgusting when I go there because it smells terrible.

thanks, jadzia :)

i agree with the last post! there are some stores that sell lovely smelling linen sprays. i have a spritz that smells like floral yumminess...i think i got it for three dollars at bath and body. hmmm...

the problem i have with the house we are in now is that its just too small, no matter what we try to do , its like moving one pile of crap from one place to another... we just simply need a place that is less cramped

That is an excellent list JadziaDax. I may share this with my co-workers, or come up with a workplace version. My desk is a mess. A sloppy person is less likely to be promoted, unfortunately in my case. Time to fix.

Thanks Jadz -- Very informative and therefore quite usefull! :)