There’s a lot of advice out there on how to turn your house into the perfect home, or how to create the perfect atmosphere in any room. You know what people tend not to give you advice on? How to keep it that way. We all seem to know how to “revitalize” our homes in new and exciting ways, but then what? How many times have to tried something in your home that you read online and found it to be a wonderful change to your room, for all of two weeks? Then whatever you’ve done seemed to get obscured by the realities of daily life. Kid’s toys, important post, and general household clutter seem to do everything they can to turn your newly revitalized home back into its former self. The truth is, the reason these quick fixes are only temporary solutions is that they’re just that: quick fixes. In reality, the key to a home that feels fresh, cozy and comfortable is much more difficult and way duller. It’s about keeping your house in the state you worked so hard for when you first made those changes. A lot of the time, the cleaning and hard work you put in to make those changes is the real source of the brightness in your home. But unlike ways of letting light into your home, or “bringing it back to life,” keeping your home the way you want it can’t be done in a single afternoon. In fact, it’s a matter of smaller jobs that have to be done much more frequently. Here are a few ways that you can keep on top of things and make sure your home stays as clean and bright as it deserves.
Don’t neglect the little things
A lot of the time we can point to great big things as a source of the problems in our homes. Rooms that are terribly laid out, hideous furnishings and borderline offensive wallpaper. But really, a lot of the things that can make a room feel dull and drab can be much more subtle. Even a thin layer of dust can have a remarkable effect on the quality of light in a room. It’s like the stuff sucks up all the light and color in a room, keeping it trapped and leaving the room gray and depressing. The same goes for your carpets. You might think that a deep clean now and then will work wonders, and it will! But unless you’re running the vacuum over it regularly, all those wonders will get un-worked pretty darn fast. These little jobs might seem like they don’t make that much of a difference, and on their own, they might not. But they start to add up over time, and when they do, they can undo all your previous hard work.
Purge
It’s only natural that people get attached to things. We love to keep things around that hold sentimental value. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it can add a wonderfully personal touch to your home. But it can go a little too far. We’ve all been into those houses where every wall and surface is completely covered in knick-knacks or souvenirs. They feel pretty small and cramped, don’t they? Well, it’s a good idea to have a good hard look around your own home from time to time to make sure that you’re not getting into the same condition. It’s a great idea to keep some things around. But there’s a fine line between decorating and hoarding. You should be willing to be totally ruthless when it comes to chucking things away. Look at your possessions and ask yourself, “am I really that attached to this?” You’ll probably find that a lot of the time the answer to that question is no. It’s surprising how often we keep things around because they just become part of the scenery and we practically stop seeing them. Having semi-regular clear outs, you can prevent your home from because over cluttered and feeling cramped.
Get some help
Now this might be a little bit controversial. Many people thumb their noses at the idea of getting someone else to come and help with their housework. That feeling comes from that strange attitude that your worth is based on how perfectly you keep your home in order. That attitude is, quite frankly, total nonsense. Lot’s of us work and live busy, demanding lives. The idea of someone being able to work, raise their kids and cook the family meals and still having the time and energy to keep their house looking perfect belongs with elves and wizards. Because it’s pure fantasy. Services like TIDY allow you to keep your house looking great without completely exhausting yourself. A lot of the time you don’t need to worry about breaking the bank either. Plenty of housekeeping services are pretty affordable these days. Either way, it’s a small price to pay for a comfortable home that you don’t have to break your back for.
Habit
This might be the single most important word when it comes to getting your house in order. Getting into good housekeeping habits is the best possible way to keep your home spick and span. Are there tasks you find yourself putting off time and time again? (Cough bathroom tiles cough.) Then make sure that you’re setting aside specific days and times each week to do that job. Make sure you don’t weasel your way out of it either! With a little commitment then eventually tasks like that will become second nature to you. Suddenly they won’t feel nearly as much of an annoyance or a burden. A specific housework schedule can work wonders for keeping your home the way you want it. If you’re working through things as a list, then there’s no chance that things can get on top of you. That way, your house is that much less likely to get filled with clutter all over again.
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