7 Steps to a Cleaner House

Well, it might not take 7 steps, but it will certainly get you in the right direction. I've noticed that on the days I get up, shower, and get dressed I have a more productive day. An example is this morning. I've made my bed, and started a load of laundry. I realize that neither one of these tasks are really huge, but in the whole scheme of things, it's all the little things that have to be done throughout the day to keep my house neat and tidy.

The other reason I always try to start out first thing in the morning is if I need to run an errand later in the morning, a lot of the little things are already done and it's easier to keep the house going in the right direction. Doing little tasks here and there makes a tremendous difference in keeping my house neat.

Here's my list of things I do first thing in the morning and then of course other things as the day goes on to keep things stress free:

1. Make the Bed
2. Start a load of laundry
3. Load or unload the dishwasher
4. Wash pots and pans
5. Fold a load of laundry
6. Pick up any stray toys (at my house they are all over the place)
7. Clean the countertops in the kitchen

The morning is also a good time to think about dinner in case anything needs to be taken out of the freezer for defrosting or it gives you plenty of time to throw something in the crockpot to slow cook all day. I've finally come to terms with the fact that whatever I do to keep the house clean gets undone because we have to live here. Have fun with cleaning, and just remember that cleaning house is an ongoing process and can't be done once a week.