Maintaining a tidy home.

It's more complicated than it sounds to keep your home clean and tidy all year round. Many of us do the obvious things like vacuuming the carpet and dusting the furniture but taking a more organised approach is critical to having a clean and healthy home. So here are a few simple tips to make it a little easier. 

Before you start cleaning, you need to tidy, and for some people, that can mean decluttering. Actually, get rid of stuff you don't need or use. For example, it's much easier to dust without a million ornaments that you have to move first. And if you've got furniture, you don't really need, such as a piano nobody plays anymore, then get rid of it. 

Next, you'll need to look at all the tasks that need to be done and how frequently. Some jobs like wiping the table after a meal or doing the dishes obviously need to be done daily. While other chores, such as vacuuming the floor or dusting the furniture, most people will be happy with doing every week. Many years ago, I worked at Mcdonald's, and they had a saying they drilled into employees, clean as you go. They meant to clean up small messes as they happened, which is excellent advice for many tasks. For example, suppose your food makes a mess in the microwave. In that case, it's usually easier to clean it straight away before it's dried on. But you may still want to give it a more thorough cleaning every week.

You should also clean your windows regularly; most people can do the inside quickly enough, but having a commercial window cleaner come and have a go at the exterior windows is well worthwhile, especially if you have a two or three-story home and find the windows hard to reach. 

There are other tasks that you should have done by a professional too. Changing the under-bench water filter, for example. Have your curtains cleaned and your upholstery. Having your carpet steam cleaned by a professional at least twice a year is also a great idea. This keeps your carpets looking new. It makes your home healthier too. Dirty carpets are far worse for your health than many think. And professional cleaning extends the life of your carpet, saving you from the expense of replacing it. 

Once you've got a list of all the jobs that need doing and how frequently each needs to be done, you'll have to put aside some time for cleaning. Simply taking half an hour after dinner each day and setting aside an hour or two once a week for bigger jobs will make a massive difference to most people's homes. And remember, a clean house doesn't just look nicer it's healthier too. Both physically and mentally, it's way more relaxing to sit down in a lovely clean house and have a well-earned cup of tea or perhaps a glass of wine. 

Here's a few links to businesses that can help keep hour home spic and span

Simply Window Cleaning can get your windows spotless.
Tony's Transport can get rid of large unused items.
Aqua Filter New Zealand can change your water filter.
EcoSan Carpet Cleaning can clean your carpets and furniture.

So there's no excuse not to keep a clean, healthy home.