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10 Simple tips for a clean and tidy home

Don't feel like spending hours with the household? Then I have 10 simple tips for a clean and tidy house for you. These tips are ideal for families with (young) children. A clean and tidy house feels like a home for the whole family.

Clean up and clean

Most people won't have it as a hobby:cleaning and tidying up. Nevertheless, a tidy and clean house provides a pleasant feeling. In fact:a clean and tidy house ensures that you experience more peace and that it is pleasant to come home. So don't put it off any longer, but implement my tips today. Easy tips that can be applied quickly and from which you can benefit immediately. Moreover, you don't have to worry about unexpected visitors that come by.

10 Simple tips for a clean and tidy house

A clean and tidy house doesn't have to be difficult. Often it is a matter of doing things differently for the best results. That certainly applies to the tips below.

1. Make bed

Maybe not the first thing that comes to your mind because no one but you (and your partner) comes into the bedroom, but making your bed is still part of a tidy and clean house. Do not make the bed immediately after getting up, but leave it unmade for a while. In the meantime, air the room and hang the bedding by the window for a while to air out. In the meantime, you can have breakfast and get ready to go to work. Before you leave, make sure you have made your bed. Do you have children? Then make their beds too.

2. Organizing drawers according to the Marie Kondo method

Lately there has been a lot of buzz about Marie Kondo and her clean-up method. Now I am not a fan of certain actions that she commits (thank the house, thank every piece of clothing you throw away, etc.), but she does give good tips regarding tidying up and folding for example. This certainly applies to clearing clothes in drawers. The clothes are not stacked, but folded small in the drawer.

This makes the drawer uncluttered and the clothes are easy to grab without having to rip apart a pile of clothes. Ideal for children! Sort clothes such as underwear and socks in a small container that you can buy at Ikea, for example. Especially for children it is very important to keep an overview. In addition, there is a drawer with trays in which everything is sorted, which is also very neat and tidy.

3. Look for smart storage options in your home

Walk through your house and look for ways to store unused items out of sight. Think of a drawer under your bed, the unused space under the stairs or even the crawl space. Take a critical look at the design of your closet and organize it again, maybe spaces will arise where you can store other things.

Also make sure that things are less likely to be in sight. For example, you can store your child's small toys in baskets that you put in a cupboard with open compartments. This means that the toys are within reach, but neatly stored in baskets and the living room radiates tranquility.

4. Minimize every 6 months

Whether it's clothes or toys for the kids, things can quickly accumulate. It is therefore good to take a few days every 6 months and take a critical look at all your belongings. Go through the wardrobe and get rid of clothes you don't wear. You can sell these on Marktplaats or make someone else happy with it. Be sure to read my 5 tips for a tidy wardrobe so you can always keep order.

You can also sell or give away toys that are not looked after. Or you let the toys rotate:every six months you put some of the toys away and give your children different toys. After six months, this toy is put away and you get the other stuff out again.

5. Clean and tidy countertops

That sounds very simple, but in a small kitchen this can quickly cause problems. Therefore, create extra storage space and leave as few items on the counter as possible. Also make sure your countertops are left clean after each use.

This does not only apply to your countertops, cupboards in the bedroom should also be tidy as much as possible. Think of the chest of drawers in the nursery or the low cupboard in your bedroom. Store your make up and jewelry as much as possible to have a tidy bedroom.

6. Cleaning from top to bottom

Do you give the kitchen an extensive cleaning? Always work from top to bottom. Start with the top of the kitchen cabinets and work your way down. The floor is done last, so you don't have to do double work. That also applies if you are going to dust.

7. Do a little every day

Instead of letting the pile of laundry pile up until the weekend, do a load of laundry every day. When the laundry is dry, fold it immediately and put the clothes away. Wipe the toilet every day and make sure you do a little bit around the house every day. This prevents the tasks from piling up and you end up spending hours in the household.

8. Purchase useful tools

It may sound a bit strange, but housekeeping becomes a lot easier with the right tools. After years of having a bad vacuum cleaner, I am now intensely happy with my Thomas vacuum cleaner. This is a wet and dry vacuum cleaner and ensures that the hair of the dogs and cats really disappear.

A handheld vacuum can also come in handy or a handy mop, which you can use to clean quickly and easily. Or consider investing in a robotic vacuum cleaner. Everything that can make your life a lot easier and with which you can finish the household faster is well worth the investment.

9. Don't sit down

Of course you are tired at the end of the day and you want nothing more than to sit on the couch and recover from a long day. However, it is better to make sure that your house is tidy first. Once you sit down, it is much more difficult to get up again to clean up. Walk through all the rooms and clean up the mess of the day. This is especially a tip for all parents.

Also, make sure you use your time as efficiently as possible. While cooking, prepare the lunch boxes for the next day. Get rid of dishes in advance. Turn on the dishwasher before going to bed. Clear the sink immediately after washing the dishes.

In short:make sure you can sit quietly without clutter around you. That also ensures that you arrive in a clean and tidy kitchen, living and dining room in the morning. And believe me:that gives peace of mind.

10. Many hands make light work

The last of my 10 simple tips for a clean and tidy home is:don't do all the work alone. Especially if you have a partner and/or children, make sure everyone lends a hand. No matter how small children are, they can always help. Let them bring their own dishes to the kitchen, help them unload the dishwasher or teach them to clean up their toys immediately after playing.

It goes without saying that you can divide the household tasks for your partner. This way everyone does a little bit of housework and you both have more time for other things. In addition, you enjoy a clean and tidy house, without only one person having to do all the work.

Do you have any additions to my 10 simple tips for a clean and tidy home? Let me know.