Clean & Organized: Is there such a thing?

   By Runner, blogger, health foodie, wife, & mom  Feb 06, 2012

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Perhaps I am just crazy, or as my husband says, OCD, but I love to keep the house in a shape that we could have surprise guests come at any time and I wouldn't feel horrid about receiving them. Here are a few of my favorite products & tips that keep my sanity in check.

$PullQuote$1. Many people say to have a daily schedule that has a light cleaning duty for each day. As psychotic of a scheduler as I am, I have yet to be able to adhere to such orderliness, but for those it works for, kudos!! Below is a brief example from my dearest type A friend.

• Monday-dust
• Tuesday-clean kitchen counters and bathroom vanities
• Wednesday- empty garbage cans (usually best to do the day you take trash curbside) & do ironing
• Thursday-clean toilets & tubs
• Friday-vacuum
• She reserves the weekend for 'family clean-up' where they bust out larger cleaning tasks (baseboard wipe downs, laundry, room cleaning, etc...)

2. For non-schedulers, like me, I just take stock each evening of the current state of my house after our nightly routine of tidying up (picking up all toys and other objects that made their way into the living areas). I pick one or two things that need to be done. I have found that dusting can stretch to bi-weekly.  Having just a few tasks to 'anticipate' the next morning gives me less dread.

3. I do laundry as needed. I throw a load in before school drop off and place it in the dryer when I return home.  I fold whenever I get the chance. I have learned not to fold certain items and it cuts time. Each family member has a clothing basket and all items that don't need folding get tossed in and the folded clothing goes on top.  Separating laundry during folding has honestly cut time down in putting it away.

Items I love to use!

• Swiffer Sweeper
  • I am in love with my swiffer sweeper. If you have hard floors of any type, this product is amazing! It dusts, it vacuums, and surprisingly for such a small contraption.  I love that dust bunnies under the bed fear me and my swiffer!
  • I run the swiffer at least once a day to pick up the crumbs my precious daughter trails EVERYWHERE despite our best attempts to curb this (I swear she hides crumbs somewhere and just scatters them to annoy me HA HA!)
  • For the bathrooms and other tiled surfaces,  I use a wet cloth to get a light mopping in while vacuuming.
• Baskets
  • Play Room- labeled for what toys go in which ones (for non-reading children you can place a picture on the outside to remind them)
  • Mud Room- One for each family member to keep 2 pairs of shoes and other outerwear in check by the door
  • Living Room- to keep magazines, remotes, movies, blankets, and even one for a few toys
  • Car- to keep toys, backpacks, work stuff in one area verses scattered everywhere
• Snapware/Tupperware/Lock & Lock
  • Keeps flour, sugar, coffee, other baking essentials accessible and neat.
  • Reduces spoilage and getting that stale taste in cereals & grains.
• Drawer Organizers
  • Kitchen- for the cutlery and junk drawer too. Helps keep things accessible and easier to find than a scattered drawer.
  • Bathroom- for my make-up, kids bows & hair clips, toothbrushes, toothpastes, Q-tips etc...
  • Garage- keeps smaller tools, nails,screws, bolts, pieces easier to find
• Labeler
  • I use this to label all those millions of chargers you accumulate with all the influx of electronics.  Each charger has a label for what it charges and they are all kept in a box in our kitchen
  • Label storage bins 
• Wipe Erase board
  • Kept right beside the door, it has a calendar section I can write down appointments, events, etc...so every reading family member knows the 'goings-on' of the family.
  • Another section below is where I jot down reminders (i.e.-"honey-take out the trash")

SO- what are things you do to keep organized and ready for anything? I love new tricks, tips, and sanity savers!