Spring has sprung upon us – and perhaps has caught some of us by surprise, given how terrible the weather has been in the UK this year. I’m taking advantage of this sunshine we’ve had and doing some proper cleaning. And thought it would be great to share a little wisdom.
I was never very good at cleaning after myself growing up – it was a skill I had to acquire after moving to London as an adult. At first – it used to cause anxiety and stress given how messy my living situation was (particularly during Covid lockdowns).
It did take quite a few years to find my groove in cleaning, and I’d like to say I am pretty good at it now. I mean, I did start a cleaning goods brand… so I hope that’s actually true.
The start to good cleaning is building a foundation of good habits, and everything else falls in place after.
My three key tips are:
1. Discipline
People will find it strange to say that discipline is my number one tip. And it really is. A lot of people tend to allow things to pile up: dirty dishes in the sink, worn clothes, and leave things out of place. This is done with the intention of tidying and cleaning up later, either when the mess has become overwhelming or otherwise at a specific time or date.
While the above is a system that works for many – it just doesn’t suit me. It would cause me anxiety – knowing the amount of effort and continuous amount of time that is required to deal with this.
So my advice is to tidy up and clean often. Break down your chores into chunks of 15-minutes, which makes the whole affair much more digestible. So when you’re cooking your next Sunday roast, wash and soak your utensils as you go. Don’t leave clothes in random corners of your home.
We’ve also written about making cleaning an every day ritual.
2. Organisation
It’s rather impossible to be clean without being tidy. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a picture-perfect Vogue house, with minimalist scandi-aesthetics that everyone seems to be going for today.
But finding a place for things to live is essential for keeping a tidy home. Get some book shelves, get some boxes (any kind) to store things you don’t use often. Keep your clothes in the closet, shoes in their places.
With the above, your home will feel less overwhelmed and crowded.
3. Find joy
Cleaning isn’t fun for most people – it’s something we have to do constantly. And people associate the act with an obligation and that just sucks the fun out of it completely. For some, using the right products is a great start. That’s why we’ve just released our spring bundles.
Not thinking about cleaning as a chore is also a good step. But finding joy in it is the most important thing to do – may as well since we’re forced to. I personally like to listen to music whilst doing it, generally some techno to pump me up or classical music to relax me. Sometimes jazz and oldies do the trick.
We’ve put together a Spotify playlist for you to enjoy your cleaning.
