by CL Nelson

Created on: May 13, 2008

Cleaning! Who loves it? Well actually, I do. For me, cleaning is therapeutic. I enjoy discarding rubbish, putting things in their rightful place, and polishing fixtures and furniture until the house shines. I love the satisfaction I receive from a sparkling clean house. So you might expect that I have some helpful tips to keep your house clean. You're right, I do. My tips are common sense and require you to develop some happy habitscleaning habits!

Tip 1: Invest in Getting Organized. Invest a little money into bins and baskets of varying size. Use these bins to give your things a place. Neatly label each bin and basket so the whole family knows where things belong. Place bins in high traffic areas to collect the shoes, backpacks, mail, jackets, and toys. Instead of dropping backpacks on the floor, put them in the backpack bin. Shoes usually scattered across the floor? Well, no longer. Take those scattered shoes and put them in the shoe bin. Do you carelessly drop your mail on the counter or corner of the bookshelf? Does the mail pile grow and grow until it resembles a small paper mill? It doesn't have to! Mail no longer needs to be strewn across the counter. Take a moment to recycle the junk mail and place the bills into its tidy little mail bin. Once things are stored in their proper bin, place the bins in their designated bin area such as the closet, cabinets, and cupboards.

TIP 2: Easy Access. When I moved into my first two story house, I noticed that I kept all the cleaning items downstairs; a habit from my previous one story living. It was a nuisance to walk up and down the stairs to retrieve all my cleaning items. As a result I, the happy cleaner, would not clean as often. Once the dust accumulated to a point I could no longer ignore, I devised an easy access system. I placed cleaning supplies and products in each bathroom. Also I added dusters, swifter brooms, and furniture polish to both the upper and lower levels of the house. I have to admit, once the cleaning products were more accessible, I was back to my cleaning routine.

TIP 3: Establish a Routine. First, examine all the chores that need to be accomplished. Determine which chores should be done daily, weekly, or monthly. Daily chores are simple, dishes, beds, and a quick tidy up. As for everything else, it's either a weekly or monthly chore. As a family decide who's going to do what. Assign chores to family members and designate a family chore day. In our house, Saturday is family chore day. This

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