Friday, June 8, 2018

Nine Reasons Why it is Important to Keep a Clean House

Today's post is a guest post from Stephanie from Training Keepers of the Home.

A clean home should be a priority for all homemakers. In Titus 2:5, women are called to be busy at home. One way to be busy is to maintain a clean home. It is not about perfection, but the heart of the home is the people who live there. Do all that you can with what the Lord has given you.



   
 As a homemaker, it is imperative that your home be clean and organized. However, why is it so important?* 
 *A chaotic house = chaotic life: The world is chaotic enough. Why should your home be crazy? Your home should be your sanctuary where your loved ones can find rest. Be the calm in this world. Let your home be a peaceful tranquil place for your family. Your home should be an oasis in the storm. A dirty, unkempt house is not calm nor very relaxing. It creates a feeling of being out of control. If you have no control of your house and the state of cleanliness, there is no control for your family. 
 *Sickness Control: An unclean house is a breeding ground for germs and viruses that can cause your family to become ill. Maintaining a regular cleaning of your house can dramatically decrease the amount of illness within the four walls of your house. 
 *Save Time: A clean and organized home is an efficient home. In an cluttered or unclean home, time is wasted when spent looking for lost items. Or if items are dirty, time is spent having to clean them up. 
 *Save Money: In an organized home you will not have to replace lost items because you will know exactly where they are. Also, in a clean home items tend to last longer because they are being properly maintained. 
 *Hospitality: If your house is clean, you’re more likely to be hospitable and invite others over. What is more inviting than a clean house, snacks, and great fellowship? 
 * Less Stress, Less Anxiety: It has been proven the clutter, chaos, and the level of cleanliness directly affects your mental state. Keeping your house clean and organized will help to eliminate unnecessary stress and anxiety 
 *Sleep Better: Your family will be able to sleep better because you’re happier in a clean room. Your mind is not being cluttered with anything but rest and a good nights sleep. A feeling of accomplishment will add to a restful nights sleep, too. 
 *Good Stewardship: The Lord has blessed you with a home, whether it be big or small. It is still a blessing. Providing your husband and children with a clean home is a way to demonstrate good stewardship in the Lord’s provisions. 
 *Creativity Abounds: By providing your home with a clean atmosphere and no clutter taking up precious space; your family will have the space to be creative. Creativity thrives in an organized environment.

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CLEAN YOUR HOME IN 12 STEPS


1. Create a List of Zones

Every room in your home becomes a zone. For example, the bedroom, living room, and kitchen are each a separate zone. A large area, such as a garage or full basement may need to be broken up into two different zones. Write these zones down on a list.

2. Determine Your Cleaning Schedule


Let’s say that you have 12 zones, and plan on doing one zone daily; this would give you 12 days of cleaning. Now you need to determine the time each day that you will be cleaning. Do this when it best fits your schedule.

Be realistic about this and don’t overextend yourself, it is easy to get too gung-ho and think that you can tackle the entire house in one day. This will result in becoming burnt out and not completing your cleaning.

On your calendar and schedule include the following:
  • Time of day to clean, ie : 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. spring cleaning in the Master Bedroom
  • Days you will be cleaning
  • How long per day you will be cleaning (how many hours a day)
  • Starting and ending dates

3. Make it Visible

Post your zone list and cleaning schedule in a highly visible place so that it can be seen.

Hiding on the back of your child’s closet door probably won’t work well, but putting in the area where you eat breakfast certainly will.  

4. Prepare Yourself

The thought of cleaning is often overwhelming to many, let alone the thought of actually doing it. As a homemaker, it is our responsibility to ensure that our home remains a haven. In order to have it remain a haven, we must remain motivated to clean our homes. Dirty homes more often than not lead to a chaotic and stressful environment that breeds sickness and lack of sleep. In the long run, a dirty home costs more money and time for your time as well.  

5. Prepare the Cleaning Solvents and Gather the Necessary Tools,

*Stock up on the proper cleaning supplies such as a multipurpose cleaner, window cleaner, vinegar, and so on.

*Keep the solvents and tools close by and in a convenient location so that each day you can just grab them and go.

*Wear an apron with pockets. This has been the biggest time saver for me. Often when cleaning I will see the missing piece to puzzle or game, coins, or other random loss toys and I can just place them in my apron pockets until I am done. Then I can place them in their proper spot. The apron pockets also have ample room for holding tools, a small spray bottle, and a few cleaning rags.

Discover the biggest timewasters for homemakers



6. Don’t Waste Time, Instead Plan Your Route

You are only given so many hours in a day, thus it becomes imperative that you spend them wisely. Don’t fall into the time suck that many do by allowing distractions to cause you to lose your focus, and eventually your momentum, which results in nothing becoming accomplished.

*Instead of becoming distracted, devise your route as to how you will clean each zone.

*Work from top to bottom: Ceiling, lights, walls, fans, to the floor.

*Create your system: Dust, wipe, scrub, rinse, and in some cases dry off with a clean microfiber cloth.
 

7. Declutter

Before you begin cleaning in your designated zone for the day, declutter the zone.

*Pick up visible trash

*Have a trash bag handy to put trash into.

*Go through drawers, boxes, totes, under beds, shelves, and such. Every single major area should have a quick once over.

**This is not the time to go through clothing or file drawers, which is too time intensive for now, but that is covered more in detail in my seasonal chore chart.

If you looking for more tips on how to declutter click on the following links below: Cutting the ClutterHow to Keep a Clean Home

8. Organize

Titus 2:5 calls women to be ‘workers at home.’ We are to be ’employed’ at home. Because we are employed managing our homes, we must not sit idle. In Proverbs 31:27, it states that “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

By managing our homes we are bringing order to our homes. By bringing order, it is then that our homes become a place of tranquility and peace. Our children and husbands can relax and feel loved. How do we make our homes tranquil and peaceful?

By establishing routines and schedules our homes become organized and clean. An organized home is uncluttered.

Disorganization tends to breed chaos, which causes stress. Stress then can easily overwhelm us and in many cases almost causes a paralysis of sorts, which prevents us from even attempting to clean or organize our homes.

The central aspect of becoming organized is to put things back in their place.

**Everything should have a home**


Read below on how to become organized:

Stay Organized as a Homemaker

Biblical Homemaking and Organization


9. Pray

*Pray for each zone that you are cleaning it. Pray for peace and love to fill that space.

*Pray for the hearts of the ones that will fill up that room.

*Pray that the Holy Spirit becomes a discerning voice in their life.

*Pray for inspiration as you work along, pray for contentment in what you are doing. Not many may appreciate the hours that you spend on your hands and knees cleaning, but know that the Lord sees your hard work and dedication. You will be blessed.

10. Stay Motivated and Encouraged

It is easy to look at a large or even small house and easily become discouraged at the thought of starting a cleaning routine, let alone completing it. However, below are a few ways to stay motivated as you work along.

*Enlist the help of your children

*Keep the music on

*Open the windows to let that fresh air in

*Listen to an encouraging podcast or sermon as you are working

*Pray as you work along

*Promise yourself a reward when you are done for the day

*Take a picture of your progress as you work along. Compare before and after pictures.

*Realize that you are working for the glory of God and that there is a greater purpose in this.

*You are doing this because you love your family.

11. Visualize the End Product



*This tip is simple because you just have to imagine how clean and fresh your house will be when you are done.

*Having the spring cleaning schedule posted will allow you to see the end date and stay motivated as well.

12. Follow these Tips and Tricks for a Super Clean House

By now you have probably figured out that is not a get ‘er done cleaning list, instead, it focuses on more how to become better organized and prepared for cleaning. Cleaning your home involves your mind, body, and spirit. It can be a tough job, and I am not promising an easy-to-do list, but one that focuses on a good work ethic and logically preparing yourself to look ahead for your household.

"The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit."  Proverbs 14:8

Cleaning Tips and Tricks


*Use natural ingredients whenever possible

*Use multipurpose cleaners

*Eat a hearty and healthy meal prior, one that will sustain you for the task ahead

*Avoid distractions

*This is the time to go a little deeper than your normal daily, weekly, or monthly cleaning chores. For example, pull out the refrigerator and clean behind and underneath it, as well as the washer and dryer. Pull everything out of your cupboards and pantry and clean them thoroughly, too. Move your furniture and clean under them if you never include this in your regular cleaning routine.

*Don’t forget to clean your ceiling lights and fans. Using a ladder remove all the parts and pieces, and the ones that be cleaned immerse in hot soapy water. By the time you are nearing the end of cleaning that particular zone, the fixtures should be clean.

*To clean walls: First take a broom or duster and wipe in a downward motion. Then using a spray bottle of cleaner, spray along the top near the ceiling, and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes. By now the all you need to do wipe down with a microfiber cloth or a Swiffer-type broom.

*To clean mop boards or trim, use the same method, but instead you will be on your hands and knees.

*Wash the windows inside and out as well, this gives the finishing touch to each room.

*Wipe down all wood furniture and polish

*Thoroughly vacuum each cushion on a couch or chair and also inside the couch with the vacuum attachments, too.

*Clean cobwebs out of each corner and hard-to-reach areas with a long-tailed feather duster.

*Use a steam mop if you have access to one in areas with large amounts of tile to save time.

*Hang out blankets, rugs, and pillows for the day. Shake off the winter debris and dust, allowing them to freshen up in the sunshine.

*Clean air vents

*For more tips and inspiration, check out. Cleaning Tips and Helpful Hints

    
Receive Blessed Homemaking in your inbox. Subscribe here.

2 comments:

Thank you for visiting Blessed Homemaking!

I love to hear from you. I may not always be able to reply right away, but I read every comment you leave.
~God bless you~