Who gets that special zen feeling after they’ve finished decluttering and cleaning their space? We certainly do! And, plenty of other people around the globe do too. It’s no coincidence that buddist monks have a saying ‘Live to clean and clean to live’. In many cultures and societies, cleanliness has been associated with good mental and emotional health.
Dr Sherrie Bourg Carter, a psychologist and author writes on Psychology Today that “messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli...causing our senses to work overtime.”
In today’s busy society it’s easy to get bogged down with household mess so here’s some helpful tips on how to stay on top of your cleaning.
We believe a clean space means a healthy and happy home life for not only you and your partner but for your growing family as well!
1. Healthy habits
Before we get out the vacuum and mop, the first step is to practise good personal hygiene as a family. Hand washing, cleaning surfaces regularly and using wipes or hand sanitizer when your family is ‘out and about’ for the day is a great way to up the cleanliness of your whole household. We are also big fans of regularly opening up all the windows, airing out the house and upping your indoor plant count to increase the air quality in your home.
Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
2. Spring cleaning all year round!
Doing a routine clean out doesn’t just have to happen in Spring. Scheduling a household ‘spring clean’ every change of season will mean you cut down on the total time you spend on it. Whether you favour the ‘KonMari method’ or are a devotee of ‘Swedish death cleaning’, there’s lots of ways of doing your clean out. Every household, and family is different, so just do what works for you! We suggest ‘chunking it down’ into more manageable ‘zones’ or areas throughout the day/over a couple of days.
When doing a clear out of your possessions make sure to donate things that are still usable and in good condition - you can even pass along the items to family or friends. And, to ensure you don’t end up with a house full of low-quality, ‘seasonal’ products you have to throw out next time, we suggest changing the way you consume. Investing in a well-made item that you’ll have for years and years means less spending in the long run and less wastage; it’s why at Marmalade Lion we only make high-quality products that you invest in once and love forever!
Photo by Mikael Cho on Unsplash
3. Cleaning hacks
Don’t make things harder for yourself, where possible use innovative hacks or products to help make cleaning quicker. There’s plenty of ideas out there on the web and Marmalade Lion has designed special products to make #parentlife easier! Our Bed Pads for instance, make middle-of-the-night accidents a cinch to clean up. No more stripping the whole bed, you simply take the bed pad and throw it in the wash. Your little one’s mattress topper and mattress will remain clean and dry, helping you keep the mattress warranty intact.
Our Splat Mats are another way you can cut down on cleaning post meal time. They are placed onto the floor under your baby’s high chair to catch crumbs and spills. When your bub is done eating, you simply grab the Splat Mat from the floor and throw it in the wash. And, for an even more streamlined meal time with less laundry stress, why not add one of our Feeding Smocks to your routine? Pop over your bub’s outfit and protect them from stains and splashes!
Photo by Ross Sokolovski on Unsplash
4. Mother Nature’s cleaning products
Harness the powerful, natural cleaning agents found in your pantry for an alternative to harsh chemicals. You can make your own cleaning products at home, cutting down on costs and the amount of nasty toxins your family is exposed at the same time. More often than not you’ll only need a couple of ingredients; the most common ones being baking soda, lemon, essential oil and olive oil.
For instance, lemon can be used in place of bleach when cleaning your bathroom, this includes on mirrors, taps, shower doors and even the toilet bowl! You can simply squeeze lemon juice onto a sponge or cut in half and rub the lemon directly onto the surface you wish to clean. For more natural cleaning ideas and recipes, we recommend researching on Pinterest - there’s so many to try!
Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash
5. Share the household chores
Involving your kids with the household chores will make for a cleaner home and teaches them a life skill that will benefit them their entire lives. Setting chores for your children to complete daily/weekly will help them learn about teamwork, discipline and health. Start them early and reap the rewards as they grow up. Who knows? You might not even have to do their laundry when they first move out of home! Setting the table before dinner, clearing away their toys into storage containers after they are done playing with them and carrying out the pegs to the clotheslines are great examples of small tasks even toddlers can complete. When they get a little older you might want to think about creating a chore schedule complete with gold stars and prizes.
