How to Learn the Art of Housekeeping

Whatever you call it, housekeeping, homemaking, or just plain cleaning, keeping a home clean should be a primary concern for every homeowner. If you plan on entertaining, having a clean house is an essential first step towards making a good impression. If your home is your sanctuary, you'll want a neat, refreshing place to relax. Fortunately, learning how to keep a house clean and organized is a skill that can be self-taught.

The first thing you'll want to do is to organize a schedule for cleaning, organizing, and upkeep. There are many options out there, the simplest being a list of chores that need to be accomplished. I recommend that everyone have at least this basic list at hand. Go room to room and list everything, down to the finest detail, that needs to be done to upkeep that room. Also, make a note of how often the task should be completed. You can break down the list by room and frequency, and then you have an upkeep schedule.

Now that you have your schedule and routine set, you can move onto the second function, setting yourself up to clean. You'll want to have the right amount of cleaning tools and supplies. Use just as many supplies as you actually need, not more or less. Make sure to always keep them on hand.

For cleaning supplies, I use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water as a general cleaner. Vinegar cuts through grease and dirt, and putting the solution in a new spray bottle makes it easy to apply. Baking soda mixed with a tiny bit of water makes a good scrubbing powder, and is gentler than most store bought cleaners. Baking soda and vinegar, when used together, clean drains and make stinky garbage disposals a little easier to bear. The only products I buy at the store are toilet bowl cleaner, dish and dishwasher soap, and laundry detergent. I keep these on hand, as well as vinegar, baking soda and bleach. (Instead of a laundry softener, I use dryer balls.)