How To Fake A Clean House
by Caitlin
My house is {almost} always 15 minutes away from looking clean. Four tips I’ve gathered over the years that {almost} never fail to make my house look cleaner than it is:
- Spend 15 minutes a day picking up.
- Never waste a trip.
- Automate a cleaning schedule.
- Target the dead-giveaway-spots.
I’ve got to throw that ‘almost’ caveat in there because if you really live in your home, it won’t always be clean. But you sure can fake it!
Back to the tips:
Tip 1: If your house is basically picked up, it looks cleaner than it is. Guaran-stinkin-teed.
Tip 2: Double your effectiveness by utilizing the time you’re walking around to put things away. Going to the bedroom? Take something with you that needs to be put back.
Tip 3: Break down the main weekly chores {mine are the kitchen, bathrooms, dusting, and floors,} and assign them each a day. {I use my google calendar so the tasks automatically pop up each week, but sometimes I just like to use pretty paper, so I also made myself a little chore chart.} Depending on the size of your house, you’ll probably spend an hour or less cleaning a day- and if it’s automated, you save time and brain space!
Tip 4: If someone is coming over, hit the tell-tale spots: mirrors, kitchen counter, sinks, and empty the guest bathroom trash. Voila! Fake clean complete.
Now that I shared all my secrets, you have to promise not to look too closely if you come over, ok? Now do me a favor and let me in on your faking-a-clean-house tips, too!
PS If you want a pretty chore chart, too, you can download mine here: GTR Weekly Tasks.
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This is pretty much what I do too. Different days for my tasks, and I have to do laundry almost every day (4 people), but basically it’s the same. I do a quick pick-up first thing in the morning and also in the late afternoon (this is also when the kids clean their rooms) so my husband comes home to a “clean” house and we can enjoy our evening together.
For me, it is imperative to clean the kitchen as I cook, or right after dinner. So, I send the kids off to get ready for bed (they’re old enough now to do everything themselves) while I wash dishes, etc. Then, once the kitchen is clean, I can read a bedtime story and cuddle.
Brilliant! I know it will change when we do have little ones, and I’m going to tuck away your routine for then! I heart Evernote. And you, of course!
My kids also help out around the house. Both of them clean their own rooms, empty their laundry hampers into the hamper in my room, make their own beds (I have to help my 4 year old a bit), and clear their dishes after every meal. My son wants yet another Transformer so he asked if he could do extra chores to earn money. So, I’m going to give him some dryer sheets and let him dust the baseboards for me. :)
And I ❤ you too.
I have a better way! Hire a maid! :-)
Lol! Yes well maybe if I lived in China… ;) Love you!
Fake cleaning is my favorite way to clean. ;)
Lol! Agreed. :)