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5 Tips For Zero-Waste Cleaning at Home

Disclosure: This post contains my personal affiliate links. All opinions are mine alone.

I’ve learned so much on my journey to becoming a zero-waste household this past year. Especially when it comes to cleaning. While there has been tons of trial and error along the way, one thing has remained true throughout my process, my understanding that a house is not truly clean if the process of maintaining my home results in all kinds of unnecessary waste.

While traditional cleaning methods rely on various chemical products, plastic bottles, paper towels, plastic bags, sponges, disposable wipes, and a ton of unrecyclable stuff, it just doesn’t have to be that way. You can alter the way you clean at home to be less wasteful, more frugal, and less time consuming too! Here are my five tips for getting started with zero-waste cleaning at home!

1) Rethink your cleaning tools: Start your zero-waste cleaning by first minimizing the number of ingredients and the tools required to keep your house clean. This will also help to limit the waste generated by the cleaning process as a whole. Things you’ll need include:

Bagless electric vacuum. Makes it easy to compost dirt and debris when emptied.
Wooden-handled straw broom and whisk brush. Long-lasting and biodegradable!
Galvanized steel dustpan.
Glass spray bottles for DIY cleaners.
Glass and stainless steel shaker. Readily found at Dollar Tree stores.
Mop with a wooden handle and washable head. For dust mopping wood floors.
Steam mop with washable pads for mopping all non-wooden surfaces.
Washable cleaning cloths.
Pumice stone. Naturally, scours toilets bowls without scratching.
Galvanized bucket. Purchased at feed stores for half as much as plastic buckets.
Collapsible basket. Used to pick-up items while cleaning and tidying.
Tapioca scrub brushes. One for cleaning dishes and another for cleaning grout.
Squeegee. Used to clean glass, shower doors, and tile. Also found at Dollar Tree stores

2) Create a cleaning routine: Cleaning routines are by no means new business. But creating cleaning routines based on how you clean and not what you clean it. A zero-waste cleaning routine relies on durable, lasting, renewable tools that can be washed and reused.

Once you have your tools, place your cleaning gear in the rooms they will be used, as opposed to one central cleaning space. This will keep you from wasting valuable time while cleaning having to go from room to room finding your cleaning tools. Next, you’ll want to create a routine based on your habits. For example, start your daily cleaning not in the morning but after dinner. This way you’ll start your days off with a clean home which will motivate you to keep your homes clean throughout the day. I start by cleaning my kitchen, followed by bathrooms, and high-traffic areas such as dens, living rooms, library, office, playrooms, and entrance ways. Bedrooms, on the other hand, can be tidied in under a few minutes each morning before you start your day.

Keep in mind, cleaning routines work best in organized spaces. If your home is super cluttered, start there. Once you’ve maintained your cleaning routine for a full season, it will become easier and over time you can even start to eliminate seasonal purges and tedious weekly cleaning sessions. When I started zero-waste cleaning a year ago it took numerous hours to clean my 3,000 square foot home. Now, I can clean my entire home in under an hour and tidy my house in half that time. Remember, cleaning is habitual and will take to master. Aim for consistency, not perfection.

3) Minimize the number of cleaners you use: When I first started my zero-waste journey I found my home to be in full possession of no fewer than a dozen cleaners. Each purchased because corporations and advertisers reassured me that I needed a specific solvent for each and every cleaning need in my home. With an average cost of nearly forty plus dollars each month! I soon realized that this was as far from the truth as could be. My favorite zero-waste cleaners are:

Baking soda. A true a workhorse. It can do almost anything – cleaning, scrubbing, absorbing odors, clearing drains, shining silver, killing mold and unclogging drains (when used together with white vinegar), in DIY dishwasher tabs, and many more uses. Buy it in bulk in reusable containers or in bulk bins to get the most bang for your bulk and less impact on the planet! I add it to topping shakers and keep it in my bathroom and kitchen for scrubbing and scouring.
Castile soap: Castile soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s, can be purchased at many bulk food stores in reusable containers or online. A few drops go a long way toward disinfecting surfaces and leaving your house smelling amazing, especially if you use peppermint- or lavender-scented soap. I use castile soap to wash my dishes, to mop wooden floors, to creating dusting spray, to wash my pets, and to clean our cars.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil, purchased in bulk, is good for removing stains from upholstery and carpets, polishing patent leather, removing chewing gum, cleaning shower scum, and for polishing stainless steel and stone countertops. Coconut oil is also naturally antimicrobial and so it’s great for rubbing into bamboo cutting boards after washing for extra disinfecting!
Vodka: Vodka, when mixed with cedar and lavender essential oils, creates the best fabric refresher!
White vinegar. This agent disinfects surfaces, softens fabric in the wash, cleans toilets, removes wax from vegetables, cleans floors, removed calcium buildup, and clears drains. You can also make your own vinegar cleaner. Three go-to varieties include:

All Purpose Vinegar Cleaner:

1 Cup Warm Water
1 Cup White Vinegar
Mix together in a spray bottle for use.

Scented All Purpose Cleaner:

1 Cup of Warm Water
1 Cup White Vinegar
10 drops essential oil of choice.
Mix together in a spray bottle for use.

Citrus-Infused Vinegar Cleaner:

Combine the peels of four lemons or limes in a quart sized mason jar.
Fill mason jar to neck with white vinegar.
Seal and store for one month.
When ready to clean, strain and add to glass spray bottle.
Use full-strength to clean shower stalls or diluted for windows and countertops.

4) Utilize the power of the sun and wind: Fresh air and sunshine should not be overlooked! The sun is the ultimate zero-waste cleaning tool! Laying cloth items in the sun to dry, known as sun bleaching, is a natural way of disinfecting fabrics and killing most surface contaminants. Opening your windows and airing your home out on non-windy days (to avoid dust contaminants coming into your home), is another way to help you live a healthier life while simultaneously reducing your need for toxic aerosol air fresheners.

5) Invest in good zero-waste cleaning cloths: I’m a firm believer in using the right tool for the right job. This is especially true for cleaning. You should always invest in good cleaning cloths to clean, polish, and sanitize your home. You will also need a few to get started.

Bar towels: Great for drying dishes without lint.
Drying mats: Used to air dry non-dishwashable items.
Shammy towels: Used to clean electronics without scratching.
Microfiber towels: Used to clean heavy spills, counter tops, general cleaning, and more.

My favorite microfiber towels? e-cloth. Because with e-cloth you can clean many surfaces in your home with just good old tap water! My favorite thing about e-cloths? They are also reasonably priced. My 8-piece home cleaning kit cost under $40.00. This is nearly a 1/4 of my annual cost for paper towels just a few short years ago! This is such a small cost for what you get, making e-cloth my go-to zero-waste cleaning cloth brand at home. If you’d like to learn more about the e-cloth 8-Piece Home Cleaning Set, click here.

So, friends, those are my 5 favorite tips for zero-waste cleaning at home. I hope they will challenge you to rethink the way you clean your home. Now I have to ask, do you already use any of these tips at home or do you have zero-waste cleaning tips you’d like to share as well? I’d love to hear about them below!

5 Tips For Zero-Waste Cleaning at Home

The 7 Best Spring Cleaning Apps You Need This Year

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite times of the year. I love nothing more than digging deep and giving my home a good spring clean. While I understand that not everyone is as crazy about spring cleaning and organization as I am, and while I don’t secretly understand what there is you could possibly not love about this annual spit shine ritual, I wanted to share some apps (for both ios and Android) that will not only make spring cleaning easier, but fun (yes, fun!) for everyone in your home, for both the skeptics and cleaning aficionados alike. Here are my 7 favorite Spring Cleaning apps for you to try at home:

Cleaning Checklist ($0.99 on iTunes)

Cleaning Checklist helps you organize and manage household cleaning tasks and activities. Pick any room in your home, select the tasks you want to complete, and then just check-off when tasks are completed. One thing I love about this app is that it shows you what percentage of the room is clean — so you can quickly see which rooms may still need some attention and which rooms need major detailing. You can also set personal task reminders such as “Cleaning Supplies” or “Needs Dry Cleaning” that will remind you what to pick up at the store or drop off for cleaning.

BrightNest (Free on ios and Android)

For those that look around at their homes and don’t even know how to get started, BrightNest is for you! Brightnest is the best app for learning how to take care of your home. The app is full of useful tips for cleaning specific parts of your home, from telling you what to use to remove toilet stains what essential oils will keep your garbage disposal from smelling to high heaven.

Spark Joy: The Official Kon’Mari App (Free on iTunes)

If you are a fan of the Kon’Mari method, this one’s for you! With the Spark Joy app gives allows users the opportunity to gain daily Kon’Mari tips, to organize your Kon’Mari projects by category, and to connect with other Kon’Mari users worldwide. The best part of this app? You can upload and share your Kon’Mari progress with others too! It’s like Pinterest for decluttering and Spring Cleaning!

Chore Bank ($1.99 on iTunes)

Want the kids to help with your spring cleaning chores? Yeah, here too! Chore Bank is essential for homes with kiddos as it allows you to set up a chore list, assign a monetary value or activity reward to each chore, to allow parents to know when a chore has been completed, and make virtual deposits into your child’s account that kids can later cash in on post-cleaning. You can even download a chore calendar and text reminders to your kids!

FlyHelper (Free on Android)

This app is for everyone who loves the FlyLady cleaning method or wants to give it a whirl! As an app, FlyHelper not only helps you keep your home clean and keep your life up to date with awesome free in-app organizing charts, but also gives you access to great reminders from the FlyLady herself such as pointers on self-care and time efficiency. You can even track cleaning and life events, both by daily and weekly points, and you can also control how you clean your home by creating “zones” you should work on each day.

Spring Cleaning Checklist (Free on Android)

Just a bit of a warning- this app could make you fall in love with spring cleaning! In addition to helping you create checklists for every room of your house, Spring Cleaning Checklist gives you tips for organizing family spring cleaning days, includes videos on simple cleaning methods and music playlists to help you along. You will want to use this beyond the spring cleaning season.

Motivated Moms Lite (Free on ios and Android)

Not a fan of major Spring Cleaning sessions? No problem! The Motivated Moms app allows users to perform specified tasks each day, with seasonal tasks thrown in throughout the year, to make maintaining your home and under one hour per day process. Users also have the ability to add unlimited custom tasks, check off chores as they are done, assign tasks can be assigned to people and rooms and sorted accordingly, and you can even print task lists through cloud printing right from the app! The app also features an option add-on for Bible reading as well.

So, everyone, those are my 7 favorite apps for Spring Cleaning at home. Now I have to ask, what apps or websites do you use at home to help you with your spring cleaning tasks? I’d love to hear about them below!

Here’s to Spring Cleaning,

16-Minute Bathroom Speed Cleaning Session

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScrubTheMess #CollectiveBias

If you’re anything like me, you don’t have hours a day to keep your house in spotless condition. But even without the need for a showroom shine, there are rooms that require daily maintenance and upkeep, regardless of how hectic our daily schedule is, such as our home bathrooms. So how can you keep things clean with a minimal effort and time? A sixteen-minute-or-less rule to clean my home bathrooms and it works wonderfully!

You see, the truth of the matter is, you can get a great deal of housekeeping done, in short, quick sessions when you don’t have distractions. Which is why It’s the 16-minute rule works so well for our family. So even if you don’t have sixteen consecutive minutes at present, there’s a good chance you will have sixty seconds here and there throughout your workday or evenings to maintain your bathrooms. Here’s how it’s done.

Reusable towels or microfiber cloths. I use 1 for mirrors, 1 for each sink, and 1 for each bathroom’s showers.
Orange infused vinegar spray. This is used for cleaning all chrome and mirrors.
Disinfecting cleaner used to clean out sinks.
Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber toilet cleaning system.
A timer to maintain my progress.

Here’s how the minutes break down:

Clear off all your surfaces. Put away your straight iron and blowdryer, recycle your magazines and empty cosmetic bottles, put your makeup away, and pick up laundry off the floor and place it in a hamper.

Surface Cleaning. Wipe down your countertops, toilet seat, and tank, as well as shower doors with a multi-purpose cleaner. Also, spray out your shower or bath stall with white vinegar.

Primping your bathrooms. To begin, refold your towels and place out clean hand towels. Next, close your glass shower doors, or pull your shower curtain closed. Check to make sure you have a steady supply of toilet paper, cotton balls, and q-tips in your space.

Clean off all mirrors and chrome fixtures with vinegar spray.

Minutes 5-6: Pull out your bathroom rugs. Take them outdoors and shake them out quickly. Then sweep your bathroom floors and place your rugs back in your space. Also keep in mind, twice a week I spend an extra 2-3 minutes by steam mopping my floors as well to prevent product buildup on my tile floors.

Begin your last minute by cleaning out in the inside of your toilet bowls. To save time, I use the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber and the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber Refills to help me quickly clean, sanitize, and sparkle my toilets each day. I love that using this product means just swishing around a pad quickly, making sure to hit the upper rim on our toilets and then disposing of the pad. Easy peasy!

Thes scrubbers and refills are awesome because they help me reach messes and grime from under the rim of each bathroom toilet that more simple products might leave behind.

Also, the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubbers have built-in, power-packed bleach alternative and a flexing head design with pumice scrubbing technology that helps scrubs away rust and hard water stains too! I also love that the unit system takes up little to no footprint in my small, compact bathroom spaces. Nothing is left after cleaning my toilet but shine!

In case you’re wanting to pick up these awesome scrubbing pads, they are available at your local Kroger.

And while in-store, be sure to look for a redeemable peelie coupon for the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber right on the package. It will say “Try Me Now! Save $2”. The coupon can be redeemed at the register at checkout.

At this point, I take an extra 30-seconds per bathroom to look over my space and assess anything else that might need to be fixed, cleaned, or adjusted. Or for a particularly hectic day, written down on my to-do-list for the next day. Then lights out! Mind you, sometimes I use this minute to see if my cleaning buddy, Boo Radley thinks I’ve overlooked cleaning anything in my bathrooms as well!

Repeat Minutes 1-7.5 on my additional bathroom.

At this point, there is nothing left to do but to put my cleaners back in my bathroom cabinets and throw my dirty cleaning cloths in the washer for next-day laundering. That’s it!

Overall, I love how easy, simple, and uncomplicated my cleaning system is for both my home bathrooms. I’ve really been able to make this system work for us by implementing it daily. By cleaning up that pesky layer of dust and grime each day, I save myself hours of monthly scrubbing on my tiled bathrooms spaces. This method saves me over eight hours of cleaning per month!

What do you think? Are you up for a little bathroom speed cleaning? I encourage you all to try your hand at 16-minute-or-less bathroom speed cleaning sessions, and to also pick-up and try out the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubbers and Refills during your next trip to your local neighborhood Kroger stores.

Here’s to cleaner bathrooms at home,

6 Tips For Better Litter Box Cleaning Sessions at Home

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyPetMyStar #CollectiveBias

If you’re anything like me, a house only becomes a home when a cat resides there. While the benefits of owning a cat, the companionship, the empathy-building nature of a pet and owner relationship, as well as the various studied conducted over the past few decades, which state that pet ownership in general, and cat ownership in particular, can improve your quality of life. These are only some of the reasons I have loved being an adoptive cat owner.

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If this wasn’t enough reason to consider owning a cat, for me there is still one even greater reason. I love that cats. Particularly my cats, Boo Raddley and Shadow. They are the most loving, thoughtful friends a gal could have. I also love that generally speaking, my cats required little training to use their litter box, as they have an innate desire to dig and bury their waste, making cats clean, conscientious, fastidious pets. So, if you love a clean, tidy home, team pride may be for you.

For you see, unlike other pet training scenarios, the challenge for cat owners is not to train a cat to use a waste removal system, but to see that the behavior continues. You see, once a cat develops undesirable litter box habits, the problem can be very difficult to resolve. So, here are a few suggestions to help you have successful litter box cleaning sessions at home.

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Making sure your cat knows where their box is located is vital to a successful litter box routine. Ideally, a litter box should be placed in a semi-private covered areas, removed from high-traffic zones, but not so isolated that it isn’t cleaned regularly. Also be sure to avoid placing the box next to food and water feeding stations.

All wastes, both solid and wet clumps, should be scooped out of your litter box daily. The entire box should be emptied, washed with warm water, and mild soap and enzyme cleaners weekly. Be sure to avoid strong-smelling cleaners when cleaning your litter boxes, as this may discourage your cat from using their litter box. Once cleaned, litter boxes should be refilled completely at least once a week. A two-inch layer of litter in the box works well for our cats. A tip? Keeping your litter close to your litter box, along with a small handled brush and dustpan set, along with a litter box scoop by each litter box makes for easy, simple litter box cleaning!

Many cats will refuse to use a litter box already in use from another cat. As a general rule, each home should have one box per cat, plus one. For example, a household of three cats should contain four litter boxes. In our home, we have three litter boxes, one in our kitchen, one in our storage room, and one in our hall bathroom to accommodate our cat’s litter box routines.

Your cat’s health can also cause litterbox issues. Everything from Colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver disease, urinary tract infections and diabetes can all contribute to inappropriate, outside-the-box elimination for cats. If your cat refuses to use their litter box it’s always advisable to check with your veterinarian to determine if a physical ailment is causing the litter issue.

Just like with people, stressful situations can cause distress for your pets. In cats, stress often manifests itself in litter box rejection issues. Instances including moving to a new home, the adoption and inclusion of a new pet, changes in routine, rearranged placements of new furniture, and even moving your litter boxes to a new location, even a few feet away, can cause litter box rejection and inappropriate urination. To avoid stress spraying, maintain a constant location for your litter box and cleaning schedule as well. Also keeping a minimal, low-distraction litter box station will keep your cats stress to a minimum while using their boxes each day.

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Cats can be picky. Some cats will use nearly any litter. Others will refuse to use pelletized litters. Trial and error is the key to lasting litter training success.

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From personal experience, I suggest trying several varieties of cat litter to find the best fit for your pet. We literally inundate our cats with their litter. One of our favorite tips for litter continuity is to leave your litter packaging about your home, to allow your pets to become acquainted with the scent of the litter.

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Once you have found a litter that seems to be accepted by your cat, don’t switch to another kind. Even if it may seem more convenient for you. Litter brand continuity is uber important to cats. For us, we chose Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade. I like to think that Boo Radley likes this brand as well. Whenever I bring his litter home he always likes to check out the new jug for himself as well. He’s a brand loyal cat!

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We find that Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade is a low-maintenance, high-quality, affordable cat litter solution. We also love that it can be conveniently found at my local Kroger grocery store.

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Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade at Kroger, with it’s guaranteed TidyLock™ Protection which helps to lock away odors that can lead to Stank Face. You know, the super stinky litter box odors that can make even the most dignified person’s face look like a petrified tree! Luckily, Tidy Cats’ wide range of products, so every cat owner can find the best litter for their cat’s needs, which means that you’ll never have to make another Stank Face again.

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So now, as a family, we can save time with Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade, as this litter helps control those stinky litter box odors while helping you save time and money by purchasing the litter at Kroger.

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We love that that this litter is pleasantly scented with Glade scents, as one of our boxes is located in our kitchen, as so many scented litters are rejected by cats, this makes the Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade a winner in my book!

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A bonus? This litter is uber light weight, which helps save my back from the enormous, heavy bags of cat litter we use to purchase in bulk from yesteryear. Being able to fit a power-packed jug of cat litter right into my reusable grocery bags at Kroger, is a victory in my book. Tidy Cats® Lightweight with Glade helps save my back, and wallet, at the same time!

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Natural Cleaning e-cloth Product Review

Please note, I received two free e-cloth samples for demonstration in this review. I was not compensated for my review. My opinions are 100% my own. Thank you.

When it comes to cleaning, less is always more. Call it my nature as an homebody or simply my zero-waste, greener living, minimalist mindset that craves simple, natural, effective cleaning methods in our home. Either way, the less chemicals and caution that goes into cleaning my home the better I feel about it.

So when I was given the opportunity to try out E-clothes and so I jumped at the chance to review these products because I had heard great things about them from Milk Allergy Mom and Humorous Homemaking.

And before I begin, let me just say that these are my thoughts on how well e-cloth products work in my home, and while I welcome your comments and thoughts below, please consider that my opinions are based on my own experiences with the products before making any outlandish declarations. I also am not an e-cloth (or any of their competitors) salesperson. I try to keep my reviews honest and unbiased as I can.

Again, I received both the e-cloth general purpose and the e-cloth glass and electronic cleaning clothes for the use of this review.

An e-Cloth is a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Each e-cloth has 480,000 fibres per cm2, giving each e-cloths enormous, lasting cleaning power.
The volume of cleaning edges, or fibers, when run across a surface allows for a deeper, lifting clean.
The fibers remove grease, dust, and dirt with only water.
Fabric makeup: 80% polyester& 20% polyamide
Clothes are made in Korea.
e-cloth ® General Purpose cloth penetrates and removes dirt, grease, oil, grime and bacteria on hard surfaces.
All e-cloth ^® cloths and mop pads come with a 300-washings performance warranty.
Each cloth measures 12.5″ by 12.5″ square.

You can use your e-cloth ® dry to dust. I used the general purpose cloth to clean walls, including drywall dust, ceilings, lamps, shades, and anything you could think of in terms of dry cleaning. All worked out well!
You can use your e-cloth ® wet to clean the fridge, outdoor furniture, toys, grill, smoker, bathrooms, chrome, dishes, counter tops, fabric, clothing stains, ceiling fans, soap scum, and much, much more. I loved them!
Also, all e-cloth ® cloths can be washed in your washing machine with low lint items, on a hot rinse cycle to hot allow the fibers to release dirt and grease each wash.
When washing these cloths you cannot use bleach or fabric softener.

Using the e-cloth I was struck by how simple cleaning my counter tops, glass, chrome, and wood furniture was – throughout my home, office, and work spaces. Traditionally I would have spent twenty minutes each day cleaning my kitchen, with the e-cloths only 5-6 minutes. Using e-cloths makes my daily cleaning routine faster and easier.

I also loved not having to use any chemicals, cleansers, creams, or agents while using the e-cloths. This made cleaning with e-cloths safe for everyone in my home, child and animal-friendly, and is especially beneficial to me as I am prone to allergies and asthma. This cleaning method is conducive to my beliefs in natural, holistic living.

I also liked being able to clean without using paper towels, as this helps us save money as a family; using e-cloths daily can help you save up to $200.00 yearly. And the best part? e-cloths help lessen our home’s overall carbon footprint and landfill waste, along with pollution that general cleaning chemicals could potentially create. This was an awesome fact to have in mind while using these cloths.

A few other points worth noting:

These cloths are antibacterial and help pick-up over 99% of bacteria on hard surfaces.
Are lightweight and easy to store.
Easily fits behind all my bathroom fixtures and toilet surrounds.
Removes small amounts of daily, humidity-induced soap scum. Build-up won’t be removed with e-cloths.
Dries quickly; my cloths dried in two hours in Mississippi summer humidity!

Also, I was able to try out the Glass & Polish E-Cloth, too!

With just a little water sprayed on my windows, these cloths cleaned my windows to a streak-free shine.
The other side of the Glass & Polish cloth, the polish side helped get my glass and mirrors to a polished finish in under a minute. The best part? They were also lint-free! This polish cloth is amazing if you love gorgeous, streak-free glass and mirrors!

General purpose e-cloth: $7.99US (or $14.99 as a part of a package with a Glass and Polishing cloth)
All e-cloth products can be purchased directly online from ecloth!

So, folks that’s it! I have really enjoyed using these cloths and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for affordable, natural cleaning methods in their homes this season. Also, if any of you have used the e-cloths of have tips and tricks for using these awesome cloths, I’d love to hear about it below!

Here’s to you,

Daily 1-Hour Zone Cleaning Routine

For me, there are lots of reasons a clean house is important to me. But the biggest reason is the sense of clarity and purpose in my day-to-day life when my house is clean. Over the years tons of people ask how I keep things tidy and organized most of the time in our home. So, at the risk of being labeled a crazy, OCD-prone minimalist I thought I’d share my 1-hour morning cleaning routine.

While 1-hour may seem like an arbitrary number, it’s not. I tend to spend, on average, about an hour each morning making my house sparkle. This means I spend roughly about 5-7 hours a week cleaning, nearly one work shift, per se. And though this is still a significant amount of time, it’s not nearly the 2-3 hours a day I spend as a newlywed and caretaker! However, for me, it’s totally worth spending 5-7 hours a week cleaning in order to have a house that is pretty tidy on any given day. The simplest way to do this? Just staying on top of whatever needs to be cleaned.

You see, I am a list kind-of-gal, so I actually have a daily checklist that I use each day, created before bed, to help me structure my next day. I keep my list in my kitchen and before I start cleaning, I always check my list!

And when it comes to cleaning itself, I always make a point of being prepared. To save time and money (and a trip to the store), I generally make my own cleaners. And before anyone says ain’t nobody got time for that, hear me out. I make cleaners because they are cheaper (literal pennies on the dollar), scents can be customized using essential oils, they help me limit the chemicals I expose my family too, and DIY cleaners are designed for multiple uses (which require me to store far fewer bottles on-hand). In the time it takes to put the family in the car and go to the store I can make a dozen cleaners at home!

With this in mind, a few of the cleaners I make are:

General Outline:

Usually, I start cleaning my Master Bedroom and work my way through my home.
I use a large laundry basket to collect items such as toys or clothing that need to be returned to a different room as I work. After you have finished tidying every room, take 5 minutes to put away the gathered items.
Save sweeping/mopping and vacuuming until the end, making sure to dust (as needed first) and then do it all at once. We have hard surface floors (hardwoods and tile), so I use an industrial dry mop from Sam’s Club to dry mop the hardwoods and a steam mop to clean the tile floors daily. I shake or vacuum floor rugs as needed.
I also perform spot checks on the glass doors, mirrors, chrome, and windows at the end of the hour.
I keep daily shower cleaner in both showers and spray down and squeegee after each use.
I also add bleach to our toilet brush containers; replace the bleach once a week. This allows for easy cleanup, and for tough toilet stains, I use a pumice stone from the Dollar Tree.
I carry a time from room-to-room to keep me on schedule while cleaning.

Laundry:

I put in one load of laundry.
I remove laundry from drying racks or outdoor line and put away.

Bedroom(s):

5-10 minutes are spent cleaning each.
I always make each bed, I’m picky that way.
I then quickly pick up any clothes, toys, or dishes laying about.
I dust off surfaces, including the headboard, footboard, and closet doors.

Bathroom(s):

5 minutes are spent on each.
Squirt toilet bowl cleaner around the rim of each toilet first; let sit.
Disinfectant sinks, tub, and shower with rags and surface cleaner.
Use the toilet brush to quickly scrub toilet, rim, and seat.
Wipe down the toilet seat, space behind the toilet, and surrounding floor.
I change out hand towels, as needed.
Replace and re-stock toilet paper, as needed.

Laundry:

I remove laundry from washer and place in dryer.

Living Room, Dining Room, and Office:

10-15 minutes are spent in each room.
I quickly pick up any shoes, dishes, toys which are put in a basket to be put away later.
Use rags to quickly dust all surfaces.
Quick wipe down on furniture, table(s), and chairs.
Quick tidy on our desk area; all paperwork and mail is filed, if not already done so.
Lysol sitting surfaces.

Kitchen:

10-15 minutes are spent in the kitchen.
I pick up any items that don’t belong in the kitchen and place them in the basket.
Gather any dirty dishes and put them next to sink.
Hand washes dishes and place dishes in the dishwasher, as necessary.
Wipe down all counter tops with disinfectant spray.
Wipe down stove top.
Dry and put away any hand-washed dishes.
Clean out and dry sink; clean dish drains as needed.
I check to make sure everything is in order in my fridge and coolers; I wipe the surface fronts as I go.

Finishing Up:

Finishing up takes 15-20 minutes.
Next, starting in the back of the house to the front, I dry mop all my hard floors.
I steam mop my tile floors, as needed.
I shake my kitchen rugs and front door mats.
I shake my dry mop heads out and sweep my front porch.
I clean glass surfaces and mirrors, as needed with a lint-free rag.
I pull laundry from dryer, fold, and put away. Making sure to unplug my washer and dryer.
I place all cleaning rags in my cleaning rag hamper for once-a-week cleaning on Friday’s.
I put all my cleaning tools and cleaners away.
I then put away items collected in baskets while cleaning.
Lastly, I take out my kitchen trash and check my recycling bins.

So, that’s it, folks. That’s my morning cleaning routine.

Now, this list works for me because my home doesn’t need a truly deep, deep cleaning. If this isn’t the case in your home, no worries! Just start out a 1-hour cleaning routine after you have finished Spring Cleaning your home.

While it may take a little getting used to, once you are in the habit of a 1-hour routine each morning, you will be done in no time and freedom to enjoy the rest of each day! And if you have any suggestions on how you clean your home in a better way, I’d love to hear about it below!

Spring Deep Cleaning Guide

If you are anything like me, few events are more personally gratifying than my annual Spring Deep Cleaning! It’s an opportunity to throw open the windows, let fresh air in, and make our homes clean, safer, and more joyous spaces. For many people, however, the pleasure comes only after the work is finished. While your spring cleaning may never become effortless, you can make the project more manageable – and even enjoyable. So, let’s jump in!

Here is my timeline leading up to Spring Cleaning and Allergy-Proofing my home each year.

Three weeks before cleaning, I request Thredup bags to donate unneeded clothing.

Two weeks before cleaning, I create my seasonal Capsule Wardrobe and utilize my Thredup collection bags.

A week before I start Spring Cleaning, I prepare my cleaners. A tip: to avoid hauling a caddie around my home during Spring Cleaning. Here’s my list of all-natural, diy cleaners I make:

The night before I start cleaning:

I place the cleaners I will be using in the rooms they will be utilized the next day. Along with cleaners, I place any towels, rags, or sponges I will also be using. I do this because as soon as I finish cleaning each room, the cleaners make their way back to my storage closet. When all the cleaners are put away I know my work is done!
Then I create a donation station. Three reusable bags are set up in my dining room. One to hold donation items to go to our local women’s shelter, a second bag for items at the thrift shop, and a miscellaneous bag for items that can go local animal shelter. To keep clutter to a minimum in our minimalist home, my husband takes all donations to charity the same day I clean. Also, I also pull in extra recycling bins too.
I also prep my clipboard. I use a clipboard to cross off completed tasks, take notes on the condition of my house, to remind myself of items I need to bring to my husband’s attention and to keep up to date with our seasonal inventory and shopping lists.

At this point, I’m ready to prepare myself to clean!

Here are the steps I take to prepare myself to start cleaning:

Scheduling. I try to schedule grooming appointments and play dates around my cleaning schedule. This frees up to time to devote fully to my endeavors and to keep little hands and little paws away from cleaners too!
Getting Dressed. While Spring Cleaning, I dress for the occasion. For me, this means wearing all white. Cotton shorts and a tee. This outfit is conducive for cleaning, as I am sure to become soiled, splashed by cleaners, or sweaty while sprucing. This also prevents my clothing to become a visual distracting while cleaning room-to-room. You see, white is pure, clean light. It has clean energy. It allows you to focus on your space and not yourself while cleaning. In fact, Marie Kondo, famed decluttering consultant, wears only white while cleaning, consulting, or engaging at speaking events!
Vacuum. I start with light vacuuming around my whole home before even gathering my cleaning supplies. I do this because I remove my socks and shoes while cleaning. I want to be aware of how my floors feel. If there are any splinters or squeaks that need addressing I can attend to them immediately. And if your floors are clean enough to walk barefoot on, then they are clean enough for little hands and paws, too!
Music. I am known to put awesome music on for encouragement while Spring Cleaning. Sometimes I even create a playlist for the occasion.
Light. I open windows, light a candle, and diffuse while cleaning. This is simply to keep me happy!
Meals. I know I will be too tired to cook after cleaning so I generally prep crockpot meals before I start projects so I have hot, healthy meals ready for my family when the day’s work is done.

Zone 1. My Food Stockpile and Basement

Pantry and Stockpile:

Canned goods: I dust cans, rotate by expiration date, and donate anything that will expire in your current month you don’t plan to consume.
Soft Drinks, Cooking Oils, and Cleaners: Again, I dust containers, rotate by expiration date, donate anything that will expire in your current month you don’t plan to consume, and place all oils in the fridge for summer, especially coconut oil.
Dried Foods: I inventory my stock and rotate jars accordingly.
Room: As my storage room is in my sunroom, I sweep the walls down, dust the room’s trim, clean the windows, clean the ceiling fan, clean my glass doors, and mop my way out of the room.

Basements:

Clean electronic air cleaner elements monthly for most efficient operation; replace filters as needed.
Clean humidifier elements before the next season begin.
Schedule furnace inspections; many areas offer free, or reduced fee inspections. Schedule appointments now!
Buy a 3-month supply of furnace filters.
Drain sediment from hot water heaters.
Clean windows.
Vacuum baseboards, floors, vents, and tools.
Re-evaluate your holiday, seasonal goods. Declutter, re-sort and purge as needed.

Zone 2. Inside the home:

I work from the farthest rooms in my home and work my way towards my front door. I start in my master bedroom, then onto my family bedrooms, guest room, den, living room, office, bathrooms, closets, kitchen, and end with my dining room. Here’s what I do in each area:

In my bedroom I attend to:

Turn mattresses front-to-back and end-to-end to equalize wear.
Launder or clean all bedding: mattress pads, pillows, duvets, blankets, comforters.
Change or scale-back linens as needed.
Vacuum drapes and window treatments.
Clean window sills and windows.
Vacuum baseboards and corners well.
Wash down walls with a mild astringent or cleaner, and dry with a dust mop.
Clean out and vacuum vents.
Vacuum upholstered furniture.
Wash interior windows.
I have my eyeglasses professionally cleaned in Spring.

Kitchen and Dining Room:

Prepare the kitchen for holiday cooking; organize kitchen cabinets, paying particular attention to baking supplies, pans, and equipment.
Clear kitchen counters of all appliances not used within the last week.
Pull refrigerator away from the wall, and vacuum the condenser coils.
Declutter your cabinets. Clear out your cupboards of anything that you don’t use on a regular basis. Make room in your dining room, basement, or stockpile area for seasonal items, such as punch bowls and holiday dishes. Purge, recycle, sell, or donate items that have not been used in a year.
Zone your cabinets. I have a zone for coffee, baking, and pets; keep like items together. Creating zones in your kitchen helps to keep your cabinets organized, helps you to know where to store things, and helps you work more efficiently in the day-to-day running of your home.
Random clutter. Anything random left over, and not able to be placed into cabinets, think of creative, upcycled ways to display and store these items.
Wash light-diffusing bowls from light fixtures.
Vacuum drapes and window treatments.
Clean window sills and windows.
Vacuum baseboards and corners well.
Wash down walls with a mild astringent or cleaner, and dry with a dust mop.
Clean out and vacuum vents.
Re-season pots and pans, as needed.

Coat Closets:

I steam clean coats, blazers, and jackets.
All winter gear is laundered and then stored in baskets in the top of the closet.
Add cedar and tea bags to all closets to prevent mildew and bugs over the Summer months.
I dust upper closet shelves.
I vacuum and steam mop closet floors. I then allow floors to dry for 1 hour before replacing items.

Linen Closets:

Bundle like sets of sheets together.
Keep necessity items in small baskets, labeled, and clustered on a single taller shelf together.
Corral cosmetics on servings trays for easy removal.
Any mismatched items should be donated.
Any fraying towels should be donated; animal shelters are a great place to send unneeded linens.
Prevent dust from covering linen sets, by placing them inside their coordinating pillowcases
Antique linens are best to hang; install two hooks and a dowel rod in the bottom of a closet for hanging linens.
Store throw pillows and guest pillows in a top shelf basket.
Store towel sets in stacks for easy removal.
Store like items on like shelves; linens with linens, towels with towels, and the like.

A few tips for Spring Cleaning your bathrooms:

All cosmetics older than one year, should be purged.
All cosmetic sharpeners, brushes, or curlers two-years or older, should be purged.
All hair coloring products or kits, two years or older, should be purged.
All vitamins or supplement older than one year, should be purged.
All flu, cold, sinus, or allergy products older than two years, should be purged.
All essential oils three years or older, should be purged.
All first aid items, older than three years, should be purged and replaced.
All digestive aids, older than three years, should be purged.
Any fiber-based supplement, older than a year, should be purged.
Any nail lacquers that have been to separate should be purged.
All manicure and pedicure supplies not utilized within the last six months should be purged.
All paper or cotton products should be visible, organized, and easily accessible.
Purge your oldest towel set; towel, hand towel, and wash cloth.
Take inventory and re-stock medicine cabinets.
Clean contact lense cases.
Replace toothbrushes and floss.
Clean window sills and windows.
Vacuum baseboards and corners well.
Wash down walls with a mild astringent or cleaner, and dry with a dust mop.
Clean out and vacuum vents.

Living Room and Den:

Vacuum drapes and window treatments.
Clean window sills and windows.
Vacuum baseboards and corners well.
Wash down walls with a mild astringent or cleaner, and dry with a dust mop.
Clean out and vacuum vents.
Vacuum upholstered furniture.

Zone 3. Outside The House:

Clean and store patio furniture, umbrellas, kid’s summer toys.
Touch up paint on trim, railings and decks.
Check for breaks in exterior caulk lines around windows and doors.
Inspect external doors and garage doors.
Wash exterior windows.
Drain and store garden hoses.
Install insulating covers on exterior spigots.
Check gutters, rain barrels, and downspout openings.
Have chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned, if necessary.

Zone 4. Greenery:

Bring flower pots out of storage; plastic pots will need to be cleaned, emptied, bleached, and air-dried.
Terracotta pots should be sun-sanitized, stacked, and stored on their sides.
Sew grass seeds, as needed.
Purchase bird seed, and keep feeders stocked for the winter.
Prep/service your lawn mower, riding mower, edger, and tiller for warm weather.
Pull back winter mulch, replace as needed.
Clean out flower beds, plant annuals as needed by May 15th each year.
Edge lawns and sidewalks.
Clean and disinfect your outdoor mailboxes.
Service outdoor fountains, solar panels, decorative installations.
Maintain your indoor and outdoor compost bins.

Zone 5. Allergy-Proofing: Now that you’ve deep cleaned your home for Spring, I advise Allergy-proofing your home for Spring too! Here are a few of my favorite tips:

Clean blades of ceiling fans.
Sort and clean any extra zones such as linen closets, utility closets and office spaces; even the best kept linen closets trap dust, which can be inadvertently transferred to bedrooms and common areas.
Check for mold. Bathrooms, basements and areas that are tiled can be especially prone to mold. The key to reducing mold is moisture control. Be sure to use bathroom fans and clean up any standing water immediately. Scrub any visible mold from surfaces with detergent and water, and completely dry. You can also help ward off mold by keeping home humidity levels at or around 60 percent and cleaning gutters regularly helps too!
Check the fur-babies! Remove pet allergens by vacuuming frequently and washing upholstery, including your pet s bed.
Diffuse! Using a diffuser daily can not only help to make our home healthier, by allowing ourselves to breathe in health, natural elements, but we can also help to make out homes smell as inviting by diffusing essential citrus, cinnamon, sage as well.
When mowing and gardening, be sure to wear gloves and a N95 particulate pollen mask (Centers for Disease Control (CDC) NIOSH rated), and to avoid touching your eyes, and be sure to wash your hands, hair and clothing once you go back indoors.

Keep in mind, deep cleaning and allergy-proofing your home from top to bottom will essentially take several days. Do not attempt to clean your entire home in a day, or a weekend for that matter. Take a week, break off chores into chunks, utilize your family for aid and resource, and give yourself the grace of time and consideration of your everyday life when completing this expansive list. Also, you can get a head start by changing your air filters every three months and using filters with a MERV rating of 11 or 12.

My biggest tip? Be sure to vacuum regularly to get rid of dust mites. Use a cyclonic vacuum, which spins dust and dirt away from the floor, or a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. And as always, be sure to wash bedding and stuffed animals weekly.

Moreover, consider this when devising a fall cleaning schedule:

Are you the kind of person who wants to do a little every day?
Would you rather tackle it all at once so that you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the week?
Do you work full-time or are you home during the day?
Do you have young children at home whose chores can be incorporated into this system?

As there is no one “right way” to keep house, and so no universal cleaning schedule that will fit every household’s needs. Just sit down, take an hour, and create a system that will work best for you. Being prepared for the cooped-up winter months ahead is the long-term goals, so by adding a few small, obtainable cleaning goals a day is the way to go! This is a challenge to make your home as healthy as it is steadfast this coming season.

Also, don’t be daunted by the size of this list, many of the jobs are small ones that will go by quickly, and you’ll be so glad you took the time to do them! And if you are looking to see how I organize my year round cleaning schedule, you can also take a look at my general year-round printable list, too!

After you read through the zone lists, be sure to tailor the list to your home and yard. I encourage you to create a realistic Spring Cleaning schedule, keeping in mind that a single weekend won’t suffice, as you’ll need several days for more involved projects, such as shampooing carpets and organizing closets. Pick a plan. Create a stop and start point, whether it’s starting from the attic to the basement, outdoors to inside, or just focusing on one task at a time. Just have a plan. And be sure to enlist the help of family members.

So, folks do you have any tried and true methods for cleaning around your home this time of year. I’d love to hear about them below.

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