Keeping an apartment clean can be an overwhelming task, especially if you have a crazy work schedule or frequent guests. It’s easy to remember the basics, like doing the dishes or folding laundry. However, it can be easy to overlook some important aspects of keeping a clean living space.
Here, we’ve listed five important components of maintaining a tidy home.
Consistency is key for any cleaning resolution. Scheduled deep cleaning, and regular maintenance, will help keep your apartment tidy without feeling overwhelmed.
Find a schedule that works for you. Would you rather focus on one room per month? Per quarter? Maybe you want to deep clean your entire apartment twice a year, and schedule bi-weekly maintenance tasks like wiping baseboards and dusting fan blades.
Whatever you decide, make sure it’s something you can commit to, while maintaining some flexibility.
We know it’s cliché, but less really is more. Go through your apartment and take an inventory of your possessions; if you haven’t used it in the last six months, it may be time for that item to find a new home.
Separate the items you no longer need into trash, recycle, sell, and donate. Almost anything can be repurposed; local artists are frequently looking to turn junk into treasure. Contact local charities to see if they need specific items. List more valuable items on local marketplace sites. Toss whatever you can’t rehome, and enjoy a more usable, clutter-free environment.
Appliances can easily be overlooked in a typical tidying-up regimen. Avoid the nightmare of expired foods and clogged dishwashers by scheduling regular cleaning of your appliances.
Throw away expired foods in the fridge, and pull out the shelves. Wipe down everything with a non-toxic cleaner. Remember to wipe off sticky condiment bottles. While you’re in the kitchen, check the owner’s manual of your dishwasher, toaster, and oven, and follow the cleaning instructions.
There are some areas of a home that are frequently forgotten (behind appliances, window blinds, fan blades, top of the fridge, etc.). Dust and bugs can easily set up camp if these places are never cleaned.
There is no need to do this daily, but try to clean these hard-to-reach areas at least monthly. Write them in to your cleaning schedule so you won’t forget.
While cleaning your carpets is labor intensive, it can have an enormous effect on the cleanliness of your home. It’s easy to rent a machine from most grocery stores or hardware stores.
Schedule a carpet cleaning right after a deep clean, so the floors will be free from clutter and the rooms will be easier to clear out. Higher-traffic areas may need more frequent cleanings, but a general rule is to steam clean once or twice a year.
Looking for an apartment in Cayce? Contact Otarre Pointe Apartment Homes to learn more about our housing options.