Clean that bedroom! No, we're not your mom. But, if you're reading this, chances are your room's a bit of a mess. You’re probably looking for some simple steps you can take to keep your room clean.
Keep your roommates, parents, kids, or others happy and out of your private space by keeping it neat and tidy. Our rooms are one of the easiest spaces in the house to gather clutter.
The good news is, it's not hard to get that bedroom clean, and keep it that way. Today we'll share our 7-step plan on how to keep your room clean.
Cleaning your room can be a pretty big task. For many people, it can turn into an all-day chore. With a little bit of focus and organization, you can get it done pretty quickly.
In addition, with a few extra steps you'll be able to keep it clean day after day.
The most important thing for you to do before you start cleaning, however, is to get focused on the task at hand. Here are a few initial steps to take:
Whenever you're cleaning any room in a house, there are two rules of thumb to keep in mind. First, clean from the top down. Second, clean from left to right.
The first one sort of makes sense, doesn't it? Start at the top, with shelves, windowsills, light fixtures, and that ceiling fan that's been gathering a healthy population of dust bunnies. Work your way down, dislodging dust and grime as you go. This way, anything that falls will be picked up by a later cleaning sweep as you work your way down to the floor.
The second one, cleaning from left to right, may seem a little arbitrary. Could you clean from right to left? Sure, if you prefer that. What you shouldn't do, however, is clean sporadically, hitting a spot here and there.
Moving from left to right will make sure you clean everything. Every spot gets attention. You save time that would have been wasted by picking and choosing.
The first thing you should do when cleaning your room is strip your bed. Take off all the linens and toss them into that hamper we reminded you to have on hand. You can let the hamper and any full trash bags sit just outside the door.
Once you've stripped the bed, remove clutter and trash. Move from top to bottom, left to right.
The surfaces. Now your room's stripped and ready for cleaning. Dust and wipe down any surfaces, using whatever tools and cleaning products are appropriate.
Move from top to bottom, and from left to right. You know how to do this by now!
Vacuum the floors last, starting in a left-hand corner, sweeping left to right. Vacuum your way right out the door. Once you're there, pick up that laundry and trash and take them where they need to go.
Make your bed and ensure everything is tidy. In a single sweep you should be able to put your room into order. In addition, consider making you bed every day.
A room with a made bed automatically looks and feels cleaner, plus the activity of making your bed each morning sets a tone for keeping things tidy that you can keep up throughout the day.
Hide the hamper. Once you've dealt with your dirty laundry, stick the hamper in a closet so it's out of sight.
Seeing dirty clothes, even if they're in a basket or hamper, always makes a room feel dirtier. Stick it in the closet, and keep your dirty laundry in there, and your room will look and feel much tidier.
Bring in some fresh flowers. Sure, maybe it's not a cleaning tip, but putting a vase of fresh flowers on a table in your room can really help it feel fresh, clean, and comforting. It has a magical effect and doesn't have to cost much.
Check in the 'clearance' section of your grocer's florist, and you should find flowers that will keep in fresh water until your next grocery run.
Now that your room is clean, you will be able to enjoy the results of your labor.
Allen Michael is the Founder and Editor of Home Viable, a website that he started to provide readers with tips on home efficiency and automation. He draws on his engineering background combined with his family-of-four experiences for his articles.