Episode 14
Episode 14: Three Simple Routines to Keep Your Home Clean (The Keeping of Home #2)
Show Notes

Three Simple Routines to Keep Your Home Clean (The Keeping of Home #2)

Keeping your home neat and tidy can feel like a never-ending battle: cups on the coffee table, toys on the staircase, mail on the counter, and on it goes. But building a few cleaning routines into your week can take the guesswork out of when the chores will get done and who’s going to do them. This week, Emily’s sharing three easy checklists for cleaning your home that’ll make the biggest difference in your day. From the bathroom to the kitchen to the living room, keeping these high-traffic areas sparkling with Emily’s simple routines will leave more room in your day for what truly matters most.

3 Routines for Keeping High-Traffic Spaces Fresh and Clean 

These routines are a small step up from “wipe the crumbs off the table,” but definitely not “clean the baseboards” level. Try to do these at least once a week, maybe on a Saturday morning, and reward yourself with a donut when you’re done.

The Bathrooms

  1. Before you clean anything, vacuum every surface
  2. Clean the toilet
  3. Sanitize touchable surfaces (bleach is your friend here)
  4. Polish the mirror and your faucets
  5. Change the towels

The Kitchen

  1. Move stuff off the counter, then wipe
  2. Vacuum the kitchen floor, then mop
  3. Straighten up your pantry

The Living Room

  1. Grab a laundry basket, and toss in anything that doesn’t belong—and put it back where it does
  2. Vacuum your living room
  3. Fold the blankets and fluff the pillows

Thought-Provoking Quotes

“We all have real lives and real families. Our lives are not always Instagram worthy, and they shouldn't be. That's not real. Nobody can keep that level of perfection in their lives, and it's crippling when you try to.” – Emily Ley 

“How do I give myself the grace to have a home that isn't 100-percent photo ready, but also put some systems in place that help us keep a home we enjoy living in? I think we need some routines.” – Emily Ley 

A Blessing for Your Week

May you give yourself some grace on the days when your home looks like it's been hit by a tornado and share some of that grace with your family, too. 

May you remember why you're taking the time to clean up: because you want your home to be a place where your family can rest and relax in comfort. 

And may you remember that your home isn't a showplace, but that it's a sacred place for you and your people to make memories. 

Simplicity Tip of the Week

Think about a day when you might be able to carve out an hour or two to clean these three rooms and try to make that a consistent part of your week. Maybe you get the kids to help you and they are responsible for a certain task or they take turns, put on some upbeat music and maybe take a dance break in the middle. And when everyone's done with their chores, don't forget to celebrate with a donut or two.

New Book Alert: Build a Life You Love!

Get Emily’s new book, Growing Boldly: Dare to Build a Life You Love, wherever you buy books!

Resources, Links, Mentions from This Episode

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