Learn how to make cleaning your apartment quick, easy and a lot less stressful.
We at Harborside Village Apartments know how much of a chore cleaning your apartment can be. Cleaning Day is often a day you fear to see on the calendar, but it doesn’t have to be. Living in an apartment already means you have a smaller, more personal space to clean. It is quite possible to make this cleaning experience less stressful, more efficient, and even enjoyable by following the tips below and adapting them to your apartment.
Tackle Clutter First
A lot of people put off cleaning their apartment longer than they should because they don’t know where to start. A wise way to begin is this: address the clutter first. If you see piles of items on the floor or countertops, and you know they belong in a different room, move them to that room. Getting the clutter off of floors and counters also makes it easier for you later when you will have to clean and vacuum those spaces.
Clean Those Dishes
If you have a pile of dirty dishes accumulating in your sink, or anywhere in your house, wash them. Dig in and commit to scrubbing and cleaning every plate that needs to be scrubbed and cleaned. Fill up your dishwasher or your drying rack. This sounds like a lot of work, and it isn’t always fun washing dishes, but you will be glad to get the big projects out of the way earlier, plus it is easier to wash a bunch of dishes at once, rather than stop and start with the project. You can make this experience more fun by listening to some music while you wash!
Grab the Garbage
Once the clutter is removed to its proper place, and those dishes are gone, you can grab a large trash bag and sweep your apartment’s trash. Empty all of your garbage bins into this large bag, and pick up any loose trash you spot. As you clean, keep the large trash bag handy for your paper towels and cleaning materials that you may need to throw away. Once you have finished cleaning, you can toss out this bag.
Gather Dirty Laundry
Some people may protest at the idea of combining laundry and cleaning days. However, gathering your laundry now will mean greater satisfaction with your clean apartment at the end of the day. Additionally, you can place your clothing in the washer and dryer while you clean without worrying about forgetting that they’re in there.
Use an All-Purpose Cleaner
If you haven’t bought one already, investing in an all-purpose cleaner is a relatively cheap, endlessly useful decision. This spray will work on anything you need to clean: bathrooms, baseboards, countertops, stovetops, and more. This saves you from buying multiple specialty cleaners and saves you time while cleaning. The only time you should use a specialty cleaner apart from the all-purpose cleaner is while you’re cleaning your toilet.
Clean the Kitchen and Bathroom First
Bathrooms and kitchens are the least pleasant spaces in the apartment to clean because they’re usually the messiest. There’s a lot of work to be done in these rooms, but it always feels great to have them clean.
We recommend starting with whatever part of the bathroom is least pleasant to clean, which will likely be the toilet or shower/bath. Cleaning the bathroom first, and the hardest part of the bathroom is better because you get the dreaded tasks done first and feel the stress falling away. Plus, once you’ve cleaned your toilet, the countertops and mirrors will be a breeze.
When cleaning the kitchen, make sure you clean your countertops, sink, and remove any stray food crumbs from your cooking ventures.
Dust, Dust, Dust
After the deep cleaning of countertops and bathroom surfaces, you can begin to dust all surfaces of your apartment. There are dust wands available that make this easy and give you the ease of access to all sorts of corners to your apartment. You will want to dust above doors, tops of baseboards, over cabinets, in-between blinds, the tops of ceiling fans, wood surfaces, and any place that looks dusty! If it’s been a long time since your last dust, you may want to use a cloth and dusting spray to ensure a new shiny surface.
Time to Vacuum
It’s important to vacuum after you dust because when you dust some extra particles will go onto the floor. Before you begin, make sure your vacuum bag or canister has been emptied and is ready to be filled. As you vacuum, take advantage of any attachments that came with your vacuum. These accessories can help you reach the tiny nooks and crannies of your apartment, as well as underneath furniture.
Make Cleaning Fun For Yourself
Just because cleaning is a chore, that doesn’t mean you have to forbid yourself from any fun things while cleaning. You can listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while you clean depending on your preference. You can also play your favorite show on your TV or laptop. Entertaining yourself while cleaning will help you be distracted and help your mind stay interested in something while you clean.
You can also promise yourself a “reward” at the end of your cleaning day. You could say you will eat at your favorite restaurant (or order in!), eat that fancy ice cream you never buy, or go out to drinks with friends. Fun rewards can give you the motivation you need to get through the boring stuff.
Make a Habit of Cleaning
Once your apartment looks brand new again, you can do your part to keep it from becoming a huge mess again. If you have a few minutes of downtime and you notice you have some dirt on your carpet or a mess in your sink, you can take a minute to vacuum that one room or clean that one sink. Spot cleaning will help you feel less overwhelmed by mess–and therefore anxious about cleaning day–and living in a clean apartment will give you some peace of mind, along with some stress relief on your otherwise busy days.
Cleaning doesn’t have to be something to be anxious about. Instead, it could just become another normal part of taking care of your apartment.
Let Us Be Your Apartment Home!
Whether you need your very first apartment home or are relocating to the area, Apartments of Harborside Village would love to be your dream apartment home. Looking for beautiful waterfront apartments in Joppa, Maryland? Let us show you one of our spacious and affordable apartments at the Apartments of Harborside Village. To learn more about our apartment options, visit us online, give us a call at 410-679-1130, or email us. For a peek into what it’s like to live in our community, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.