Okay, let me spill some tea from my 15 years as a house cleaner.
You know that slightly guilty look clients give me when I show up and they’re apologizing for the mess?
I always tell them the same thing: “Listen, we’re not going for museum-level perfection here.
Let me show you some tricks that’ll make your life easier.”
The Game-Changing Five-Minute Rule
Here’s my favorite client story: Jenny used to have what she called “the chair” – you know, that one piece of furniture that collects everything from clean laundry to Amazon packages.
Maintain Your Home Between Cleanings
One day, I taught her my never-leave-a-room-empty-handed rule. Three weeks later, “the chair” had become just… a chair. Mind-blowing, right? Keeping the house organized makes such a difference!
The Real Talk About Daily Habits
Look, I’m not going to tell you to spend your precious weekend scrubbing baseboards. Who has time for that? Instead, try this: While your morning coffee is brewing, unload the dishwasher. While you’re waiting for your hair conditioner to work its magic, wipe down the bathroom counter. These tiny moments are gold, people!
Bathroom Tricks That’ll Make You Feel Like a Genius
Want to know my absolute favorite bathroom hack? Keep a squeegee in your shower. I can hear you rolling your eyes, but trust me on this one. Thirty seconds wiping down the walls after your shower will save you from that gross soap scum that makes you want to condemn your entire bathroom.
The “Keep It Real” Daily Routine
Here’s a secret: I keep cleaning wipes under every bathroom sink in my house. Not because I’m obsessed with cleaning (okay, maybe a little), but because it makes it brain-dead easy to wipe down the counter after doing my makeup. No special cleaner needed, no paper towels to grab – it’s right there.
Living Room Strategies That Don’t Suck
Can we talk about living room clutter for a minute? You know what I mean – the remote controls, the phone chargers, the magazines you’re totally going to read someday. Here’s what works for my messiest clients (looking at you, Mike): Get a cute basket. Throw all that stuff in it at the end of the day. Done.
The “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” Couch Hack
Quick story: Had a client who couldn’t figure out why one side of her couch looked like it had been sat on by elephants. Turned out everyone was sitting in the same spot every single day. Flip those cushions once a week, folks! Bonus: you’ll find enough change for a coffee run.
Kitchen Stuff That Actually Works
I’m about to share my non-negotiable kitchen rule: Never go to bed with a dirty sink. I know, I know – you’re tired, that Netflix show isn’t going to watch itself. But future you will want to kiss past you when you wake up to a clean kitchen. It’s like a gift to yourself.
The Truth About Cabinet Doors
You know what drives me nuts? When people spend ages cleaning their counters but ignore their cabinet doors. Those fingerprints! Those splash marks! Keep a microfiber cloth in a drawer and give them a quick wipe while your microwave is doing its thing.
The Floor Situation
Let’s get real about floors for a second. Nobody needs to vacuum their entire house every day unless you’re running a petting zoo. Focus on where people actually walk. Got pets? Get yourself a cheap stick vacuum and do a quick pass where the fur bunnies gather. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough.
The No-Shoes Policy (And How to Not Be a Jerk About It)
True story: My client Sarah was stressed about asking guests to take off their shoes. So we put out a basket of cute slipper socks by the door with a funny sign. Now people actually get excited to pick out their “house socks.” Sometimes it’s all in how you present it.
Listen, keeping your house clean between professional cleanings isn’t about being perfect. It’s about finding little shortcuts that work for your real life. These are the same tricks I use in my own home because even though I clean houses for a living, I still don’t want to spend my whole life cleaning.
Remember: We’re not trying to create a show home here. We’re just trying to keep things nice enough that you’re not embarrassed when your mother-in-law drops by unannounced. And if all else fails? Keep the lights low and open a bottle of wine. Sometimes that’s clean enough.