“I love cleaning and doing household chores!” said no one ever.
And so many of us have disagreements about chores (80%, according to this US-centric study!), and many of us lament spending twice as long on cleaning than we do with family and friends.
But we know springcleaning is important. A tidy environment grants better focus and mental well-being, lengthens the usability of your furniture and gadgets, and can even make you healthier.
So how can we be smart about springcleaning?
After all, we want to save time for the things we want to do and people we want to spend it with. Time is way too scarce in our daily lives. Plus, fact bomb: we’re happier when we don’t have to clean.
Here’s how to be happier and cut down on the annual springcleaning – do it well this one time so you don’t have to do it again till the next year.
1. Start with the spots you usually overlook
Under the bed, washing machine, coffee maker, bathroom accessories, fridge shelves, stove hoods – take this opportunity as the one time to do so you don’t have to do it regularly! Plus, we use them almost every day.
2. Simplify the decluttering so you don’t have to go through every single thing (you hoarder)
Cut down on multiples and unused items. All you need is just 30 minutes on a weekend to clear away unused electronics or organise your clothes and shoes. If they’re still in good condition, try selling them on Carousell! Always nice to get a bit of extra $$$.
3. Avoid re-cleaning by starting from the top
Try cleaning from top to bottom, rather than cleaning the dustiest part of the furniture (as intuitive as it might seem)! You definitely want to avoid having dirt or dust from the ceiling falling to the floor after you’ve already cleaned the floor.
Or simply hire cleaning services you can find on Carousell to save yourself the effort and time.
4. Deep cleanse your fabrics
Fabrics make the house super cosy. But all those hair follicles, dust and skin cells they collect are actually quite gross. Most people think that using the vacuum to clean curtains, sofas, carpets and all these fabrics is good enough, but it’s definitely not! Give them a good soak in your washing machine.
Or fast forward the process by sending these fabrics to the dry cleaners. We’ve even got these door-to-door fabric cleaning services on Carousell.
5. Clean air, clean lungs, better health
We love our fans, aircon and air purifiers. But how often do we clean them? This annual springclean is the perfect chance to wipe dust off fan blades and wash out the filters in your air purifiers and aircon units.
If you’re not confident of doing a good job, engage a service provider that will do the dirty work for you!
These 5 tips still sound like they’re too much?
Do your cost-benefit calculations, and you may just find that some tasks are worth outsourcing to others. For example, deep-cleansing heavy fabrics may cost you two hours and electricity, water and detergent, while sending them to the drycleaner could cost you $20. If your time is more precious and the costs aren’t too high, making the trade may be worth much more to you.
Bonus tip: Keep yourself entertained
Lighten the mood by playing some music or listening to a podcast while you clean! Make the most out of your time while you springclean by learning something new or by just having fun listening to your favourite tunes.
Get a cup and stick your phone in there – the cup transforms into a portable speaker. Otherwise, check out our more affordable quality speakers here.
