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We’re well into a new season where we are experiencing hotter days and nights, but you’ll be forgiven if you just haven’t been able to muster the energy for the annual clean synonymous with this time of the year.
At the same time, children are set to close school for the long holidays, and the festivities are just around the corner.
There’s so much to do within the home at this time.Power outages can sometimes contribute to the piling of items to be cleaned within the home, causing a backlog of work that makes it feel like a mammoth task.
But worry not; we sought the advice of SweepStars, the efficient domestic workers who, via SweepSouth, are booked to clean thousands of homes every week.
They share their top tips for getting on top of the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible.
1. No power, no problem With scheduled power blackouts in some areas, it is good to keep track of the days when your area does not have electricity and reschedule your cleaning around them.
For instance, if you use a washing machine to do your laundry, then plan to clean and iron your clothes on these days. Most other cleaning tasks can be done manually: carpets can be swept as opposed to vacuumed, and for those with dishwashers, the utensils can be washed with soap and water.
It also works to reframe the challenge. Rather than commiserate over the fact that there is no power at certain times of the week, think of the energy you’re using while washing dishes, sweeping floors, and hanging clothes outside, as opposed to just bundling them into the tumble dryer. Every cloud has a silver lining, and this one is that using less electrical power is kinder to the planet.
2. Konmari the clutter Clutter has a nasty way of making a space look dishevelled and dirty even when the real problem is simply that things are out of place. Start by walking through your space and removing the clutter, either by putting it on a discard or donate pile While you’re at it, consider organisational guru Marie Kondo’s famous KonMari method and ask yourself if the item in question sparks joy, through purpose or for pleasure, and if not, make a plan to get rid of it immediately.
3. Speed clean, rather than spring clean Cleaning needn’t be a long and laborious process. In many instances a “speed clean” can achieve exactly what a deep clean would. Set a timer for 25 minutes and move around your space wiping, dusting and tidying as fast as you can. You’ll find that your efforts build momentum and that most cleaning tasks take far less time than we imagine they do. And that’s not to say you’re doing a poor job of it, it just means you’re prioritising in order of clean, cleaner, cleanest!
4. Tools of the trade Abraham Lincoln famously said that if he were to chop down a tree he would start by sharpening the saw. The quote refers to the importance of planning as well as the need to have the right tools for the job. Cleaning is no different. Before you start, set out a plan for how you want to go about it and to what extent you’ll be cleaning. Next, make sure you have all the right “tools” on hand, including a broom, dustpan, rags for wiping and whatever else helps you get the job done. Same goes for cleaning products like all-purpose cleaner, tile cleaner or whatever your space requires. Opt for eco-friendly products where you can.
5. Outsource entirely And if you’re still not inspired or energised to do any of this, that’s fine too because services like SweepSouth specialise in exactly this – home cleaning when you need it. A SweepStar makes quick work of all the cleaning, and it’s super easy to book the service for a time that suits you best.