Running a household can be exhausting, especially if you’ve got kids. It seems there is no end of laundry, cleaning and maintaining to keep your house looking great and guest-ready. It can be particularly trying during the summer months when you are in and out of the garden or visiting areas like the beach.
What if there were areas in the home you could simplify? Reduce the cleaning or maintenance involved and have more time to enjoy your day and relax. We’ve put together some places in the home that you make some simple changes to and in return, have more time to yourself.
Go Minimalist
Have you got lots of items on display around the house or storage displays that are open to the air? These are attractors for dust and you’ll find dust settles straight away after you clean, making this feel an unending chore. Have a tidy, host a car-boot sale or jump on your favourite online auction site, not only will you save yourself time cleaning, but you can make some money in the process. Should you want to display some treasured items, set up a display case or cabinet where they are less likely to get lost under layers of dust.
Ditch Wall-to-Wall Carpets
While carpets can look great and make a room feel warmer, they are the worst culprits for dirt and stains and under regular footfall, can start to look thin and threadbare. Consider durable hard floors, such as tiles or wood that can be easily cleaned. You can always finish the area off with a luxury, thick-pile rug. If you are keen on a carpeted floor, carpet tiles can be cheaper, easier to install and should you have a stained or worn piece, easily replaced with a new tile.
Get the Furniture Involved
Storage can be a pain in the home, large cupboards or drawers taking up floor space. Instead of purchasing more boring boxes, consider furniture with built-in storage. It’s functional, comes in a variety of styles and finishes and can be a great option when you are tight on space.
This also works well for “convertible” furniture, like sofa beds and futons, which can be used as seating or guest accommodation on short notice. Development of this type of furniture has come along rapidly in recent years with interesting options of bunk-bed sofa beds and canvas furniture (3D canvas prints you can sit on!).
Go Green in the Garden
Gardens; they look fantastic and offer us a private oasis to relax after a hard day’s work but what if there was a way to make maintenance easier? There is! Get rid of the grass and install some artificial turf. Artificial grass only requires occasional brushing to keep the piles looking neat and it can be vacuumed of dirt and debris easily. It’s perfect for high-footfall areas that would normally make grass patchy or for use with pets and children as it can be easily wiped clean.
One of the best things about artificial grass is the easy installation. With only basic DIY knowledge you will be able to add artificial turf to your garden. There are services available should you wish to have a professional involved, find out more here.
Consider Easy Clean Fabrics
Any upholstery in your home is prone to wearing and stains, particularly when children and pets are involved. Instead of fabrics, consider leather or faux leather, it’s easy to clean and can be easier to maintain. Should you have fabric furniture you are fond of, consider covering furniture with easily removed slip-covers that you can pop in the wash to refresh.
Don’t be stuck cleaning over your precious weekends, make your house easy to maintain and get some more time to yourself. Alternatively, should your budget allow, you can always employ a cleaning service to help take the load off yourself.