Your Home Space.

A home is a personal sanctuary. It offers the very best of your life, so you'll want to maintain it well, right? Do you need a better mean of motivation? Follow these easy tips and before you know it, mi casa es su casa!

♥1. Avoid going from one floor of your home to another without returning something where it belongs. Keep a basket next to the stairs. Make putting things away a routine.

2. Do you want to get the entire family involved? Start a daily maintenance checklist, which doesn't have to sound as rigorous as it seems. Just assign one small, quick job to each family member. Good starter tasks for children include setting the table, vacuuming, feeding the dog/cat/reptiles, raking leaves, or sweeping. Post a reminder list on paper or buy a magnetic dry erase board for your fridge (sold at K-mart, Target, or Bed Bath and Beyond) with daily check-off boxes in the kitchen.If someone is seriously having trouble sticking to their job, you're their boss. Do not scold or pressure them because initially, nobody likes to be scold or pressured and this will only make your situation worse. Instead, keep encouraging them. And after a particular job well, reward them with a compliment or a treat.

3. Use super-absorbent microfiber cloths to trap dust and dirt. Feather dusters and rags often just blow dust and dirt around.

4. When I was starting an exercise regimen for myself, I designed a list of some of the favorite things that I like to do every day and mapped it out during the week (monday and tuesdays...strength, running. wednesday..pilates, running...etc). This helped condition my mind to complete an effective regimen for myself. If you're having trouble sticking to a cleaning schedule, you can do something similar to make sure everything gets done.Start by giving each task an assigned day of the week, and stick to the schedule. This way, different areas are consistently "spic and span", and need little more than a once-over when their scheduled day comes up.

5. Add sugar to sweeten the deal. Put on some upbeat tracks while you work! (I'm personally loving Broadway at the moment.)

6. If you don't have much time to clean, vacuuming is a brief way to fix the place up.

7. Plan on cleaning the bathroom on a day you can reward your efforts with a long, hot, sweetly scented bubble bath or shower.

8. Get into cooking! Cook your favorite meal now and then. But, just remember the consequences. There will be plenty of dirty dishes to go around. I'm really sure this is up your alley now, but maybe cleaning up after such a delicious and wonderfully planned out meal will be just the incentive you need.

9. It's a known fact that some people need a reason if they want to get anything done. And "mopping" is one of those chores that are almost always left on the back burner. Find out what your least favorite chore is (mopping or the toilet, anyone?) and reward yourself after you're through with your efforts. Plan a dinner date with friends, hot chocolate in your spic and span kitchen, or buy those boots you had your eyes on for weeks now!

10. Buy yourself flowers (fresh-cut or fake) weekly, to add a crowning touch to your clean home.

xoxo
Griselle