‘Neat’ ideas that keep homes tidy

My friend Jenny, a certified nutritionist, has always been my go-to source for anything and everything when it comes to food and nutrition. When thinking about food as I often do, I recall some of the tidbits she has given me over the years.

One of my favorites has to do with different styles of eating: “There are moderators and abstainers. Moderators can have just a little bit, and abstainers are all or nothing,” she said.

I am a moderator and my husband, Scott, is an abstainer. I can have two chips and move on, while Scott either has to have either the whole bag or nothing.

What I realized is that the same logic applied to maintaining our home. While I pride myself on cleaning a little bit at a time regularly, Scott prefers to do a big, deep clean once in a while. It turns out to be a complementary lifestyle. He does a big clean, and I do a little bit at a time in between. After a thorough cleaning, consider some of these quick tips to help you keep your home spick and span.

Just do it

Don’t set the dirty plate in the sink. Set it in the dishwasher instead. Don’t wait for a too-tight load before you run it, either. Run it before you go to bed. Then, in the morning, make putting the dishes away be the first thing you do. Apply the same thought process to the laundry.

Get a sweeper

I recently invested in a $23 commercial sweeper. You know the kind — the ones you often see at restaurants or even in shopping malls. They require no batteries or electricity. They do not replace your vacuum or broom, but they do cut down on the times you need to bust them out. I use mine to pick up any food my kids throw on the floor after meals and to sweep the area rugs as well.

Keep supplies accessible

Wiping down the counters regularly becomes drastically easier when the wipes are within arm’s reach. The same goes for the toilet brush and bowl cleaner. You should be cleaning these things regularly anyway. Make it easy on yourself and keep the cleaning supplies near the items they are meant to clean.

Set the timer

One of my favorite things to do is to see how much I can get done before the microwave dings. I sweep the floors, wipe down the counters, wash errant dishes — whatever I can! If you don’t have a need for the microwave, set a timer for 5 minutes instead. You will surprise yourself with just how much you can accomplish in so little time.

Have a comment or question for Joanne? Email thefi xisinhawaii@gmail.com.