My Top 5 Cleaning Resolutions For 2024
I, like everyone, can’t believe it’s still not 2019. Yet here we are, just days into 2024. I’ve always been one to set goals and enjoy looking back on what I had planned for myself. I am going to be setting up some business and personal goals over the coming days, but I wanted to share my cleaning goals with you for 2024, or resolutions if you will - although I don’t love the word. Regardless, here are the things I’ll be changing up in my cleaning routine for the upcoming year.
#1 - No Dishes In The Sink
This is the first sign of a chaotic kitchen for me. The best way I know how to prevent this from happening is to start each day by unloading the dishwasher while my daughter eats breakfast and my hot water is boiling. It takes just minutes and goes a long way to keeping an empty sink throughout the day. Staying on top of the dishes after dinner is also a key strategy—don't just drop them in the sink and leave them for later! Finally, running the dishwasher overnight saves energy (off-peak water use) and ensures I don’t have a sink pileup the next morning. Rinse and repeat.
#2 - Immediately Fold Laundry
This is one I find very easy to let slide. I'll take a pile of clean laundry, place it on the couch 'to be folded' and it's still there three days later. I've found I am the most efficient when I 'OHIO' my laundry—'only handle it once'. That means I fold it and put it away immediately when it comes out of the dryer.
#3 - More Frequent 5-Minute Bathroom Cleans
I am notorious for leaving things all over the bathroom counter. Because of my love of skincare, plenty of hair products, and more, my bathroom counter looks disastrous if I don't stay on top of it. Rather than letting the counter become a science experiment, I will commit to twice weekly 5-minute quick cleans. It's so easy for me to be lazy and 'leave it for another day,' but I really love a clean bathroom, and it only takes a few minutes to make it dazzle. I can do that!
#4 - Fridge and Pantry FIFO
Reduce food waste and save money? Sign me up. If you’re not familiar with the acronym FIFO, now is the time to learn it—and never forget it: First In, First Out. So, I’m going to make it a habit in the new year to go through my pantry and fridge every 2 weeks, and before all major grocery shops, to ensure that the older items get brought to the front, and the newer fresher stuff gets placed behind. This way, I’ll never choose a brand-new apple before a week-old one, or let a can of beans get lost for 5 years.
#5 - The 60-second rule
I know picking up those stray items around your home, from your car and in the yard can feel like such a daunting task. Is there an old takeout bag on the floor of the car that you’ll just deal with tomorrow? Trust me, you’re not alone. If you run into a cleaning task that you know will take less than 60 seconds, I want you to do it NOW. When you see it, not later on! Trust me when I say this will change your day-to-day like you would have never imagined.