House keeping habits to drop

Housekeeping tasks are part of many people’s routine. It could be done in bits and pieces though sometimes, it is done in one go. However, there are some habits many have nurtured that make it hard for homes to shine no matter how hard we work at it. These are house keeping habits we hope will stay in 2020.

Tossing things in a ‘junk’ drawer

Many of us are guilty of this as we tend to throw that screw, nut, button, nail or clip in a certain drawer. Nancy Male, a homeowner, says this drawer is near the door for easy access. “It starts as an innocent act but before long, the drawer is filled with all sorts of junk that we claim we will use later or items we think are still of use,” she notes.

Problem is that most of these items gather dust without being used ever again.
“We sometimes get attached to items under the pretext that we will need them in the future but one ought to be true to self as they clean up lest nothing goes. Besides that, using tins also helps to neatly store away screws, nails, and buttons which also eases access,” Male adds.

Allowing paper clutter to pile up
From receipts to certificates, it is not unheard of to have papers pile up in a home. It is worse if one is not willing to let go of some paperwork, artworks and used dairies and notebooks.

Male, a mother of five, had to get files for her children’s papers, while teaching them to clean out old papers. “I also had to file many of our receipts. We also learned to digitise our artworks for longevity and better storage by taking pictures of them,” she says.

Leaving behind a ruffled bed
It seems a simple task but many people find it hard to make their bed leaving it ruffled as they run around preparing for work. Alice Asiimwe, an image consultant, shares that walking into this room at the end of the day will suck the remaining life out of you. “After a long day, the last thing you need is to stare at an unmade bed, it takes the light out of you,” she says.

Piling up laundry
We are thankful that you got those clothes washed and you did not forget them on the line. However, our problem is you dumping them on an empty bed or chair, and then keep growing the pile for weeks or months. Asiimwe says this is not hygienic at all as dust will most likely settle on them.

“While it would be great to iron your clothes before you put them away, you could fold them and put them away. That saves your bedroom from looking cluttered while it eases sorting through your clothes as you will not be working through a pile every time you are looking for a cloth. If you have been using that guest room bed, sorting and putting them in the right place means easy preparation in case a guest comes in, regardless of the hour,” Asiimwe says.

Unwashed pillows
It may sound strange to wash a pillow as many of us only know that we ought to aerate them. However, it is necessary to wash them as you do the pillow cases. Max Kula, a homeowner, shares that these hold hair strands, hair and body oils, sweat, and saliva that washing them is a necessity.

“Washing them manually may be a little hard as far as getting them totally clean and squeezing out the water for faster drying. However, if you have washing machine, getting them washed at least every six months will do the trick,” Kula advises. You do not want stained pillows in the New Year, so getting washing these pieces.

Not cleaning your washing machine
It may be unheard of to some that one ought to clean a washing machine. However, just like you wash your sponge after use, so should you clean the washing machine. Kula shares that when not cleaned, a washing machine will start giving your clothes a musty smell.

“A cycle of very hot water coupled with vinegar will help to get rid of the dirt that has collected in the machine and drain,” says Kula. It is good housekeeping to take care of the gadgets that make our lives easier so that they can serve us well for longer.

Not cleaning the vacuum cleaner
As you vacuum that carpet, all is well but many do not remember to change and empty the bag. Male shares that when the bag is filled with dust, it will not do a good job. ”The same applies to the filter which needs to be cleaned lest its functionality is compromised,” says Male. As much as we love a clean carpet, let us adopt a housekeeping practice of cleaning the gadget responsible for the work.

Leaving wet towels and shower curtains
The bathroom is a wet place, so if you leave wet towels there, moreover in a pile, that is excess wetness. When you add wet shower curtain that is pushed to one side, Kula says, that is recipe for a musty smell.

“It is ideal that you hung out your towel after use to allow it to dry. That means no mildew, possible second use as well as a reduced laundry load. You should also stretch out the curtain so that it dries well. Giving the curtain a wash at least every two weeks will also rid it of the stains from soap splashes,” she says.

Piling dirty dishes in the sink
After a long day, you might leave the dinner dishes unwashed with hope of washing them in the morning, only to forget or get busy.  Steven Mukasa, a homeowner, says he is guilty of this because time never favours him. “However, even when you return, you are either lazy or too tired to wash them and before you know it, there is a stench taking over the kitchen,” he says.

While it is compelling to avoid the space, it is better and easier to wash the utensils before you find algae growing on them. The disgust may just cause you to throw them away. Mukasa resorted to washing after every  meal and it has simplified matters. So if you fell in the same boat, we hope you will follow his path this year.

Pans and stew stains
Cooking can get hectic, you may want to leave the pans for later as well as the stains. However, Male says the stains will dry up and get harder to clean while the pans not only pile but also dry up making scrubbing an uphill task. “Looking at the pile that awaits you may make you postpone and before long it is evening and you have no pan to use,” she says.
 
She came up with the idea of washing on the go so that when she is done cooking, they are only handful of utensils in the sink. The same goes with stains where Male wipes each stain without waiting for later which eases the task. We hope you can clean up and clean as you cook this year.

Keeping shopping bags
It is a norm for people to keep plastic bags after shopping adventures, with intentions of re-using them.

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