We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
![](https://i0.wp.com/begoniasandbygones.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/begoniasandbygones.com-23.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
Our Great Aunt Frances had the cleanest house I have ever seen. I am sure you could have eaten off of her floors. She took a lot of pride in her modest little home and it truly showed. Frances was our maternal grandfather’s older sister. She had grown up extremely poor. She was the daughter of a coal miner and one of many siblings. I remember her telling stories of eating mustard sandwiches as a child because that was literally all that they had to eat. Being so very poor did not stop her from learning the importance of cleanliness and maybe even helped her to develop this virtue.
Many of us today are so busy that our homes are the first things to suffer. And, most of us lack the knowledge and organisation to maintain a perfectly clean and tidy home. Whenever I am struggling to develop a skill I always look to the past first. How were things done before there were modern appliances, tools and equipment that take so much of the brunt of the work today? If folks were able to do these jobs without all of the support we have today (and quite frankly do it better than most of us now), what was their secret? I do not propose going back to washing clothes by hand or living without a vacuum cleaner! My question was how can I optimise my house cleaning so that my home is always clean and tidy? These tips from the past have helped me and I know that they can help you too!
1.Have a Cleaning Schedule
My grandmother worked full time as a nurse and raised three children. She maintains to this day that she would have never been able to run her home so smoothly without a scheduled routine. She had daily, weekly and monthly household chores and this allowed her to maintain a very clean and put together home. Becoming clear on what you need to accomplish throughout your week in order to achieve the level of cleanliness you desire allows you to break down your chores into a schedule. For example; can you do laundry once a week? Or do you need to wash, dry and put away at least one load per day to stay on top of it? Every home is unique and every homemaker will have their own priorities. Make a list and then break that list down into things that should be done daily (like dishes), weekly (like dusting) or monthly (like cleaning the oven). Work with your new schedule and tweak it as you go until it works for you.
2.Do a Deep Clean Every Season
There is nothing like the feeling that comes after spring cleaning your home. It elicits such a sense of pride and enjoyment knowing that EVERYTHING in your home is clean! In the past homemakers deep cleaned with every season. Not only is this a good practice for the coming season but it also helps in lowering the load of everyday cleaning.
3. Have a Place for Everything, and have Everything in its Place
![](https://i0.wp.com/begoniasandbygones.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/begoniasandbygones.com-24.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
Much like decluttering, having a place for all of your stuff is essential for a clean and tidy home. Having a permanent place for all of your things means that you won’t waste time looking for something when you need it because you will know where it is. One of the important aspects of a clean home is organisation. You won’t regret utilising this tip!
4. Put Things Away Right After Using Them
![](https://i0.wp.com/begoniasandbygones.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/begoniasandbygones-2.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
This tip builds on the last. If you know where something goes it is easy to put it away whenever you are done with it. Developing this skill will help a great deal in keeping the home tidy and save you time when you do the actual cleaning as you won’t have to move a bunch of stuff first!
5. Wear an Apron
Wearing an apron is a lifesaver for your clothes! I used to have old clothes that I would wear whenever I cleaned my home. Using an apron instead protects my good clothes, saves me time from changing and allows me to look more presentable at all times.
6. Use a Clothesline
![](https://i0.wp.com/begoniasandbygones.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/begoniasandbygones.com-25.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
This old fashioned tip can save you a significant amount on your power bill! Hang your clothes to dry outside on a line in the good weather and use a rack or retractable line indoors during poor drying weather. Not only is this tip good for your wallet but it is much kinder to your clothes too!
7. Use an Iron
Ironing appropriate items helps both you and your home look polished and put together. Doilies, runners and tablecloths that have been ironed look so nice and homemakers of the past would have never dreamed of using these items without pressing them first.
8. Wash your Bedding Weekly
![](https://i0.wp.com/begoniasandbygones.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/begoniasandbygones.com-21.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
Getting into clean sheets is such a pleasure! Make sure you remember to include your sheets into your weekly laundry schedule. It isn’t necessary to wash your quilts and comforters weekly but airing them every week adds some freshness to your bedrooms.
9. Keep Rags
Always keep old towels, wash clothes and even old clothes to turn into rags. In the past homemakers didn’t buy paper products to clean with. They used rags that they had collected for cleaning and old newspapers for windows. There is no need to buy paper towels when you have a stack of rags ready for use!
10. Make Your own Cleaners
![](https://i0.wp.com/begoniasandbygones.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/begoniasandbygones.com-22.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1)
Traditionally homemakers made their own soap and cleaners. They used things they had at home like alcohol and vinegar as bases for their cleaners. Making your own cleaner saves you money, is less toxic and does a great job.
11. Use Spices to Make the Home Smell Great
By placing citrus and spices like cinnamon, clove and allspice in a small pot with some water and simmering it on the stove adds a beautiful and inviting scent to your home. This costs less money than store bought air fresheners and is much less toxic too!
These tips truly helped me to maintainer a cleaner home, I hope they help you too!
With Love, Ellen
I seriously need this article taped right to my fridge as motivation! The pictures alone are inspiring, your home looks so clean and warm! And the advice feels so achievable and just so practical, which is saying something because I always feel overwhelmed by my home. I love the idea of learning from the past and adapting it to the present. It keeps those we learned these lessons from closer.
We really hope that these tips help our readers! So we are really happy to hear that they help you! Thank you so much for reaching out and letting us know!