I love organizing and there's a reason I chose to make organizing my career over cleaning. I don't love cleaning, but I do love things to be clean. I have have found some ways to make the cleaning process incredibly simple and streamlined so I can spend more time doing what I love (hint...it's not toilets). Here are some products and tips I've been using over the past year that have been total game-changers for me.
All-Natural All-Purpose Cleaners
Last summer I started using Thieves cleaner in my own home and in all of my clients' homes. I use it to clean kitchens and bathrooms in my own home, and then use it to wipe down shelves and surfaces before putting in organizational systems when working in others' homes. I love it because it's all-natural - I don't want to worry about what I'm putting in my clients' homes. I now have a puppy and am not at all worried when she starts to lick it when I spray it on the floor before I've had a chance to mop it up. Thieves is comprised of eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, clove, and cinnamon essential oils so it smells amazing. I truly think it smells like Christmas and even a year later my kids comment on how much they love the smell every time I spray it.
I use Thieves on every single surface in my home. Kitchens, bathrooms, everywhere. I even use it on windows and mirrors. It can disinfect surfaces, and there are a lot of Thieves recipes available that you can try for different needs. I just use a capful of the concentrate clear in a spray bottle with water.
Using Thieves has been a game-changer for me in two ways. First, it's so easy, which is what I need. I've always preferred all-natural products, and using this is so simple. I don't have to formulate different recipes to use for different needs - it's just 1 product. Second, it's a game-changer for organization. I like living a minimal lifestyle without a lot of extra products. With Thieves, I just have one bottle on every floor and one in the kitchen. No more cluttered cleaning cabinet!
Taking Labels Off
Another product I use in all of my client's homes is lemon oil. We use lemon oil for taking sticky labels off when organizing a client's home. With all of the products and bins we're using daily, we needed an effective system to use.
In the past, we used Goo-Gone to take labels off. This is a great product to use, but I wanted a natural alternative. I use this lemon oil and this label scraper to get the job done. Here's a video to show you exactly how I do this!
Displaying Cleaning Products
There are a few simple and minimalistic ways I like to display and organize my cleaning products. My favorite thing in my kitchen is my display tray. I decant hand soap and dish soap into bottles and place them in the tray next to the sink. I love my simple scrub brush too, it just adds that final touch to my sink and makes hand washing dishes as convenient as possible.
Inside my under-the-sink cabinet, I have an acrylic tray attached to the door. I love using this to get products off the bottom of the cabinet so they aren't taking up space, and so my most essential products are easy and quick to grab.
For bathrooms, I used to keep a container of disinfectant wipes in each bathroom. Now, I have a hook inside of each cupboard in each bathroom with an e cloth that I use to wipe down the counter and mirrors. I wash these at the end of each week.
Do you have your go-to cleaning products? Share them with me, I'd love to hear them!
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing business in Utah (Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Logan, Utah County, and St. George), California (Bay Area, Los Gatos, Hillsborough, Atherton, San Jose), Denver, CO, and Phoenix, AZ. She loves creating order and systems out of chaos. Her specialty is finding a way to continue the aesthetic of any home to every cupboard and drawer. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
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