Consider whether you truly need an item. If you don’t know when you last used it, or when you might use it again, consider tossing it out or donating it. Remember – if it looks like junk, feels like junk, and nobody knows what to do with it, it’s junk.
Make sure whenever you are done with an object, you put it away. Make sure that your family follows this rule as well. One particularly effective method of de-cluttering your life is simply putting away objects left out by others. If they ask the location of the object, tell them that if they didn’t pick it up, it’s gone. Usually this will only take a couple reminders to start some new habits.
Always save the vacuum for last. This ensures that you’ll suck up all the debris that’s been shifted onto the floor during the cleaning process. Newer vacuums should not be pushing dust back into the air, either. If yours has this problem, consider investing in a new one or changing the filters and bags. This is also the right time to erase any carpet footprints.

Living Room Cleaning Tips

The key to a clean home is cleaning it consistently. At Molly Maid, we follow a house cleaning routine that ensures that all of your spaces are as clean as possible. For your personal cleaning needs, we suggest following this simple house cleaning schedule:

Daily: On a daily basis, collect any toys, mail, etc. that has accumulated over the course of the day and put them in a pile in the middle of the room. One by one, put them where they belong.

Weekly: On one day per week, dust around the room – working left to right and top to bottom. From there, you can move on to cleaning your coffee table and other surfaces. After dusting, it is also a good time to vacuum your furniture, removing and rotating sofa cushions to encourage even wear and increase their useful life.

Monthly: Move your furniture and vacuum beneath it. Wash your windows as well (weather permitting, i.e. above 50 degrees). You should also clean your furniture as necessary.

Yearly: On a yearly basis, you should evaluate your living room, taking care to de-clutter and dusting anything that is hard to reach (i.e. ceiling fan) using a ladder as necessary. This is also a good opportunity to clean your fireplace if you have one.