Life is always busy and unfortunately, keeping on top of all the chores inside your home can become a little overwhelming (or very overwhelming, if you ask me). As a mom of two small kids, I find it almost impossible to keep my home clean, tidy and under control.
Even when I finish what feels like a million tasks, my work is never done. And I'm yet to find a person that feels like they've got a grasp on everything in their life, no matter their circumstances.
That's why I'm dedicated to finding decluttering techniques that promise to make life a little easier. And while the 'poop rule' and the 'ifs and buts rule' have helped me out in a big way, I'm always searching for more secrets.
And so, when expert Zara O'Hare at Land of Rugs taught me about the concept of the '"five-zone rule", I felt compelled to share it. She says instead of cleaning the whole house, you should "divide it into five zones – sleeping, bathing, dining, relaxing, working – and tackle one per weekday."
Here's how it works.
What is the five zone rule?
As mentioned, the 'five-zone rule' means splitting your home cleaning routine into five zones. Then, instead of giving into the overwhelming desire to not clean at all because there's just too much to do, you can split it into more easy-to-tackle objectives – and I think it's pretty genius.
I will say that I do think it depends on your home as to what five zones you pick and what days work for you. It seems self-explanatory that sleeping would be bedrooms, bathing would be bathrooms, dining would be anywhere you eat and relaxing is your living room.
But, when it comes to working, I personally don't have a specific office spot in my home to work as I tend to move around (depending on where it's quietest and usually tidiest...) So, instead, I might add in the zone, 'storing'. Then, I can target a specific storage area in my home like a cupboard or pantry for a clean and quick refresh.
Also, realistically, I'm not cleaning a zone of my home every day of the week because life and work get in the way and I find it hard to make time. Instead, I'd probably do a couple of zones a week, prioritizing anywhere that gets especially messy.
The downside of this though is that sometimes a zone may go weeks without a clean. For this, I'd adopt an even stricter little and often approach, where I tackle any extra zones that haven't had a deeper clean that week in a smaller collective. Because it just feels easier to carve out time on one day then every day of the week.
What I do know is that I hate to be overwhelmed, so the idea of breaking the house into different zones to focus on is amazing and I can't believe I didn't think of it before. It also really helps me stay focused as I have a tendency to jump between tasks (and not really finish any of them).
Make your home feel like a hotel
So, Zara says "this hotel-style routine keeps everything under control without it feeling overwhelming." And while I love that idea, there's some other tips she shares that can level up your cleaning routine to really make you feel like you're living in a hotel.
Apparently, it really can be that clean and it doesn't even take much effort at all.
1. Do a 'surface sweep'
Zara explains that doing a 'surface sweep' is what hotel staff love to do. They don't deep clean every single day because they don't have time. But, they do make sure that each surface is returned to the way it was before.
For this, Zara says: "Spend 10-15 minutes clearing visible clutter, straightening cushions, and refreshing linens."
In a really quick spurt of time, you'll make a big difference to your home. And by doing a little every day, you're also lengthening the amount of time before you need to perform a deep clean.
2. Buy white bedding
There's something incredibly luxurious about white bedding. It's the kind of bedding I buy and then save for best because I'm too worried about ruining it with overuse.
But, looking after your white bedding doesn't have to be a massive task. Zara explains: "Wash in hot water once a week, add baking soda or white vinegar to each load, and got for breathable, high-thread-count cotton."
So, you can keep your whites white for longer and then when you put the sheets on your bed next, you can even perform a sharp fold at the foot of the bed for a fancy hotel look. I had to watch a YouTube video to figure out how to do this, but it took no time at all.
3. Perform the lint roller trick
I'm actually a huge fan of lint rollers. In fact, I've got a multipack of 6 waiting in my cupboard ready for the next cleaning task. And it turns out hotel housekeeping are big fans of the lint roller, too.
As Zara explains: "It lifts dust fast and leaves no streaks." But while you may think lint rollers are just for clothes, they're not. I use them on anything from sofa cushions to lampshades and even in my car.
By getting rid of excess dust is this super effective way, it gives your home a luxurious feel and it's fairly inexpensive, too.
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