One of the things that has been stressing me out the most regarding my apartment is trying to keep it clean. I try not to track dirt in, but it’s a near impossible feat considering this is New York City. I’m also not used to having so much space that’s ALL my own. It’s completely my responsibility to clean it. No roommates to blame, no moms to pick up after me, and definitely no cleaning ladies showing up twice a week.
I’m not even a messy person, but I feel like I’m constantly trying to make the apartment cleaner and cleaner. Part of it is that I feel like NYC in general is just not that clean and I want to make sure my apartment is super clean to counteract it! The other part is that this is my apartment…. that I’m paying for entirely on my own; I want to completely respect my space.
One major issue I have is that I don’t really have the time to devote to solely cleaning. But I’ve come up with some solutions that are QUICK and EASY and GET THE JOB DONE.
White Board Calendar | I have a calendar in my apartment that has events coming up (and it’s where I brainstorm blogging ideas). I also schedule days when I’m going to clean. While I clean on a daily basis, I schedule once a week where I go through the whole apartment and give it some proper TLC. I also include little marks to remind me the days of trash pick up and when to put out my recycling. It’s a good idea to come up with a schedule… and stick to it. It’s way too easy to simply say, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Windex + Paper Towels | The guy in My Big Fat Greek Wedding was spot on. Windex is the solution for just about all my problems. (Maybe not everything… but it seems like it!) It’s great for wiping up messy and sticky spills, dirty windows, smudged mirrors… you name it.
Febreze | Love the smell of this… but only in small doses. I really limit the amount of this stuff I use, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. This may be completely weird, but I like to spray it as I leave my apartment. I actually walk backwards spraying as I go and leave the can by my front door. When I get back from wherever I was, my apartment spells amazing. (And it’s so not strong anymore since I gave it time to “settle.”)
Swiffer Vac | This. Is. Brilliant. My apartment is small and I don’t have any carpet, so the Swiffer Vac is just perfect. I tend to use this at least twice a day. The vacuum is pretty great (although it’s no Dyson). And whatever doesn’t get picked up is magically captured by the actual Swiffer part!
Clorox | Sometimes bleach is necessary. I know, I know… it’s not the “greenest” of products… but it cleans. Like really, really cleans. The wipes are perfect for cleaning down all sorts of surfaces. I always start with the door knobs and sink faucets and dials. I feel like those are the dirtiest of all places and often get left out of the cleaning routine.
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I'm like you! I usually clean as I go (I'm a messy cook!), but at least once a week, mostly on Saturdays, I scrub and vacuum and spray and wipe everything down. I feel stressed when my place/stuff is a mess, so cleaning is a great way for me to relax and feel proud of my space!
I live in a kind of strange dorm room where I have my own bathroom and fridge but I have to wash dishes in the bathroom sink… odd I know! And I LOVE the clorox wipe (Or lysol) I always use them when I am done with dishes to wipe the sink and counter. Alo because I don't have much storage I use Pledge multi surface instead of windex because I am a serial duster. 🙂
The Swiffer Sweeper Vac is one of my favorite products of ALL TIME! I have dark wood floors, two white cats, and a very messy toddler and it does a great job for me. I use it all day long.
The Swiffer wetjet is a great thing to have as well! If you live in an apartment with a tiny kitchen, pulling out the traditional mop to clean the floors is WAY too much work and way too messy. I use my WetJet every other day to clean up sticky messes and just clean the floor in general. It smells great and was only $20!
I've had a lot of success with GreenWorks products. I try to balance being environmentally friendly and using as few chemicals as possible, with getting the best clean. Definitely something to check out. I wish I had enough time to completely make my own, but alas that is not a possibility. Thanks for the tips and giveaway!
little town it’s a quiet village, every day like the one before 📖 🥀 💙 Comment “links” and I’ll send you the details of my classic outfit (this shirtdress is about to be in *heavy* rotation in my wardrobe!)
I’m four weeks postpartum and we have an extra hour of sunlight, the temperatures are rising, the flowers are starting to bloom, and I bought more jeans that fit! Feeling GOOD ☀️ leave a comment saying “spring outfit” and I’ll send the links for my outfit (including the viral white t-shirt I just got, these jeans which are 50% off, my super affordable quilted jacket… PLUS the baby carrier I’ve been using)!
What a brilliant way to store my needlepoint treasures 🤍🔐✨🌿🪡 I’ve wanted to do this for a while and I’m glad I waited because the @neelyandchloe x @petitekeep collaboration trunk couldn’t be more perfect!! Just launched today!
PS Comment “needlepoint trunk” and I’ll send you the link (+ a bonus link with all my for needlepoint tips for beginners!)
I recently stayed at @boramcare, a postnatal retreat, in NYC with my three week old and had the BEST experience. 👶🏼 🍼🤱🏻 I was blown away by the services Boram has to offer- they have thought of everything to help mothers recover physically and emotionally after giving birth. Leave a comment with “postnatal retreat” and I will DM you more information about #Boram and even more details about my stay.
sweet moments from my camera roll ✨ I think these sum up pretty accurately what the last few weeks have looked like. Snuggling on the couch under piles of blankets 🛋️ family walks around town 🛴 reading our favorite books together in the nursery 📚
There’s something special about getting to do the newborn stage over again with your second baby. It’s exhausting, and tiring, and overwhelming…. But you know just how fast it’s going to go by. I am soaking up every second of the contact naps, newborn scent, and (yes!) even the cluster feeding. 🤍🍼☁️
Leave a comment with “outfit” and I’ll send you links to what I’m wearing (+ the stroller and headphones) 🧥
No one will know the size of your jeans but they’ll know if they don’t fit! Struggling with my postpartum body… and just decided to go to the store and buy jeans that fit! Who knows what will happen down the road (my postpartum body always feels foreign for a while), but for now I have jeans that fit and that I feel good in. 🫶🏻
Leave a comment with “jeans” and I’ll send you links for my outfit! 🔗
I'm like you! I usually clean as I go (I'm a messy cook!), but at least once a week, mostly on Saturdays, I scrub and vacuum and spray and wipe everything down.
I feel stressed when my place/stuff is a mess, so cleaning is a great way for me to relax and feel proud of my space!
<3
kimberrleigh.com
I live in a kind of strange dorm room where I have my own bathroom and fridge but I have to wash dishes in the bathroom sink… odd I know! And I LOVE the clorox wipe (Or lysol) I always use them when I am done with dishes to wipe the sink and counter. Alo because I don't have much storage I use Pledge multi surface instead of windex because I am a serial duster. 🙂
The Swiffer Sweeper Vac is one of my favorite products of ALL TIME! I have dark wood floors, two white cats, and a very messy toddler and it does a great job for me. I use it all day long.
The Swiffer wetjet is a great thing to have as well! If you live in an apartment with a tiny kitchen, pulling out the traditional mop to clean the floors is WAY too much work and way too messy. I use my WetJet every other day to clean up sticky messes and just clean the floor in general. It smells great and was only $20!
I've had a lot of success with GreenWorks products. I try to balance being environmentally friendly and using as few chemicals as possible, with getting the best clean. Definitely something to check out. I wish I had enough time to completely make my own, but alas that is not a possibility. Thanks for the tips and giveaway!
Love these essentials, they are the perfect tools to keep any apartment clean. And I'm loving the whiteboard schedule, definitely going to do this!