One of the hardest things to get used to when moving into your first apartment is the fact that there’s no one there to run the place but you! This shift can feel exciting, and it is, but it comes with responsibility as well. In your first apartment, you’ll have to be the one to cook dinner, wash the dishes, do the laundry, and clean everything, so read on below for our best housekeeping tips!
Do a little every day
The key to good housekeeping is to do a little bit every day so you don’t let it get away from you. Whether that means tidying up rooms as you move through the house, doing the dishes consistently right after every meal, or making your bed in the morning, it’s the small steps throughout the day that keep a household running well.
Practice implementing the “one-touch rule” in your house and putting something back in its place every time you pick it up. These tips might seem obvious, but most people tend to pick things up four to five times before actually putting them in their place.
Create a schedule
Not every task can be taken care of daily, so create a cleaning schedule to keep yourself accountable for doing these bigger tasks regularly. This can include anything from deep cleaning rooms to meal prep, but putting things on a schedule can make good housekeeping a habit instead of a dreaded thought.
Clean your kitchen after every meal
The kitchen can be one of the most frustrating areas of the apartment to clean because it seems like, no matter what you do, it keeps getting dirty! To help make this challenge easier on yourself, clean the kitchen immediately after every meal. Doing so will keep food from drying on the counters and your dishes and make cooking meals a lot more enjoyable!
Invest in some microfiber cloths
Microfiber cloths are one of the best tools to have around, as they can help you tackle a variety of housekeeping needs. As the name suggests, the fibers in a microfiber cloth are very small, which makes them soft and smooth enough to clean windows and mirrors without smudges, but also abrasive enough to handle tougher cleaning challenges with a little baking soda or vinegar.
Use a welcome mat
Having a welcome mat at your door can go a long way toward making your apartment feel and look nice – and especially toward keeping the floors clean. Not only does a welcome mat make you look more “established” in your apartment, but visitors will tend to wipe their feet on it before entering, which can help keep your floors clean.
Use your closets effectively
When moving into your first apartment, it can be easy to throw all kinds of stuff in your closets, close the doors, and call it good. Over time you’ll accumulate stuff, as everyone does, and you’ll find that your closet gets fuller and fuller.
Make sure there’s a purpose for each closet or storage area in your apartment so you know where to find everything you own at any given time. If you’ve had something sitting in a closet for months without it coming out, it’s a good sign that it’s time to get rid of it.
