Ways to Make Cleaning Chores More Interesting



Ways to Make Cleaning Chores More Interesting
Do your cleaning chores feel like a scene out of Cinderella, but with extra drudgery and fewer singing birds? Perhaps it’s time to make your everyday tasks more interesting.
Mixing in some creative cleaning ideas can make common chores downright cool. Check out these tips on how to improve your daily duties about the apartment.
Pump up the volume
Dance the dust away! Common chores instantly become more fun with the right soundtrack. Crank up a clean-house playlist that puts you in a good mood and shake your booty while you sort your laundry. If you continue using your same house-cleaning music mix each time you tackle your cleaning chores, the sounds may actually trigger you to get excited about cleaning. Take it to the next level by slipping on a pair of cleaning slippers to mop the floor. By the time you’re done, you’ll be warmed up and ready for a night out on the town.
Grab a buddy
Solo chores can be a bore, so why not dish the dirt while you clean up? Grab your partner, spouse, child, or (very helpful and generous) friend, and put him or her to work. Cleaning your apartment is much more fun when you have someone to chat with while you scour the bath. Plus, your everyday chores will take half the time!
Reward yourself
If you like having deadlines, make plans with a friend for a specific time so that you have a real incentive to get your tasks done by then. If you are cleaning alone, you can motivate yourself by setting goals and rewards. It could be something small like setting a timer and treating yourself to a piece of chocolate every time you finish fifteen minutes of cleaning chores. Or you could reward yourself with a pedicure or movie once you have completed your housework chores.
Get fancy
Another way to add some spark to your sparkle is by testing out new cleaning products. Swap out your grocery store degreaser for something sassy like the cleansers from Better Life or Method. Pick up some new tools like hand-knitted dish scrubbers or fun reusable cleaning cloths. Give these new products a whirl, and then write reviews of the products online afterward.
Soak in the benefits
After you’ve spent the day making your apartment shine, take time to stop and smell the cleanliness. Settle on the sofa for five minutes and really appreciate the benefits of the hard work you’ve done. Notice the lemony scent of your spic-and-span home. Admire yourself in your newly-clean mirrors. Take in the joy of climbing into a freshly-made bed. A few moments of appreciation might help you realize it was all worth it.
Cleaning chores don’t have to be a drag. Simply tackle your tasks in a fun way and they’ll be done before you know it!

Preparing Your Apartment for Spring


Though sometimes it may seem that winter will never end, the coming of spring is inevitable for all apartment dwellers. Preparing your apartment for spring and doing a little apartment maintenance today will help you welcome warmer weather and good times into your apartment.
Spring cleaning
For many people, preparing for spring means spring cleaning. When you’re ready to roll up your sleeves, you don’t want to search endlessly for supplies. Assemble everything together ahead of time in a handy cleaning caddy and you can save your time and energy for scrubbing. Ready-to-work clothes, rubber gloves, scrub brushes, old toothbrushes, cleaning cloths and some standard cleaning agents are a good basic beginning. You’d be amazed at what can be accomplished with vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda, for instance.
In addition to a more thorough version of your regular apartment cleaning routine, you’ll want to tackle all the areas you may have avoided for the last year — windows, appliances, mirrors, light fixtures, vents, cupboard/pantry shelves and under the beds. You’ll also want to make sure your vacuum cleaner and mops are in working order with fresh bags and heads, respectively, and ready to conquer your floors.
Lose the dust so you can breathe easy
With warmer weather, allergies are also an issue. Keeping a handle on dust year-round is a necessity, with regular vacuuming, dusting and laundering, especially if you have pets. Give your apartment a good dusting now and you will be able to maintain a dust-free pad. While you’re changing you linen and vanquishing the big-game dust creatures under your bed, also vacuum your mattress.
As the temperature rises, so can the humidity, increasing the chance for mold and mildew. This duo can especially be an issue in bathrooms, but they can build up in any area of your apartment. You might want to consider a dehumidifier to help keep your apartment’s humidity at between 30 and 50 percent.
This is also the time to get your heating and air system serviced, filters changed and, if necessary, ducts cleaned.
Out with the old
While you’re preparing for some major apartment cleaning, you’ll want to get as much stuff out of the way as possible. This makes it a great time to sort and remove all the detritus that’s built up since last spring. Make one pile for what you want to keep, one for what gets sold, and another for donations. Include a garbage can or bag for the jetsam that should just be tossed. Perform this purge in every room, cabinet and closet in your apartment and you can truly say you’ve done a spring cleaning.
Play it cool
Now is the time to swap out cold-weather bedding and clothing for the warm-weather alternatives. Make sure all linens and clothing are clean and mended before you pack them away in hanging bags or plastic bins. Keep moths from nibbling at expensive knits by using repellents (such as moth balls or less intrusive lavender or cedar), in addition to storage bags or containers. You’ll also want to reverse the direction of any ceiling fans so that they run clockwise, pushing warm air up and away.
Got a little cabin fever? Why not take your apartment-bound time to get ready for spring? Get the hard work done now, and you’ll be free to head outside and enjoy the warmer weather when it arrives.

Featured Rentals:


BROAD STREET LOFTS
713 WEST BROAD ST.

Closer to VCU than the dorms!
  • Three blocks to VCU, Siegel Center & less than one block to the School of The Arts
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  • All new appliances include washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, electric range, refrigerator, garbage disposal
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Featured Rentals:


 GRACE AT MONROE
401 W. GRACE ST.



Two blocks from the new VCU School of Business and School of Engineering
  • Two blocks east of Belvidere at the corner of Grace & Monroe
  • All new appliances include microwave, electric range, dishwasher, refrigerator, garbage disposal, some apartments with washer/dryers
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    Convenient utility package including electricity, water, sewer, trash removal, cable TV with HBO & high-speed internet access
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