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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Let's Look ·

Let’s Look: HOW WE DO ‘EVERY DAY’ CLEANING


Oh my word, friends, we have a lot going on today!

First and foremost, IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!  Eeeeeeeeeks!

Per my usual routine, I am taking the day off today 🙂 .  On the first day of school, I make breakfast for my kiddos, drop them off, and then spend the day enjoying a little time to myself (ie: looking for pumpkins to buy and pretending it’s almost fall).  I will share pics of my kiddos as they head off to 2nd, 4th, 7th and 8th grade later on, but geez, they get big fast.  Were we not just here…

…I swear we were.  Now, instead of the big girl being in second grade, the baby is in second grade.  Sigh.

Before I jet for the day, it’s another edition of LET’S LOOK!

If you don’t know what this is, once a month, Erika and I do a little link up where we “look” at different aspects of our lives (and then if you blog, you share and link up too!).  We have been doing this little linky party for years now, and it’s always one of my favorite posts each month because most of the topics are YOUR suggestions!

In January, we looked at HOW WE ORGANIZE FOR THE NEW YEAR.
In February, we looked at WHAT WE EAT IN A WEEK.
In March, we looked at OUR FAVES FROM HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE
In April, we looked at HOW WE DO DATE NIGHTS!
In May, we looked at OUR HOMETOWNS!
In June, we looked at OUR GO-TO SUMMER LUNCHES
In July, we looked at HOW WE KEEP HEALTHY

And today, we’re looking at….HOW WE DO EVERY DAY CLEANING!

Sigh.

I’m going to make this short, sweet and to the point today!  We all know by now that I thrive on a tidy house.  A calm, clean and neat space is how my Type-A-ness thrives (and anything else makes me nutty/agitated/not fun to be around).  Here are my best suggestions right off the top of my head for how I maintain between the “big” cleaning my house gets (thanks to the sweet lady that comes each week!).

1: I vacuum certain areas every single day.  Our bathroom, kitchen and outside the back door get vacuumed daily.  My office rug?  The dining room?  Those spaces get vacuumed as needed or weekly, but the kitchen, my bathroom and where we come in and out of the house each day?  That gets vacuumed daily. I also vacuum the foyer now most days because when we replaced the travertine with white marble this winter…

…I see more of what’s on the floor and feel compelled to vacuum it more often.  I almost exclusively use my Dyson Stick Vacuum.  I did an entire post on this magical thing about 18 months ago.  It’s cordless and light, so it makes cleaning the floors super simple!  Why do I feel so compelled to vacuum these spaces so often…

…because when we had to gut and remodel our bathroom back in 2020, we took this space from taupe to white.  You know what that made me realize?  We are disgusting people.  You guys…why didn’t someone tell me that my obsessive cleaning would only be ratcheted up a million degrees by white spaces?!  You didn’t tell me!  I had no idea how much taupe spaces hid dirt/grime/stray hairs/fingerprints and all the other grossness that comes from my family until I painted it all white.  HOLY COW, WE’RE DISGUSTING.

White shows everythinggggggg.

Everything.

Anyway, now that I live in the full reality of just how gross we are, I’ve had to step up my vacuuming game.

2: Speaking of the bathroom, I now buy Mr. Clean Magic Erasers in bulk. I keep several in the bathroom, in the laundry room, in my office, under the kitchen sink, in the kids’ bathrooms…those things clean up smudges and scuffs like magic 😉 .  I am telling you, you cannot have too many of those in your house.  Buy them and put them everywhere.  Since they’re not a single-use item, one eraser lasts a long time.  With my whiter walls now, I am constantly pulling one out and quickly erasing a mark!

3: Set a schedule for sheets.  Sheets are so tricky.  They need to be washed often but they take up such valuable real estate in my already over-worked washer and dryer.  I know on (typically) Friday mornings that I want to wash and dry my sheets, so on Thursday nights, I make sure my washer and dryer are empty.  Then, first thing Friday morning (like as soon as I wake up), I put them in the washer, do my quiet time and drink coffee, put them in the dryer and then by the time I’m done working out, I can put pull them out of the dryer and make my bed for the day.  The key is having that washer and dryer already empty the night before.  My kids sheets?  That’s not as easy. I typically rotate when I do their sheets (it’s too much work to do them all on the same day).  I have them bring me their sheets before school and then my goal is to have the sheets clean and placed on their bed when school is out.  Then that night, I help them actually put the sheets on for bed.  Their rooms are more out of sight, out of mind, so it doesn’t bother me on sheet day that their beds aren’t made.  Speaking of which…

4: Make your bed every day.  It just makes things look tidier and more clean.

5: Try not to stack dishes in the sink.  I try, at all cost, not to stack dishes in the sink.  I just think an empty (and rinsed out!) sink keeps the entire kitchen looking more clean.

6: Wipe off counters frequently.  I wipe off any bathroom counters and the kitchen counters as often as I need to in order to make them appear clean.  I don’t like walking into a bathroom and seeing toothpaste in a sink/soap scum on the side/whatever.  Wipe, wipe, wipe.

7: Put away clutter.  Before the kiddos go to school or go to bed (or we leave to go somewhere), we put away as many things as we can.  I think something as simple as seeing the pillows on the sofa in the right place and the bin of toys picked up makes the whole house appear more clean.

8: Light a candle.  Burning a candle covers a multitude of “in-between cleaning days” sins 😉 .

9: Open the mail by the trashcan.  I walk out to my mailbox every day, grab the mail and then walk straight to the kitchen trashcan to go through it. I toss as I go so that there isn’t any random mail cluttering up my house.  Magazines get put in a certain spot, Andrew’s mail is put in a spot on his desk and then my mail goes to my desk (bills, etc that I will need to address).

10: Take the trash out often.  I’m so thankful to have kids that can help with this chore, but seriously, just emptying trashcans makes an entire bathroom feel more clean to me.

I mean, surely I have more tips that that, but right now, these are the first things that spring to mind.  A clean house makes this mama oh so happy (and productive!) 🙂 .

What are your tips for every day cleaning?  You know I’m here for the cleaning tips!!!  Comment and share please!

Friends, next month…


…it’s all about closet organizing!

I’m out for the day!  I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and first day of school 🙂 .  See you tomorrow! xx

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Comments

    • Marisa Tompkins says

      I pay my cleaning lady extra to make our beds! I want to say its $5 a bed but I’m not sure. On Wednesdays when my cleaning lady comes, everyone strips their own bed, and brings the sheets down to get washed. We leave out clean sheets for the cleaning crew and they will make up all the beds as part of their cleaning routine. Makes so much sense to me so that we dont stir up dust in between cleanings. Trust me, a bed with tight fresh sheets is a dream to come home to along with a clean house!

  2. Joanne says

    Yep, we do pretty much all the same things! Though we use our robot vacuum each day to keep our floors clean– well, cleaner anyway. My husband and son work in the gravel business which makes it feel like our house is always dirty and filled with sand, gravel, clay, etc.

  4. Dana P says

    I love anything that motivates me to clean more and this post does just that. 🙌🏼 My biggest tip lately is a shop vac! We got ours at Costco for only $100 and it’s amazing. I use it to vacuum the cars (so much easier and more effective), but lately I’ve been dragging it into the house with just the hose attachment and it sucks everything up so quickly. The only downfalls are it’s big and ugly so it stays in the garage and you have to use an extension cord because the cord is too short. But if you’re in a hurry, it cleans all kinds of things really quickly! It’s so satisfying. Happy first day of school!!

  5. Sheaffer says

    Sometimes we run the stick vacuum in the main areas up to 3x a day over here! #thanksalotbuddyandcharlie 🙂 And yeah, we’re disgusting over here as well.

  7. Jennibell says

    My tip is change “picking up” to “resetting”. Reset the room when you leave so it looks the same as when you entered. Idk why this helps, but it does 🙂
    Happy first day of school!!! I love that you give yourself this day “off” – well-earned.
    I doubt my sophomore, junior, or senior at the University of Tennessee will send me any pictures 🙁

  8. Becky Przy says

    Praying that your kids first day of school goes well (and for you too!) We still have a few weeks until my kids start–which I am thankful for because my oldest is starting high school (7th grade, tiny town) and she went to the Catholic grade school (even tinier) and my heart isn’t quite ready for her to move on.

    Ok, I think I am doing something wrong with the magic erasers. I stocked up at Costco thinking they would be life changing, but they crumble when I clean. Am I scrubbing too hard? are they supposed to be wet or dry? so many questions.

    Enjoy your day off Shay!

    • sandi says

      My magic eraser experiences are just like yours, Becky! They always crumble. I buy them about once a year and when they don’t last get frustrated. Yet my friends sing and shout praises over magic erasers. I will try them one more time and make sure they are more than just damp when in use.

  9. Missy M says

    Hope your kids have a wonderful school year! This post convinced me NOT to paint my main floor. We were considering a move from greige to white….not any more! 😆

  10. Beth Knecht says

    We just got one of those Dyson vacuums, and it’s so convenient! It’s amazing how much more we pull out a vacuum that doesn’t have to be plugged in! The little things!!

  11. Kristin Lyngaas says

    I agree with the white 😁 I stayed at a friend’s house for a week and she had white countertops. There is not one thing you can leave on it that doesn’t show- coffee dribbles, crumbs, everything else. Of course I would clean it up, but there’s no grace. At all. They are gorgeous but I was so happy to be home and back to my mixed granite countertops.

  13. Alison says

    THIS trusty tool was a LIFE-CHANGER when I got it a few years ago. You can change the pads as often as you want/need. I don’t use the wet feature because it extends the life of the pad. I change mine weekly, but using the spray feature would make it more of a daily change, in my opinion. It’s super light, eats up all the crumbs and dust, and it’s something my kids can easily use on their own to help keep things tidy. I keep it in the pantry for easy access because they’re both like Hansel and Gretel and all the crumbs follow behind them.

    https://www.amazon.com/Shark-VACMOP-Cordless-Disposable-Charcoal/dp/B084BS1J9K/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2US5SDY7RPPMA&keywords=shark+dry+vac&qid=1660139163&sprefix=shark+dry+vac%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-3

  14. Dianne Whiteman says

    Question about the vaccum- we were looking at getting the dyson v8. Of course with anything, you see great reviews and then terrible ones. Most people complain about the battery life or that it leaves streaks on the hardwood floor. I don’t want to pay the huge costs of one of the newer models v11, 12, 15.., and I have heard the most consistent praise for the V8. Have you had any issues with your dyson? Have you had to replace the battery?

  15. WhittyWife (Lindsay) says

    This is why I can’t embrace the trend of all-white. 😄 Gray it is! Even lighter grays hide a multitude of sins. Hahaha!

  16. Chrys says

    So I LOVE my Dyson Stick Vacuum and still use it. But we bought a Roomba recently and Shay, my life has been forever changed!! I have her scheduled to vacuum either the entire bottom floor or sometimes just the kitchen every day. If she runs out of battery, she charges herself and picks up where she left off. The amount of dust and dirt she picks up is absolutely disgusting and I am grossed out by us. When I want her to do the top floor, I just move her upstairs. I can never live life without my iRobot again. I highly recommend looking into getting one. It was made for clean freaks like you and me.

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      Okay so a few years ago, I had a Roomba and when we weren’t home one day, it got stuck under a dining room chair and kept trying to “get out” by going back and forth back and forth until the battery ran out and then…there was a huge hole in my rug and I had to buy a new one. I stopped using it after that day.

  17. Elizabeth says

    For the Magic Erasers – how do you use them exactly? Because I have tried them and haven’t had success and not sure what I am doing wrong. How wet do you get them? And once you are done wiping the smudge off do you wring the eraser out? Or how do you get it to dry out? I have so many questions! HA! I love all things clean so I feel like I need to conquer how to use these erasers in the right way!

    • Mix and Match Mama says

      I get half of the eraser wet and use that half over and over again (re-wetting it each time) until it’s too yucky/disintegrated/etc and then I use the other half. I never submerge the entire thing, I just run half of it under the sink a few seconds until it’s quite damp (not sopping wet) and start using. It dries and then later, I repeat.

  18. amy says

    I run the dishwasher overnight each night and empty it every morning. I take the kitchen trash out every night. I don’t leave any clutter on the kitchen counters. I make sure to do my kid’s laundry every Sunday so they have clean clothes for the week. Every Monday, I clean my son’s room (vacuum, wash sheets, dust, empty trash, clean bathroom). Every Tuesday, I clean my daughter’s room. I clean my bathroom every Sunday. I have a robot vacuum that runs almost every day.
    The main thing for me is to have a regular routine so that nothing gets too far out of control.

  20. Lisa says

    I basically do all the things you do and then have a wonderful cleaning lady every other week. She says she loves coming to my house b/c it’s her zen time…..everything in its place and so clean.

  21. K.K. says

    Shay, I know you’ve mentioned doing this as well, but having a rhythm of cleaning out and donating. I have to do my closets twice a year. Apparently, that’s where all the stuff collects that I don’t know what to do with or how I’ll use it. If I have used it in 6 months, then it goes to someone who can enjoy whatever it is!

    Happy first day of school!! It’s hard to believe we are already here!

  22. Erika Mills says

    We do so much of the same thing! I use the laundry basket method. When I am cleaning, if it doesn’t go in that space it goes in a laundry basket (versus walking to where it goes). This helps me not get distracted, tidy the entire room at once and then kids go through and take their stuff, I put the rest away. This is the quickest method to tidy “common spaces” when things migrate into it.

    • Erika Mills says

      I will say too, dogs. Pets make white stuff look so much dirtier. You don’t realize everything that comes in on them until you’re hands and knees cleaning lol

  23. Jill says

    Hi Shay! My son just started tackle football and he LOVES it. For an idea for a future Shays Ways….all things managing kids who play sports….post play snacks…handling equipment (especially football)…managing time (for both the athlete and parents)…lessons you’ve learned along the way with parenting athletes…etc!!

  24. Lizzie says

    Great post! I need to get a stick Dyson. Love my Dyson animal, but a stick Dyson would be awesome. Also, love Mr. Clean sponges! Curious, what do you use to clean your travertine and/or marble floors?

  26. Debra says

    I ditto your daily tips. I really like my rooms to look neat and organized. It just plain makes a person feel better. Your recipes are so awesome. They’re quick, simple, and nourishing. I have many picked out to try. Thank you. I hope you and the kids have a safe and fabulous school year. You’re very appreciated. Your posts are great!

  27. Ruth says

    I totally agree with you about white! I just finished painting the walls in my house white and I should probably stock up on magic erasers. I just know that the inevitable marks on the walls are going to send me nuts!

  28. b says

    Hi Shay-thanks for a great post! My parents always had 2 washing machines and 2 dryers for our family of 5. I guess it sounds strange, but it was completely normal to us. I did the same while raising my kids – game changer!!

  29. Natalie says

    Hi Shay! Are you saying you use your Dyson “indoor” vacuum outside on the porch? I’ve always had to lug the shop vac out there! 🤦🏼‍♀️ I love seeing how you do life!

  30. Talia says

    I have the same routine as you. A little cleaning every day means I don’t spend my off time (weekends) cleaning all day long! I’ve added a spray bottle of bleach that I use to spritz the toilet and shower with. It makes my bathroom smell like the YMCA, but keeps it fresh between deep cleans.

  31. Cassandra Nunez says

    You are too funny! I LOVE your house! Your flooring is amazing!!! I know what you mean about white! I love it but shows scuffs really easily. I like to cut my magic erasers into 6 pieces so that I can throw them away after I use them since it’s usually used on really small surfaces.

  32. Lisa N says

    At a recent stay at an Airbnb at a lake house in Texas the owners asked that each sleeper strip their beds and put bedding for that bed in the pillowcase. Sounded like a good idea for a house with multiple beds.

    It’s almost Friday!

  33. Kelly Bonner says

    I agree with making your bed, emptying the sink, & picking up, even things as simple as the pillows in place makes my whole mood better! You’re the reason I became a candle person! ❤️🥰

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