The principal idea behind every home design is its functionality and comfort but what also matters is finding the design that will require minimal cleaning time. It’s a never-ending quest of allocating more time to relax and enjoy in the comfort of one’s own home rather than doing chores and cleaning.
If you’re working on remodelling your home or you’re designing your new dream house, the choices you make regarding flooring options, storage, laundry room location and finishes will have an impact on how much time it’ll take to have it cleaned.
Flooring choices
Floors get dirty the fastest so choosing the right material is one of your first major decisions. Depending on your taste, you might opt for stained concrete with a protective sealer as it has minimal seams, is impervious to spills and allows easy sweeping and mopping.
Other low-maintenance options include high-quality hardwoods, laminate or luxury vinyl tiles with a wood-like finish. They all need some sponging and mopping whereas with hardwoods, it’s important you don’t put off cleaning splashes and splatters.
Try limiting wall-to-wall carpeting for the bedroom where the spills and stains are less likely to happen but if you insist on having it in the living room, consider carpet tiles. Vacuum cleaning will do the trick but the coolest thing is that even if spills happen, you can easily remove the tile, wash it, dry it and put it right back in.
Storage planning
Ample, well-planned storage is one of the most influential factors in how clean and organized your home can be. Try to use every nook and cranny for storage and put in places where the stored items will actually be used. For instance, window seat storage or an ottoman with under-seat storage is a great solution for your family room to store the extra blankets and your kids’ toys rather than having them out of reach in the hallway closet.
This might mean you’ll need to design your own storage to fit in with your needs and the best way to go is to work closely with the pros at a contemporary design studio in Sydney to produce bespoke and custom-designed storage units that will blend in seamlessly with the rest of your home décor.
Making your laundry room easy to use
Doing laundry is probably one of the most tiresome chores but essential in keeping the house and family clean so choosing the most convenient location for your laundry room will play a significant role in your cleaning routine.
The most common choice is the basement or garage but that’s not very practical as it requires you to leave whatever you’re doing at that moment and let your kids out of sight. A better choice might be right next to your bedroom with recessed lighting just a few steps from your closet or by your kitchen so you can run loads while you keep an eye on your kids and do other chores.
Upholstery choices
Unless you have removable and washable slipcovers on your furniture, cleaning upholstery is one of the most stressful and tedious chores you can do. Stains can be quite persistent and very unattractive to see on your living room sofa and since the furniture is used daily, it’s very inconvenient to have it off limits while it dries.
Make a careful choice of upholstery that is durable, stain-resistant and easy to clean. Darker leather is a popular option when you have small children as it’s very easy to wipe off. Vinyl or faux leather upholstery is also a great option that also cleans easily and comes in great textures and designs.
If you prefer a softer fabric such as plush or velvet, opt for custom-designed material treated with stain repellent that makes it very hard to even get wet and is worth every extra penny you pay.
Research studies show a direct link between good physical and mental health and a clean home. A tidy and clean home can reduce your stress levels, improve comfort and safety and relieve allergy symptoms. With the tips listed here, you’ll have no trouble in keeping your home spick and span and enjoying it in good health.