Small Apartment, cleaning ideas?

Question

My boyfriend and I live in a small apartment. It gets messy easily. Everything has a place, and eventually I can take care of it, but it just gets so tiring! He works a lot, yesterday 12 hours, and today had to be at work by 4 am. He is exhausted when he comes home, so I usually do the cleaning. Any simple advice or encouragement? Perhaps something I had not thought about? Most of the mess is papers he doesn't want to be thrown out, clothes that never end up in the laundry basket, and dishes that we are too exhausted to take to the sink after dinner.

Also, we do not have a vaccuum, and we have a lot of carpet. What to do? We have very little money... Thanks!

Our apartment consists of a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom with a closet, and a bathroom. We also have a small porch. We eat sitting on our love seat. The desk is also in the living room. He hangs most of his clothes, and what is left of both our clothes we put in a small dresser inthe bedroom. We have a king size bed, so pretty much the whole bedroom is taken up.

Thanks for all the help so far!

Answer 1

ok stay calm..sweetie... tell him on his way to bed to take some papers and some laundry with him ok?? and you do the same..then after ya get some sleep..turn on some music that makes ya happy and feel like a dancin..woohooo!! and then instead of dancin..start pickin up the stuff and put away.. dust..... etc..soon your place will shine!!
you cna then get a waste basket or laundry basket to place newspapers in after reading..then get another for laundry or a garbage bag.. get a cradboard box and place a garbage bag in it... then throw your laundry everynight an day into that..this wills ave a mess and time when ya get too tired to pick up.. dirty dishes?? well when ya gt up to go potty or get somethign to drink..grab some dishes and take to the kitchen.. sweetie ya do a little everyday and soon your apt will be spotless..
now go to a thrift store and get a used vaccum..or yardsells
yard sales daa my typing!!lol.. you cna pick up a great bargain... also i use da broom when i was very poor and it took along time but i got er done!!!
good luck an i know youll do fine sweetie..heres ahug for ya

Answer 2

Everybody hates cleaning, unfortunately there aren't many tricks to make it easier. You just have to do it.
As far as the papers, I struggle with that too. The rest of my apartment (also a small place that even a little untidiness makes it seem like a total disaster) can be clean, but I always seemed to have a pile of bills, receipts, check stubs, etc. spread on most every flat surface. Paper clips are cheap, and can work miracles. Just bundling related things together and keeping them all in one place can make a big difference.
You NEED to get a vacuum. Doesn't have to be brand new, and they can be found quite cheaply or even free. I got my current one just by asking a couple people at work if they had an old one around they wanted to sell. I got a perfectly serviceable vacuum for $15, been using it for 3 years. Also try www.freecycle.org - see if there's an active group in your area. Thats just the type of thing I commonly see posted on our local bulletin board for free.

Answer 3

Most large chain stores like Kohls, Target, or Walmart have vacuums under $60 or carpet sweepers with a charge plug for $30 on sale. Used vacuums can be purchased at stores that repair them or thrift stores at 50-75% off retail.

Buy a few stacking wicker baskets for the papers, mail, keys and remotes. Craft stores have the best prices a set of 3-4 for $20-30.

Buy a plastic dish pan and put the dishes in the sink with warm water to soak overnight. While the morning coffee is brewing, He washes and you dry the dishes. Paper plates and dishes bought on sale are good for pizza and other not drippy foods.

You can buy a canvas hamper, the price depends on the size, on wheels that folds up when not in use. Put it in the room where he changes his clothes and wheel it to store in another room. That way he is only picking up the clothes once.

Once you get organized, stick with the plan. EX-I open the mail near the trash bin. Make 3 piles: Mail to keep; to shred, and to throw away. At the end of the week, I throw out into the recycle bin any magazines, catalogs, or newspapers that have been read. This keeps the clutter to a minimum.

To minimize cleaning chores break the cleaning into certain tasks on set days. We clean the sink, shower/tub and toliets every other day after showering (Sun./T/R). We dust and vacuum 1-2 times per week (M/W). Because we have a dog, the tile floor gets vacumed daily. My DH washes the floors weekly (Sat.). Laundry is washed on the weekend except for the towels that are done midweek on W or R.

It's easiest if you do all of the glass, windows, mirrors, etc. on the same day in all of the rooms. The same goes for the dusting. That way you are concentrating on a single task at once, and it saves you time. I bought a plastic container with a handle for cleaning supplies; I keep it stocked with supplies that we use every week. It's also easier to know when you are low on any product. Buy only one cleaning product for each task. Pledge for dusting; Windex for mirrors and glass; cleanser, Tilex, toliet cleaner for the bathrooms; a multi purpose floor liquid. I even put the cleaning cloths in a bucket after washing them. If all cleaning supplies are stored in one container, it saves time.

If you do most of the cleaning, tell your bf that you need help on the weekends. Make a job jar and he can pick 2 tasks to finish. If he doesn't complete the task, do not do the work. After a few weeks with no clean clothes or a dirty floor, he will understand your frustration and why you are tired, too.

When you are both done, this organizational plan gives you both time to spend with each other to relax, socialize with friends, or exercise.

Answer 4

You can use a broom on the carpets- but you should really get a vacuum- they do have cheap ones that are basically a dustbuster on a stick but it's better than nothing. Get laundry hampers for each of you and make sure all the dirty laundry goes right in them- never on the floor. Once you get the place really clean you can keep it that way if you keep up on it. A dirty apartment can make you "feel" exhausted too- I always find myself in a better mood when everything's nice and clean. I miss my small apartment- a house gets messy just as fast, but takes longer to clean up!

Answer 5

For the papers, get a box and put them in there. It is easy enough just to put the clothes in the laundry basket. Do the dishes directly after you use them- that way they don't pile up. And check the local thrift stores for a used vacuum. They may also have a small filing box that you can use for the papers and an additinal laundry basket that you can put in a place that is more convenient for you than your present one.

Answer 6

The easiest thing to do is to have a daily routine and stick with it... I like to use foldaway laundry baskets.. About $5 for two and go around the apt and pick up things that don't belong. Sort/put away.. If you have decent closet space make a (makeshift office area where you can stash papers.. we use baskets for incoming/outgoing and I sort all the mail and immeadiately get rid of envelopes, junk mail... Or you can use a drawer to stash paperwork -although that might make it worse... In my small apt. I had a dresser I used as a hutch.. It held linens, extra clothes, and table clothes. and I had a drawer with two baskets for bills/paperwork.. As for your carpet you can get a used vacuum for pretty cheap...

Answer 7

I also live in a small apartment. I bought a light weight vacuum for our place. They are cheaper than the regular ones and do the job for such a small area. I found mine for around $50-$60. As for clothes. I have small round baskets for laundry in the bathroom, bedroom, and laundry area. ( My husband works 12 hr days, too) He manages to find one of them. Dishes, I resort to plastic cups. The others sometimes just have to wait for morning.

Answer 8

Yes I have a few tips, first off find an attractive basket, bowl, or box (You probably have something already just look at your stuff with new eyes) and place it in his path to throw his junk in. This has worked wonders for my hubby. Carpet-- Use a lint brush and a hand broom and dust pan. I have hard one floors but I do this for my rugs. Dirty clothes your on your own (wink) I've been with my man for 8 years and still no luck. Dishes buy recycled paper plates to use and place into recycling bin when done, presto no dishes to wash.

Answer 9

We use baskets to curb clutter. There is a basket for everything. Mail, personal things (keys, wallets, etc), magazines, etc.


Other than that, just keep on top of the clothes. We keep a small laundry basket in our bathroom. Very small. it only holds 1-2 outfits. But it keeps them off the floor.

Answer 10

when i didn't have any money and no vaccuum i used an old hair brush and ran in the through the carpet. worked better than a vacuum to be honest!

otherwise just stay on top of it. thats the main thing. and don't be afraid to consolidate; some stuff you're just never going to use!! take it t your parents house or give it away! get a safety deposit box for the important papers... just some thoughts