Noticeables vs. Negotiables

If money were no object, I think most people would agree that having a housekeeper would be a wonderful splurge. Even if money IS an object, I know plenty of people whose busy lives put them in a place where having a periodic professional house cleaning absolutely makes the most sense. It goes without saying that scrubbing bathrooms isn't necessarily the most fun way to spend a free afternoon.

via Jaymie Koroluk on Flickr

But if having a housekeeper isn't an option that you can consider, and time is a major factor in your ability to keep up with household routines, sometimes corners have to be cut. Trust me, I am all about short cuts!

I've tried out all kinds of cleaning routines, and blogged about most of them here over the past few years. As a result, at any given point, my home could be anywhere on a large spectrum of various definitions of "clean." But even at my laziest, I have come to the realization that there are certain things that make a huge difference in how clean a space feels. I call these things the "Noticeables."

-{The Noticeables}-

For me, the powder room in our front hallway is a space that absolutely needs to be clean- because anyone that steps foot into our home is more than likely to use it before they leave. For my  husband, nothing gets under his skin more than a cluttered kitchen counter. And we both hate piles of things on the floor anywhere on the main level. These are the 3 things that I put at the absolute top of my list- and usually need daily attention.

via Jaymie Koroluk on Flickr

-{The Negotiables}-

 

This is where the corners get cut. Whether or not I tend to these items is negotiable in my mind, and it depends on what else our life looks like at the moment. Things that don't bother me- the state of our bedrooms upstairs (especially the girls' rooms). The shower in the master bathroom. Dust on shelves above eye level. Actually, I'd be lying if I said I dusted at all on a regular basis.

I'm not saying that I NEVER clean these spaces. And when I do get around to them, it feels great to have them in tip top shape. But in all honesty, taking them off my daily and weekly to do list frees up lots of time to do the things that make a noticeable difference in our home.

What are your noticeables and negotiables? Are you one of those people who makes the bed as soon as your feet hit the ground, or do you just shut the door when company comes over? (I'm definitely the latter!)