A common excuse for avoiding housework is having to work from home. It’s true that working from home can be an advantage—you can work at your own pace, on your own schedule, and even in your pajamas if you want to! But as any homeowner will tell you, sometimes that means you have to deal with a messy house at the same time. Here are some tips on how to clean and tidy up your space if you work from home—no matter how messy it gets!

TIDYING UP

Everyone knows that tidying up is a must when you work from home to keep yourself on task and motivated. Having clutter around you while you work can be distracting and will add stress. Try and do your cleaning tasks outside of your work schedule so that you can be more productive on work-related tasks that matter most.

Try tidying for a couple of minutes at a time during your breaks throughout the day and turning on some music while you work. It can be refreshing to stand up from your desk and move around to take a mental and physical break from working on the computer. Try to think of these quick cleaning sessions as a moment to refresh your brain so that you can come back to your work rejuvenated and motivated.

Focus on one area at a time, starting with your desk or workspace. Put away unnecessary items into a drawer or basket to keep your work area free of clutter. Working from home can be more productive if you’re organized and make sure to not let chores pile up.

Trying to do too much in a short amount of time will make it hard for you to stay focused and organized throughout your workday, so try cleaning a little bit each day so that they don’t build up into big tasks that take longer than they should.

Try setting 10 minutes before your workday to pick up around your workspace and home to get a productive head start on the day. Then, after your workday, take another 10 minutes to clean surfaces or vacuum. This way, you're tackling small tasks throughout your day so they don't build up to a bigger mess!

GO DIGITAL

Another way to stay on top of your home-cleaning duties: ditch paper clutter for digital tidiness. This can be as simple as scanning receipts and business cards digitally instead of filing them away in a shoebox or going paperless with bills and subscriptions. The less clutter you have in your life, especially at home, the more effective you’ll be at keeping it clean.

There are many digital apps that will store your files, photos, and more for free! Instead of keeping large stacks of papers or a filing cabinet, scan your files with a scanner and upload them to a free application like Google Drive or Dropbox. By getting rid of your paper clutter, you automatically reduce unnecessary clutter in your space and boost productivity.

Once you go digital with most of your papers and documents, you won't have to keep a large stock of paper supplies, staplers, paper clips, etc. that clutter up your desk space.

DEALING WITH DIRTINESS

We all know how hard it is to clean your home when you work from home. Everyone wants a clean and comfortable home, but it’s hard when you spend most of your time in that space. So how do you keep your house clean? Here are some tips for maintaining a dirt-free environment without compromising comfort or job performance.

The first step to making sure your home stays free from dirt and grime is to set a time to do the deep cleaning every week. On one day make sure you get clean everything that might have been neglected throughout the week: spills on countertops, dishes in the sink, and overflowing laundry. Then throughout the workweek, you can start with a clean slate.

Day-to-day, you will find it's much easier to pick up little messes at a time when you have done most of the heavy cleaning already.

Another easy way to keep your workspace clean is to keep disinfectant wipes handy at your desk to wipe up messes or spills fast and easily. This will take one more step off of your cleaning checklist.

GETTING THE MOTIVATION TO CLEAN

Everyone needs a little motivation once in a while. If you find yourself feeling unmotivated to do any work at home, try some of these ideas:

• Set a timer– Set a timer for short intervals and during those intervals, get up and clean! When the timer goes off, take a break or get back to work. Setting a time constraint will make cleaning seem less overwhelming.
• Hire someone– Hiring outside help can be tremendously effective; and when time is tight, it could be well worth it to pay a professional cleaning service to clean up your home on weekends or while you’re busy.
• Ask others for help– If you have roommates or live with a significant other, ask them to set aside some time to help clean with you. Turn on some energetic music to get you going, and let the teamwork streamline the cleaning process!

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL CLEANING COMPANY

Hiring a professional cleaning company will free up your time so you can work on other aspects of your life or work. Keeping up with working from home as well as making time to clean your home can be stressful and sometimes not possible. That's where the pros come in! Professional cleaners can come into your home and take care of the hard work that goes into maintaining a clean space for you to be productive working from home.

The benefits of hiring a professional cleaning service are endless:

• More free time with friends, family, and pets
• Increased productivity
• Boosted mood
• Decreased stress

Beyond Expectations Cleaning Professionals serve the Glynn County area, including Brunswick, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Sea Island. Our professional cleaning company can meet your needs no matter what they are: daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly cleanings; light cleaning or deep cleaning services; move-in and move-out services.

Call us today at 912-230-4990 or visit www.b-expectations.com! We'll work with you to design a custom cleaning plan that is sure to fit all of your needs!