Your house talks to you. Not literally, of course. But every pile of laundry, overflowing trash bin and stack What your clutter might be saying to your brain – and why a cleaner home can help quiet the conversation of paperwork sends you a tiny reminder: Deal with me. Put me away. Clean me. Don’t forget me.

When there are enough reminders, your home can start to feel less like a place to relax and more like one giant to-do list.

Cindy Dayman, owner of Winnipeg’s Take Time Cleaning, sees this regularly.

“People don’t always realize how much their surroundings can affect how they feel,” says Dayman. “When things start piling up and you feel like you’re constantly behind, it can be hard to switch off. Your home should be a place where you can recharge, not another source of pressure.”

There’s growing research behind that idea. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology looked at over 1,100 adults and found that subjective clutter – how cluttered a home feels to the person living in it – was a significant predictor of well-being. The researchers found that it may not simply be about how much stuff you have, but how that stuff affects your experience of your home.

Your space can become a visual to-do list

Think about walking into a cluttered room.

The laundry basket is there. The dishes are there. The junk mail is there. The things that need to be put away are there.

Your house keeps talking: You still need to do this. Don’t forget that. You haven’t gotten around to this yet.

One task isn’t a big deal. But dozens of little reminders can create the feeling that you’re never actually finished.

A clear counter, clean floors and a tidy bathroom, on the other hand, can make a space feel calmer and easier to live in.

Cleaning can be less about having a perfect home and more about reducing the visual noise competing for your attention.

Clean doesn’t mean perfect

Real homes are lived in. There will always be dishes, fingerprints, toys and laundry. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s creating a space that feels manageable rather than one that constantly reminds you of everything you haven’t done.

That’s where Take Time Cleaning comes in.

The Winnipeg company offers regular and occasional residential cleaning, including maintenance and deep cleaning. For Dayman, the service is about more than dirt and dust.

“I started Take Time because I wanted to give people back their time so they could spend it on what really matters to them,” she says.

Sometimes that means having someone else tackle the bathrooms and floors. Sometimes it simply means getting the kitchen back to a point where you can sit down without immediately noticing what needs to be cleaned.

Because the real benefit of a clean home may not be spotless counters or shiny floors. It may be the moment when your house finally stops talking. Just a little less noise and a little more room to relax.

Get an estimate to clean your home at taketimecleaning.com.

Parents spend years helping their children master life’s big milestones. But some of the most important lessons happen in those everyday moments between school drop-offs, soccer practices and family dinners.

While it’s often quicker (and easier) to pick up the toys, clear the dishes or make the bed yourself, those routine tasks offer valuable opportunities to teach kids about responsibility, independence and accountability. The goal isn’t simply to keep a tidy home – it’s to help raise capable adults who understand how to care for themselves and contribute to the spaces they share with others.

Cindy Dayman, owner of Winnipeg’s Take Time Cleaning, likes to help busy families create homes that feel more manageable. One of the most effective ways to do that is involving kids in age-appropriate household tasks.

The key is matching responsibilities to a child’s age and abilities. And forget about perfection – focus on the long-term progress as skills are built over time.

Ages 3-5: Learning to help

At this stage, it’s about participation and setting the stage.These early tasks build confidence and a sense of contribution.

Children can:

• put toys away.
• place clothes in the hamper.
• help make their bed.
• wipe small spills.
• return books to shelves.

Ages 6-8: Building responsibility

School-aged kids can begin following simple routines. This is often when children begin to understand that a tidy home is from consistent small actions.

Children can:

• clear dishes.
• set and clear the table.
• tidy their bedroom.
• sort laundry.
• put away clothes.
• water plants.
• empty small garbage bins.

Ages 9-12: Developing independence

As they get older, kids can take on more responsibility. Achieving the task and the repetition in daily life is what will be build confidence and accountability.

Children can:

• vacuum common areas.
• load/unload the dishwasher.
• clean bathroom counters and mirrors.
• take out garbage and recycling.
• sweep floors.
• fold laundry.
• help prepare meals.

Ages 13+: Building life skills

Teenagers can manage many tasks independently and begin to take on a shared responsibility at home.

They can:

• do their own laundry.
• change bedding.
• clean bathrooms.
• mop floors.
• prepare simple meals.
• help with groceries and meal planning.
• maintain personal spaces.

One common mistake parents make is redoing a child’s work in front of them. While it can be tempting to quickly fix or tidy something, it can undermine confidence. It’s often more effective to guide, not redo.

For Take Time Cleaning, supporting families goes beyond cleaning itself. It’s also about helping households build simple systems and routines that make daily life easier to manage. When everyone contributes, the home feels less overwhelming and more balanced.

After all, homes don’t stay organized by magic – and the skills to care for them are built one sock, spill and small task at a time.

Get a estimate to clean your home at taketimecleaning.com.

Although a slight diversion from house cleaning, good hygiene habits, especially hand washing, is worth some attention. This habit is so very important. We live in a world of constant interaction with people and objects. If we could see the germs in our environment, we would certainly be alarmed. A current study tells us that:

• Less than 75% of women and less than 50% of men properly wash their hands with soap after using the bathroom
• Estimated global rates of handwashing after using the toilet are only 19%
• 80% of communicable diseases can be transferred by touch

Washing hands with soap or using a hand sanitizer should be done for many occasions and here are a few: before preparing and touching food, after handling money, and when caring for infants or anyone who is especially vulnerable to germs.

Teaching your children personal hygiene is about helping them to form good habits that once established, are done effortlessly. Forming habits is important because it creates automatic behaviours that help us achieve our goals, whatever they may be. Good hygiene habits help us maintain good health and well-being. They also help us increase our productivity. They provide structure and consistency to our life because they are ingrained actions.

Here are some tips to help you establish good habits in your children:

1. Start them young and teach them using age appropriate language.
2. Be a good role model. Nothing is more affective.
3. Establish this as an everyday responsibility.
4. Check in frequently making sure they are performed properly.
5. Promote personal hygiene as a form of wellness.

Cindy Dayman is the owner of Take Time Home Cleaning, a Winnipeg based company. Take Time to Live Well! Taketimecleaning.com 431-777-8750

My all-time favourite, used long before “hacks” were a thing, saved my sanity as a busy working mom with four small children.  Now, grown up with children of their own, this hack continues.

Tools:

• Kitchen Tray or plastic bin
• Med size box
• File Folder

For me, facing a messy house after working all day was soul destroying.  It took my energy away.  I’d like to say that my children were dutifully trained to put their belongings away every day but sadly not the case.  Life was crazy busy and honestly it was easier for me to deal with it.  This “hack” really helped me. Make it a daily habit done while supper is cooking.

1. Take Tray/Bin room to room gathering up cups/plates/cutlery. Put on kitchen counter. Load in dishwasher with after supper clean up.
2. Misc paper (flyers; school forms; mail… put in file folder)
3. Everything else put in med size box—everything: toys, clothes, rogue socks, pen on the coffee table, whatever.
4. Tidy: straighten items on coffee table; fluff corner cushions on couches; push chairs into table and align symmetrically, straighten hall carpet, etc.

This restores order to your space plus a sense of relief and energy boost.

On Saturday every member would take their belongings from the box and put away.  All paper, gathered together, to throw out or deal with.  A simple system that restores order and peace of mind.  So simple.  Huge impact.

Like so many women of my age, I often reflect back on previous chapters in my life. Remembering those years I spent with a demanding career, 4 kids, a husband working shiftwork, and the family dog, multiple hockey games, practices and fundraising, etc. I wonder how did we do it all.  Still, it was a wonderful time. I love that time in my life.

Now, I have perspective.  Like so many my age and older, I understand the shoulda, coulda, woulda mindset.  If I could change anything, it would be Time, I needed more of it.

Cleaning is hard work and most people don’t enjoy it.  An average home consumes 2-4 hours or more of your time every week and that’s After all the pick-up.  What could you do with that time?  Develop a skill; pursue a hobby; assist with a charity; spend time with your family and friends creating memories; or just relaxing and recharging your batteries after your busy work week.  They all take time.

Cleaning should not be seen as a luxury anymore.  You really should consider what your time is worth.  It’s precious because you can’t get it back.  Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Take Time Home Cleaning is Winnipeg’s largest and most awarded cleaning company since 2009.  We provide a service for every budget whether it’s a short priority list for areas such as floors and bathrooms only or a full house clean on a weekly, biweekly or monthly frequency.  See our website at taketimecleaning.com and schedule your free time now.

We are often asked by clients how we make their bathrooms sparkle and shine. 

This article will focus on how to clean a bathtub.

Step 1: Remove clutter and thoroughly vacuum.

Limit the clutter (Store the other items until needed.)  Then use a soft vacuum brush and vacuum the entire room removing dust and hair.

Step 2: Use an appropriate bathtub cleaner.

Use an effective but non-abrasive cleaner to remove dirt and soap scum.  We use Dawn dish soap mixed with warm water.  Use soap sparingly.

Step 3: Spray and scrub.

To clean, spray the mixture on the entire tub.  Use a damp good quality microfiber cloth to wipe away the residue. For tough bathtub stains, let the mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes before scrubbing.  Scrub the bottom last, then drain the tub.

Step 4: Rinse the bathtub clean.

Thoroughly rinse the tub with clean water to wash away any remaining solution.  This is also a good habit to practice after each use, so your bathtub is clean and free of residue.

Step 5:  Always Dry and Buff the Surface after Washing and Rinsing.

After washing and rinsing, dry and buff the tub thoroughly with a clean dry towel.  Do after each use, so your bathtub is clean and free of residue.

At Take Time, we dry and buff after cleaning many types of surfaces whether man made or natural.   Acrylic, porcelain, glass, chrome, stainless steel, marble are a few examples.  This method prevents water droplets from forming and drying on surfaces, causing a dull appearance.

This method has been used for decades by cleaning professionals in the hospitality industry and in private households.

We are happy to share it with you. 😊

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanliness is on our minds — the workplace included. But is your office clean? The average office has more than 10 million bacteria. If your office has multiple desks, then it’s no wonder why illnesses run rampant in the workplace.

More reasons to maintain a clean office.

Reduce employee illness. As we’re learning from Covid, illnesses spread rapidly. Germs collect on our desks, chairs, the break room, on doorknobs, in the bathroom, and in other places.

Better mood.  Do you feel better after cleaning your home? There’s a reason for this. When you’re in a clean and sanitized work environment, you’re more comfortable in your space.

Motivation? There’s a connection between a positive mindset and concentration, so your staff will feel great while getting more done.

Disorganization means you can’t find anything, you’re constantly looking at the clutter.   Time you spend trying to find things can be used toward accomplishing your work.

Extended Equipment Life.  Office cleanliness not only pertains to organized papers and clean bathrooms. Your office likely has lots of equipment, or at least a printer and fax machine. This equipment requires maintenance and even cleanliness. If your whole staff is using the equipment, be sure to sanitize them regularly.

Create a tidy culture.  Influence your staff to keep a tidy workplace and clean up after themselves. If you all tend to eat in the breakroom, enforce your staff to wash their own dishes.

Better first impressions.  Does your business attract foot traffic? No customer wants to shop in a dirty business.

Also, who knows if the next person walking through your business door is a supervisor, or CEO.

At the end of the day, your business is your image. If your office is unclean, that reflects on the public’s perception of you. Especially since there are commercial cleaning services that can easily keep a clean workplace.  Give us a call 204-770-7103.0

This can be overwhelming.  I have limited this to FOUR major considerations.

1. Security:  most obvious, company should be bonded and insured.  Ask for a copy of the insurance certificate.  Also ask how do you secure keys or codes, credit card information; how many people have access to my information.
2. Transparency (Clear and Honest): Be cautious of Reviews. Unfortunately, some companies will flood their review sites with fake 5 star reviews while posting 1 or 2 star reviews on their competitor’s sites.  There are actually individuals who earn a living (under the table) by posting fake reviews for their clients.  With a variety of devices and locations their IP addresses are different and go undetected by algorithms.
3. Service and Policies: Is service complete/customizable or are there lots of Add-Ons. Policies may be used to make more money off the account.  Required notices when more than 24 hours is not necessary.
4. Pricing: by the Hour or the Job: This is huge. If a company won’t give you an hourly rate, stay clear.  All companies have an hourly rate even if they charge by the Job.  Pricing by the Hour Is the only Transparent method.  You know exactly what you’re paying and what your getting in return.  Pricing by the Job or some other hocus pocus method is purposely unclear.  You are very likely paying more than is necessary.