Adjusting to life after a separation or bereavement often means taking on responsibilities you may not have handled before., including cleaning & maintenance of your home. You might be managing a home on your own for the first time, or simply feeling the weight of everything now sitting with you.
It can feel like a lot. The key is to simplify things, lower the pressure, and focus on what’s manageable.
This guide is here to help you keep your home ticking over with minimal effort, using straightforward routines and simple, eco-friendly cleaning methods.
Start Where You Are
You don’t need to get everything perfect. A clean and functional space is enough.
If certain tasks feel unfamiliar, take them one step at a time. You’ll find your rhythm.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips
Using fewer chemicals can make cleaning feel easier and safer, especially if you’re already feeling overwhelmed.
Vases
Crush eggshells, add warm water, shake and rinse. Dry with a cloth.
Decanters
Add a few grains of rice with white vinegar, shake gently, then rinse.
Dishwasher
Pour a cup of white vinegar into the bottom and run a hot cycle to freshen it.
Using Bicarbonate of Soda
A simple, low-cost staple that can replace multiple products:
- For odours: Sprinkle onto carpets or soft furnishings, leave briefly, then vacuum
- For surfaces: Mix with water to create a gentle cleaning paste
- For toilets: Add directly to freshen and clean
- For rooms: Leave a small dish out to absorb smells
- For sinks: Pour down the drain, add vinegar (it will fizz), then flush with boiling water
Keeping Things Manageable
When everything falls to you, the goal isn’t doing more — it’s doing less, more consistently.
Set yourself up to make things easier. Keep a bin in each room so clutter doesn’t build. Have basic tools to hand so you’re not searching when something needs doing.
Daily Basics
Focus on just a few essentials:
- Make the bed (or simply straighten it)
- Put clothes in the laundry basket
- Wash up and wipe surfaces
- Clear small areas of clutter
That’s enough for a day.
Weekly Routine
Spread tasks across the week rather than doing everything at once:
- Dust surfaces
- Empty bins
- Vacuum
- Clean bathroom and kitchen surfaces
- Mop floors
- Change bedding
- Do laundry
Even one or two of these a day keeps things under control.
Monthly Tasks
- Clean the fridge and check food dates
- Disinfect bins
- Wipe cupboard doors
- Check for cobwebs
- Test smoke alarm
- Rotate your mattress
Every 3–6 Months
- Clean cooker hood and filters
- Wipe marks from walls
- Clean behind appliances
- Wash windows
- Freshen drains
Annual Reset
- Clear out wardrobes and drawers
- Donate or dispose of unused items
- Deep clean carpets
- Wash or dry-clean larger items like duvets and coats
Adjusting to doing everything yourself takes time. Some weeks will feel easier than others, and that’s completely normal.
You’re not aiming for a perfect home. You’re creating a space that supports you, at a pace that works for you.
