Not everyone has the lifestyle nor the priorities to stay home all day, or to spend most of their time at home outside of sleeping and general maintenance. That’s not to say someone who works at home or spends most of the day inside is somehow lesser, it’s just a varied lifestyle. For example, if you work in the medical field, if you’re a chef, if you have a demanding job or are running your own business, well, odds are you spend most of your time in your professional and less time at home.
Some people just prefer to be out as well, be that exploring their country, enjoying the local food scene, or engaging in an active social life. That said, even if you rarely have time to be home, that doesn’t make the necessary home maintenance activities less essential to keep up with. In this post, then, we’ll discuss how to manage a home you rarely have time to be in, while keeping your standards high and your main asset in great condition.
Helpful Cleaning Services
Helpful cleaning services that come to care for your home when you’re not in, can deep clean or commit to light touch-ups, and generally keep your household hygienic when you don’t have the time to commit to this effort can be a lifesaver.
This way, if you want to throw an impromptu dinner party you don’t have to worry about the state of your house. If you have allergies, your home will always be a clean and clear space. With maid services, the full-scale offering is given to you, meaning that you never have to dread coming home to a lifeless, cold, and dust-ridden house, it will be as homely as the day you left it.
Technology Control & Security
One of the biggest deterrents of home intrusions and thefts is that the owner is occupying the building – a prospective thief will never know how many people are behind the walls or if there are dogs they have to worry about.
But if your home is unoccupied quite often, then it’s not out of the question to assume a thief could potentially notice that. That’s where helpful technology comes in. Doorbell cameras, internal security cameras that detect motion and notify you through the smartphone app, motion-sensitive floodlights that turn on whenever someone (or something) enters your garden or driveway, all of this can deter a would-be thief from even trying to enter your home.
Of course, you can also ask your neighbors for help here, like asking them to park in your driveway from time to time, to give the impression of people coming home after work.
Meal Prep & Planning
If you’re working all the time, then odds are, you get used to purchasing your own meals while out. Sure, this is a way to go, but that approach can be expensive and cause you to spend much more than you need. Moreover, unless you opt for the most organic of prepared meals, you can never really tell what might be inside your meal.
That’s why it’s helpful to meal prep at home on the days you can spend in the kitchen. Within a few hours you can make a large batch of chili ready for the freezer, large batches of tomato sauce you can use for a range of different meals, and other foods you can reheat at work or take in your packed lunch box. This way you save money, you have at least one day a week you can spend in your kitchen (feeling like you’ve gotten your money’s worth), and you’ll always have the exact amount of nutritious meals when you need them too. To us, that sounds like a win-win-win.
Keep Organized
When you have less time to spend at home, you have less inclination to search the entire space for your missing keys, notebook, laptop and whatever other tools or equipment you need to live your life.
That’s why it’s so helpful to be as organized as you can. A key pouch you can keep near your door so you never misplace them, hanging storage near your bed so you have access to everything you need, and simple boxes like a shoe storage area near your front door can make sure you polish dress shoes quick, simple and easy – all of this formats your life much more easily.
Low-Maintenance Surroundings
Deciding on low-maintenance fixtures that help your home feel comforting no matter the day of the week will always be a wise choice to make. For example, instead of fresh flowers in vases you can opt for fake variants or cacti that only require watering once every two weeks or so.
You can also opt for simple decorations that won’t take much dusting to look great again, and carpets that are simple and clean, and won’t be utterly ruined by a spilled bit of wine after a hard day of work. You can also keep your floral arrangements in your garden to a minimum so that you don’t have to spend too much time keeping up with them.
Garden Care
Depending on the complexity of your garden, you might hire a professional garden expert to come and care for it from time to time, including pulling weeds, inspecting your treeline, and cutting grass.
If you just have a lawn, you might pay your local neighbor’s child to come and mow it for allowance money each weekend. This way, the exterior of your home doesn’t have to look unkempt, it can actually be quite healthy over the years too. That in itself can inspire you to come home when you have a chance to, as opposed to it feeling like a tired ball and chain that you always have to deal with and make endless maintenance lists for.
With this advice, you’ll be sure to manage your home well, even if you rarely have time to occupy it. This way, coming home with friends, using your house when you need to, or enjoying an impromptu trip back to your bed will never feel tiring, but something to look forward to, a natural reward after all your hard work.