Learn how to make your own portable cleaning caddy, what multi-purpose cleaners you should keep on hand, and where to store the caddy for quick access. Updated May 2021
I’m all for making cleaning my house easier. I’ll take any shortcut available. Over the years, I’ve found some pretty useful tricks to make housework faster, and this one is by far my favorite. Behold, the cleaning caddy.
Yep. That photo above really is a fifteen dollar plastic caddy. But trust me on this, I’m not crazy. Having a portable collection of all-purpose cleaners is such a time saver. Let me guess, you have all your cleaners (maybe 12-15 of them) lined up in a pretty little row in a cabinet somewhere? And when you need them, you load up your arms in a desperate attempt to carry them all at once to the other side of the house? (I bet you try to carry all the grocery bags in at once, too, right? I get it, I’m totally that person.)
What Goes In A Cleaning Caddy?
But why do you need all those cleaners? There’s no need to have that many options. All you need are a few basics that have a wide range of abilities.
When it comes to my cleaning arsenal, I try to keep things pretty light. I use a gentle all purpose cleaner for most things, as well as a homemade glass cleaner and a wood cleaner/polisher. You’ll also want to grab a stock of microfiber cloths.
Aside from the basics, I also like to keep trash bags (I store mine in an old Clorox Wipes container), disinfectant wipes, a roll of paper towels, a spray bottle of vinegar, my handy dandy Swiffer duster, and carpet refresher. I do have other cleaning supplies that I use less often, and they get stored in my utility closet.
So back to that caddy. Imagine having everything you need to clean your whole house right at your fingertips, without having to pile them in your arms like you’re hugging a wet, angry cat. That’s where our new friend comes in.
Pick up a heavy duty plastic caddy with a sturdy handle. Stuff it full with the basic essentials I mentioned above and store it in a central location (like a linen closet or laundry room). And thank your favorite blogger (that’s me!) for saving you and your family from chemical overload.
I decorated my caddy using my Cricut Maker and holographic vinyl to make it a little more personal and less like a, well, plastic caddy. You can use paint, pens, decals, and stickers to make it your own, or you can leave it just the way it is. Decorated or not, this caddy is going to save you so much time and energy.
Feeling extra productive? Read my tips on how to create a weekly cleaning schedule to save yourself from an all-day Sunday scrub-fest. Ever since I implemented a cleaning schedule into my routines, I have had SO much more time for fun stuff. Like more Cricut projects with holographic vinyl!
When we moved into our new home i swore I’d simplify my life as much as possible. I immediately bought a caddy!
That’s great!! They’re a game changer!
As it turns out, the paper makes for a great window cleaner. To clean your windows with paper, spray the zone with a window spray, then fold up the paper to buff out the fluid. The paper and ink influence a gentle rough that to can evacuate watermarks and make your entryway sparkle.
You are so good, I think you love life, enjoy!
This will surely make cleaning easier! My mom would always spend 10-15 minutes before cleaning just to gather and make sure she has everything she needs in arm’s reach. A caddy would surely make her happy and more convinient for sure!
Thanks Diego! Yes, it definitely makes things much easier. I think you should gift her a caddy now!
An organised caddy certainly makes cleaning so much easier. I try to tell my clients to have a caddy ready for our visits. Otherwise we waste time trying to find where they have stored things
That’s such a great point Caroline! It’s so helpful for cleaning services to have everything they need without having to search for them. Thanks so much for adding that in!