It’s summer! We have more free time, which means I’m itching to tackle my long to-do list. It may sound crazy, but I feel so much better when my house is clean and the lingering tasks are done. Anyone else?

A few weeks ago I was complaining to a friend that I love to host people at our house but never feel like I’m ready to do so. She asked question after question, and I finally realized the root of the problem — I need to clean and update a few small spaces and devise a plan to keep them relatively clean. That’s all! So I incorporated those plans into my list below.

1. deep clean downstairs bathroom (and make it easier to clean in the future)
2. buy replacement rug for downstairs bathroom
3. clean out fridge
4. paint window over kitchen sink
5. seal countertops
6. finish sealing outdoor furniture
7. repaint handrail outside back door
8. touchup paint on kitchen cabinets
9. paint stairwell and replace picture frames as needed

Most of these tasks, except painting the stairwell, can be finished in less than two hours. So I’m challenging myself to do all of these over the course of this summer . . . but only when I feel like it! I’ll publish regular updates on Instagram (@charmingcozyhome).

First up, the nasty, icky, no-good bathroom. It’s primarily used by a teenage boy — enough said. And yet this is the only bathroom on our main floor, so that’s the obvious one for guests to use. I needed to figure out a way to keep that bathroom looking (and smelling) good!

This task is a bit tricky because the bathroom has marble tile, so we can’t use harsh chemicals or anything with bleach or vinegar. After doing some research, I bought Aqua Mix Heavy-Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner and diluted it in a spray bottle per the instructions. I sprayed it on all tiled surfaces in the bathroom (shower, floors), scrubbed lightly with a sponge, and rinsed with clean water. (Note that you must use gloves and eye protection when using this product.)

For the shower doors, I used my favorite hack — spraying white vinegar on the glass and then rubbing it with some baking soda before rinsing with clean water. The soap scum disappears!

I also spent a few minutes replacing burned-out light bulbs, repotting the plant, refolding towels, refilling the hand soap container, and hanging a new print on the wall. The whole process took under two hours, and now it looks great!

And now, for the most important part, how can we make it easier to clean in the future? Here’s a secret from my mom: buy a bucket or container to house all the supplies you need to clean a specific space, and store it near the space. So we gathered all the supplies we need for this bathroom (white vinegar spray, baking soda, squeegee, marble tile cleaner, gloves, sponge, regular cleaner for sink and toilet, and black light for urine) and put them in the closet right next to this bathroom. Hopefully this will help me tackle this space more often.

What’s on your list this summer? Can you join me in doing a few small things for your house every so often? Maybe we’ll end up more inclined to host and happier in our own space.