Something that Paul Graham might write if he were thinking about cleaning in Midtown Toronto
Most people think of cleaning as a chore. Something you have to do, but wish you didn’t. That’s a mistake. Because cleaning isn’t just about making things look nice. It’s about how you live.
In Midtown Toronto, this is especially true. It’s a mix of old and new. Some of the best houses in the city are here. So are some of the most cramped apartments. But whether you live in a Rosedale mansion or a one-bedroom at Yonge & Eglinton, the way you keep your space says a lot about you.
### The Two Kinds of Mess
There are two kinds of mess: surface mess and deep mess. Surface mess is what you notice. The dishes in the sink. The shoes by the door. The dust on the shelves. This is what most people mean when they say their place is dirty. And it’s easier to fix.
Deep mess is different. It’s the grime in the grout. The vents full of dust. The shower tiles that have gone from white to something else. These don’t just look bad; they make your space feel worse. You don’t notice it right away, but it adds up. A clean kitchen feels different. A fresh-smelling bedroom changes how you sleep.
### Cleaning Like a Pro
The best way to keep things clean is to clean a little every day. Most people don’t do this, because they think cleaning means scrubbing for an hour. But if you wipe down the counter every night, you’re thinking like a pro. If you vacuum once a week, you never have to deep clean the carpet.
The trick is making it easy. If you have to dig under the sink for a cloth, you won’t wipe the counter. If your vacuum is in a closet behind a bunch of junk, you won’t use it. The best cleaners have their tools within reach. Microfiber cloths in a drawer. A small vacuum near the door. Everything easy to grab. Modern cleaning services are a god-send.
### Midtown’s Cleaning Challenges
Toronto has seasons, and each one brings its own cleaning problems. In winter, it’s salt and slush. Your floors get covered in grime. The trick is a good doormat and a boot tray. In summer, it’s dust and pollen. If you leave your windows open, clean the screens. They collect everything.
Older homes in Midtown have another problem: air quality. Dust settles in vents, and old hardwood floors trap dirt. A good air purifier helps. So does changing your furnace filter more often than you think you need to.
### The Small Things That Make a Big Difference
Some of the best cleaning habits take almost no effort. Open the windows for ten minutes a day, even in winter. Fresh air makes a room feel cleaner. Make your bed. Not because it looks nice, but because it changes how you feel about your space. Take out the trash before it’s full. A half-full bin with no smell is better than an overflowing one that stinks.
### Why This Matters
People underestimate how much their environment affects them. A cluttered room makes your brain feel cluttered. A clean space changes how you think. This isn’t just about impressing guests. It’s about making your home a place you actually want to be.
The best cleaning is invisible. If you do it right, you never feel like you’re cleaning. You just live in a space that feels good. A cleaning service can give you that feel good experience. And in Midtown Toronto, where space is at a premium, that might be the most valuable thing you can have.