Luxury Home Vibes on a Real-World Budget: Simple Tips for a Cleaner Space

Living in the Windy City means life moves fast. Between work, commutes, and trying to enjoy everything Chicago has to offer, finding the time and energy for a thorough apartment cleaning can feel like a luxury you just can’t afford. But what if you could have a spotless home that feels luxurious and welcoming, without spending your entire weekend scrubbing? It’s all about smart, simple habits and knowing when to call in the pros.

We all love that feeling of walking into a beautifully clean and styled home—the kind you see in magazines. That “Ralph Lauren” aesthetic of cozy, warm, and impeccably tidy. The good news? You don’t need a celebrity budget to achieve a home that feels serene and put-together. It starts with a clean foundation. Here are some lifestyle-inspired tips to elevate your space, making it easier to maintain and more enjoyable to live in.

Start with a Clean Slate: The Power of Decluttering

Before you even think about decor, start with a clear space. A cluttered room never feels clean, no matter how much you dust. Dedicate 15 minutes a day to tidying one area—a countertop, a coffee table, a single drawer. This daily micro-habit prevents mess from building up and makes deeper cleaning sessions far less daunting. If the task feels overwhelming, that’s a sign you might benefit from some deep cleaning help to reset your environment.

Quick-Clean Hacks for Busy Schedules

You don’t need hours. Focus on high-impact areas:

• Surfaces First: Wipe down kitchen counters, bathroom vanities, and tables daily. This instantly makes a space look cared-for.
• The 5-Minute Tidy: Set a timer and speed-tidy the living room before you relax for the evening. Put away blankets, fluff pillows, and clear any dishes.
• Multitask: Wipe down the shower while you’re in it, or clean the microwave while your coffee brews.

For those weeks when even these quick tasks slip away, reliable fast cleaning services can be a game-changer to get you back on track.

Affordable Style that Makes Cleaning Easier

Believe it or not, your decor choices can impact how easy your home is to clean. Opt for simpler, less cluttered arrangements. A beautiful, minimalist vase with a single stem is easier to dust around than a crowded shelf of knick-knacks. When you do add decorative items, choose ones that are easy to wipe clean.

Smart Shopping for a Cleaner Home

You can find amazing, affordable products that look high-end and are low-maintenance:

• Textured Pillows: Like the viral Dollar Tree find, textured fabrics hide minor wrinkles and dust better than flat materials, keeping your couch looking fresh longer.
• Battery-Operated Candles: They provide ambiance with zero wax drips or soot to clean up—a win for your surfaces and your sanity.
• Easy-Clean Vessels: Use pretty bowls or jars (thrifted or budget-friendly) to corral small items like remote controls or keys, reducing visual clutter.

Maintaining this stylish simplicity is simpler with a consistent routine. Sometimes, the best way to clean your apartment is to establish a solid baseline with a professional home cleaning, then maintain it with these daily habits.

When to Call in the Professionals

Let’s be real: some cleaning tasks require more time, muscle, or expertise than we have. Life gets busy, and that’s okay. A true luxury is giving yourself the gift of time and a guaranteed-clean home. This is where finding the right cleaning service near me makes all the difference.

As a leading Chicago cleaning company, we understand the unique needs of city living. From dealing with street dust to maximizing small-space storage, our team is trained to handle it all efficiently. Whether you need a one-time refresh before guests arrive or a regular schedule to keep your life balanced, reliable cleaning services in Chicago are an investment in your peace of mind.

You Deserve a Clean, Serene Home

Imagine coming home to a space that is completely refreshed. The floors are spotless, the kitchen shines, and the bathroom sparkles. That feeling of calm and order is priceless. It frees you up to actually enjoy your home, host friends without stress, or simply relax. If you’ve been thinking, “I need someone to clean my apartment,” you’re not alone. It’s the smart choice for anyone who values their time and well-being.

Taking the first step is easy. You can quickly schedule a cleaning online in just a few minutes. Don’t put off the relief and pride that comes with a professionally maintained home. It’s time to get your space cleaned by experts who care about the details as much as you do.

Ralph Lauren on a Dollar Tree budget. All of these products just dropped in store. You don’t want to miss them. They are so affordable and I am more excited than ever. These first two ideas are flying off shelves and for good reason. Did you know Ralph Lauren sells a pillow for almost $2,000? Now, when I first saw this, I thought this was a prank. I’m sure somebody way more elite than me would tell me why this pillow is so amazing. A similar pillow is at Pottery Barn, but also for $100. Dollar Tree sells this pillow for $5. Y’all, I had two people stop me in the aisles of Dollar Tree to touch this pillow in my cart, ask me where I got it. I love the texture on this. I think it’s better than the Ralph Lauren pillow. I love this in my house. It’s an incredible gift idea. I’ll link my favorite satin ribbon below. You get so much. I’m going to show you how to put this together in a gift idea for about $7. Just wait. They have Dubai chocolate. Hold on. This is new. Dubai chocolate is trending everywhere. And y’all, I don’t know if you’ve seen Dubai chocolate or even just like grocery store prices. It is so expensive. We’re gonna try this and I will give an honest review. Are you ready? And just in the event that this is good, I’m gonna buy a couple because stockings. My kids love this. >> Dubai chocolate bar. Is it good? Is it worth it? >> Yes. This is a yes. This is a yes. Okay, >> this is 11 out of 10. I think my favorite food this holiday. They just dropped this. It is brand new. These are 125 each. This price is incredible. The chocolate is very quality. And my store is selling out fast. Just so you know, when it comes to gift ideas, you want to give something that people will actually love, something that’s of true quality. A pillow, some Dubai chocolate, and this Ashante hair brand. The packaging on this is gorgeous, and the quality is unmatched. Similar items are at Belulk Nordstrom for $48.50. I knew this would make such a good gift idea. These just dropped in my store. If $10 feels stretching it to you, this entire gift is only $7. And I have so many ideas. Ralph Lauren style on a true budget. So, the next one I want to show you are these orange trees. I need to know if you’ve seen these in your feed. I think they are so glamorous, so Ralph Lauren. They’re in every home and they just give that sentimental warmth. Ralph Lauren is true quality, especially up close. So, I grab one of these cones and a bag of clementine. I also grabbed some rosemary from the garden and a bag of cherries from my grocery store for 99. They’re on sale in most stores right now. And I used toothpicks to secure the clementine. And I put it on this little pedestal I already had. I loved how this turned out in the kitchen. My entire house is Ralph Lauren this year. Which leads me to the next product Dollar Tree just dropped. Have you seen these in store? Just dropped Ralph Lauren style products. The first is this flickering candle. Now, this is battery operated. I love the nutcrackers on this. This is mimicking a super high-end version. And they got these gold bells, which I absolutely love. Don’t forget the Dollar Tree taper candles. These are definite wins, not only for gift ideas, but for your house, too. So, my Dollar Tree got another wave of Christmas. It was so fun to see these in store. They’re $150 each. These gold bells are excellent, and the gold feels very quality. And nutcrackers are so classic and trending right now. These are literally $80 from Belulk. They are $1.50 each and they come with the batteries, which we all know is huge because batteries can get really expensive. This is such a phenomenal buy. And speaking of nutcrackers, I’ve got lots more to show and gifts, too. This is a brand new product. These super cute wooden nutcrackers. You could spray paint these. I love it. Do you remember my home library? Do you remember that video? Well, I decorated it just a little bit for Christmas. Some sweet touches all from the Dollar Tree. I put the nutcrackers in there. I love them. And stay tuned for my favorite gift ideas of the video. I promise I want to knock your socks off. Maybe literally. Okay, so Dollar Tree just dropped these sweater mugs. I need to know if you’ve seen these in store. They are one of my favorites. I’ll show you what I do with it. And if you’re a hand soap person, like you want a luxury hand soap, you want beautiful gift ideas, and you’ve got a tiny pocketbook, I’m going to help you out. Dollar T’s porcelain soap dispensers are absolutely beautiful. This Christmas tree one was my favorite and so similar to the William Sonoma version. And Bath & Body Works has this vanilla bean scented foaming soap. They just dropped again the dupe at Dollar Tree. It is Vanilla Bean by Spa Luxury. This has a slightly lighter scent, but it is awesome. I also love the sugared pink. These are very Christmassy, very affordable, and I follow the trends, so you don’t have to. These $30 tumblers are everywhere this year. This is the really popular design this year, and Dollar Tree just dropped a gingerbread nutcracker tumbler. I loved this one. I brought one home to give as a gift. I’m going to put a gift card inside, but for $1.50, you really can’t beat this price. And in my last video, I grabbed a few of these Dollar Tree hats. Now, this is mimicking a very luxury brand. It’s very similar to the Calvin Klein hats that I’m seeing, but one trick I love is to grab one of those sweater mugs, add a bow to it, and then you can fold up the hat and put it inside. It’s going to look like you’ve got wonderful Cool Whip on the top. And when it comes to advent calendars at the $5 price point, this is even cheaper than my last video. I loved this festive 12 days of socks. These are flying off shelves in my store. And that means for 12 socks for $5, these are less than a dollar each. And they were so cute this year. But what I really wanted to dupe was this Bridgetgerton and William Sonoma Sweet Delight Countdown Calendar. Yes, ma’am. I’m going to dupe the color and vibe of this. It’s going to be my own take on it, but I think this turned out so cool. I love a quality advent calendar, and so many of you are saying you couldn’t find the advent calendars I shared in my last video. You can make some from Dollar Tree with these little boxes. The bath section, the makeup section. I have a whole video coming on Sephora dupes, but they have these gorgeous boxes that you can put some fun items in. I love the bows on these. These can look very high-end and done on a budget. Now, I grabbed six of these boxes and I glued them together using hot glue. And then I filled it with Dollar Tree finds that are name brand. Yes, Dollar Tree has OPI. Yes, I put the Dubai chocolate. They have amazing lip glosses. I have a whole video coming with like the best products from this line, but put together like this in a little advent calendar, would you not love to receive something this beautiful? It’s a little different from the Bridgetgerton one, but I think equally as classy. I really want you to leave this video going, “Oh my goodness, Catherine, I want to try some of this stuff.” If you grab some stones from Dollar Tree in any color that you want, as well as a vessel, I’m going to share with you my favorite gift of the video to give and receive. Ralph Lauren on a budget. Amarillo’s plants are such a staple in a Ralph Lauren home because they are so beautiful. They bloom around Christmas time. They’re pretty foolproof and a great gift idea. And truth be told, I love following trends and sharing them with you. So, you can do these things on a budget. But this is something that I have been doing for many years. Like way back in the day, if you followed vintage Catherine, I shared with you this exact trick. Whether you want paper whites or an amorillis, you don’t need any soil. Only Dollar Tree stones in a pretty vessel. I thrifted some of mine or got them from Dollar Tree. And in four to six weeks, you’ll have incredible blooms in your home. You just have to make sure that the water is touching the roots of the bulb. That is all. And they have some sunshine. I’ve had this one planted for about a week now. And you can see how this is probably going to bloom very soon. It’s got a second one here. And then these are starting to bloom as well. Paper whites have kind of a spicy, very wintry smell. And I like to put more than one in a vessel, but you can do this super affordably. This is one of those things that if you bring it to somebody’s house, they will absolutely adore it. And waiting for the bloom, I think, is really fun. My paper whites are just starting their journey. I’ll be sure to share on Instagram what happens with them. But my amorillis, oh my goodness, did it turn out so beautifully. And I wanted to add some fun touches to this to make it more Christmas and kind of mimic the things I was seeing on Pinterest. I got these sprigs from Dollar Tree. You get six of them for $1.50. And I added this right into the vessel just to give it a really formal, elegant look. Tell me in the comments what from this video is standing out to you, what you need help with, or if there’s something you’d like me to try to dupe for a much more affordable price. I want to bring you things that you actually want to buy. I hope you enjoyed this video and it brought you tons of new and fun ideas, my beautiful friend. If nobody has told you today, guess what? You are enough. I’ll catch you soon.