People always ask me – how do you keep your home so clean and tidy, without the help of a house cleaner? I’m here to tell you my secrets! But before I get into the tactics – I want to talk about the core principles and mindset that will make keeping your home tidy once and for all: Breaking the cycle of clutter.
The Clutter Cycle and How to Break It
We’ve all been there: we want something, we buy it, and it joins the growing pile of stuff. This stuff rarely gets used and eventually becomes clutter. I believe physical clutter leads to unintentional mental clutter, and the cycle repeats itself. We declutter, only to buy another want, starting the process all over again.
Breaking this cycle requires a shift in perspective. We’re constantly bombarded with marketing messages telling us we need certain products. But often, we don’t. The key is to be mindful of our purchases and resist the urge to buy things we don’t truly need.
The power of piggybacking habits
Essentially, piggybacking habits are where you build new habits by ‘piggybacking’ them into existing daily routines. The idea is to take advantage of what you’re already doing and tag new habits to the established routine. With piggybacking, it’s easier to create adherence and consistency. And as we all know, habits once solidified are hard to break – so why not create good ones? 😉
Follow my tips below to make progress towards a tidy home. And remember, once you start to see progress, you’ll be motivated to continue. As I love to say – it’s all about “Progress not Perfection”.
10 Daily Habits for a Tidy Home
Now, let’s get to the practical tips, presented in chronological order from morning to night:
1) Make Your Bed (Every Morning): This simple act takes less than a minute and sets a positive tone for the day. It’s a small win that encourages more tidiness. No need for fancy pillow arrangements – just straighten the blankets.
Tip: Use a lightweight, easy-to-manage blanket and no decorative pillows
2) Clean As You Go: Prevent messes from becoming overwhelming by cleaning up as you go. Keep a microfiber cloth near the sink and wipe down surfaces after use.
Tip: After brushing your teeth, wipe down the bathroom counter with the splashed water. Occasionally spray cleaner in the sink before brushing, letting it sit while you brush, then rinse.
3) Put Things Back Immediately: Clutter often arises from leaving things out of place. Develop the habit of returning items to their designated homes right away.
Tip: When changing clothes in the AM, put your pajamas away and take the laundry hamper with you to the laundry room. Key Point: If you don’t have a “home” for something, you probably have too much stuff. Instead of one junk drawer, do you have multiple junk areas?
4) Regular Laundry and Dishes: Laundry and dishes can pile up quickly if you don’t stay on top of them. Make it a habit to do a load of laundry or dishes on a specific schedule to prevent buildup. We do dishes throughout the day (wash the plastics) and turn on the dishwasher (for all other dishes/silverware) before bed.
We typically do 3-4 loads of laundry per week (1-2 loads for clothes, 1 load towels, 1 load sheets) and on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The goal is to have clean laundry on Monday. To habit stack, if it’s a Friday Clothes laundry day, I will start a load of laundry of clothes before I go downstairs with the kids. This means that when breakfast is done, the wash cycle will be complete and I can put the clothes in the dryer before school drop off.
We also don’t buy any clothes that need to be ironed, dry cleaned or washed separately. This makes it easy to do one load of everyone’s clothes together.
When I’m in the kitchen, after I drink my large glass of water (early morning routine here), I immediately empty the dishwasher because I know if it’s filled with clean dishes, I won’t put any dirty dishes in there — which means dirty dishes will just pile up in the sink and become overwhelming.
5) Wipe Down Surfaces After Use: Another quick and easy habit is wiping down surfaces after you use them. We have microfiber clothes everywhere that helps us remember to wipe up spills and spots in the kitchen. This can help keep your space clean and free of dust and dirt.
Tip: you can wipe down counters after you use the kitchen sink because you’ll notice water spots (just like the bathroom).
6) Simplify Your Space (Ongoing): This is crucial. Regularly declutter and get rid of items you don’t need or use. The fewer items on your countertops and floors, the tidier your home will look.
Tip: Declutter while listening to music or a podcast.
7) Designated Storage Spaces: Give everything a designated “home.” This makes it easy to put things back where they belong. Habit Stack: After doing my daughters’ hair while they eat breakfast, I immediately put away all the hair accessories.
8) Designated Toy Areas: Contain toys in specific areas. We have a toy box downstairs and a designated play area upstairs. This helps prevent toys from spreading throughout the house. Tip: Avoid toys with wheels in main living areas. They will find their way to unexpected places.
Tip: Consider eliminating a coffee table to minimize clutter and child-related hazards.
9) Cleaning Schedule (Optional): While cleaning as you go often eliminates the need for a strict schedule, you can create one if it helps you stay organized.
Tip: Before school drop-off, I wipe down the kitchen table and run the robot vacuum.
10) Keep Things Minimal: Embrace minimalism by avoiding over-decorating and only keeping items that serve a purpose. Choose a few key pieces you love instead of cluttering surfaces with numerous decorative items.
Key Principles:
Progress, Not Perfection: Don’t get discouraged if you miss a day. Just get back on track the next day. Focus on the journey and not the outcome.
Storage Solutions: Invest in storage solutions like ottomans with hidden compartments or bookshelves with cabinets to keep things organized.
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