Top 7 Easy Tips for How to Keep Your House Clean

Have you ever wondered how some people manage to have a clean house every day? It takes some discipline, but none of the routines are difficult. When I reduced my work hours to be home with the kids more, it became more challenging to maintain a clean home. It’s funny; I expected the opposite to happen! In some ways, I have more time to clean, BUT I also have two tiny tornados constantly making messes. At least when I worked all day the house didn’t get dirtier throughout the day. A clean home isn’t necessary for everyone, and I completely understand that. I want to feel organized and calm in my mind and I’ve learned my external environment must reflect that, too.

Hubbs has a good buddy whom he casually invited over to try a new delicious coffee that we’d gotten. One Saturday morning his buddy texted bright and early that he’d love to swing by and take us up on that cup of coffee…. in about10 minutes. It was before 8:00 am and the kids and I weren’t dressed yet and were sitting on the floor playing with Magnatiles. We weren’t ready for the day, but we were happy to have company. After the friend left, Hubbs mentioned his friend made a funny comment. “Man, how do you guys always have such a clean house?” We laughed about how maybe he was trying to surprise us. He’d been to our house many times before and must have assumed we cleaned it before he arrived. If you build these 7 habits, you can have a clean house every day and impress even the most unexpected guests haha Not that that’s the point 😉

1. Make your bed

It’s amazing what a boost one gets from rolling out of bed and making it! You’ve only been awake for 45 seconds and already accomplished something! A made bed makes the entire room look clean and fresh. A tip for making sure this task is as easy as possible is to limit blankets and pillows. We use ONE blanket on the bed and have lighter and heavier options based on the season. 

FREE checklist for a Turbo Tidy!

2. Have less stuff

Don’t own extras of anything “just in case” you’ll need it someday. (I do have an extra set of things like towels and sheets, because of how I do my laundry routine, but they serve a purpose.) Regularly purge what you don’t use. Think through if you NEED a product before buying it. Another key to maintaining clean rooms for the kiddos is only storing clothing and books in their bedrooms. All toys are organized in a toy rotation and we only get out one box at a time. My kids like to play in the living room, so that’s where the box of toys is stored. We found that if toys were in their rooms, the kiddos would haul them to the living room. This made cleaning them up much more cumbersome. It’s easier for everyone to feel motivated to clean up when it’s easier!

3. Organize your things

Have a place for everything and put everything in its place. Piles and clutter happen when you’re busy and don’t have the time to think about where an item should go. Organize all spaces so that there’s no confusion. This is a perfect opportunity to be an example for your kids! It’s also a chance to hold them accountable for this habit, as well. It’s probably a matter of preference, but I prefer storage methods that hide items from view. For example, I don’t like toy boxes that don’t have a lid 😉

4. Create & use drop zones

There are times when you won’t be able to put something away immediately, but only wait if it’s necessary. Create a designated place or two to set items that will need to be put away later for some reason. Mail and paper clutter is the primary culprit in our home, so we put it in an inbox until we have time to go through it. I also have a basket at the top of the stairs for items that need to go downstairs. When I’m in the middle of fingerpainting with my kids, there’s no way I’m going to take the time to run downstairs and risk them redecorating my house. It’s also nice that I can take the basket of items downstairs at a time when I’m going away so I don’t have to go to the effort of making a special trip.

5. Pick up as you go & put items away after use

Instead of putting dishes in the sink and letting them pile up into an eyesore and a chore you’ll dread, pop them directly into the dishwasher. Wipe down surfaces after every use. Do a quick vacuum when there’s a pile of crumbs after a meal. The essential thing to remember here is that you don’t have to commit to vacuuming the whole house, get used to cleaning up small messes so that they don’t become big messes and get tracked throughout the house. Our cordless Dyson makes this incredibly easy. In order to have a clean house every day, you must make a habit of picking up as you go throughout your day.

FREE Checklist for a Turbo Tidy!

6. Clean a little bit daily

When you have a plan for regular cleaning, you don’t have to live in a messy home, sacrifice a whole day to clean, and then watch the space deteriorate throughout the week. It takes the same amount of time (arguably less time really) to have a clean house every day, you just clean a little bit at a time instead of waiting until there’s a large mess later. Even a Turbo Tidy in as little as 10 minutes will enable you to maintain a clean home. A system for the laundry and a daily routine of running the dishwasher at night and unloading it every morning will ensure items are in their place, whether they are clean or dirty. 

I also do a quick tidy before bed, no matter how tired I am. I know it’s worth a quick trip around the house before bed in order to start my morning fresh and energized instead of frustrated and depleted, staring at a sink full of pots and pans. (Sidenote: this is the most adorable magnet that I keep on the refrigerator for an extra reminder :-P)

7. Train your kids

Even young kids can learn to make their bed, purge things they don’t use, maintain an organized space, and put items away after use. Kids can learn these lessons early, and it will be a gift we give them. Needless to say, they can be part of the solution now instead of causing the problem! When children are used to maintaining a clean house every day it becomes a habit and it’s hardly any effort.

Having a clean house every day is magical!

Building these seven habits takes a little extra effort, but starting small makes it manageable. Start with making your bed, and you may find that you love it so much you crave doing more! Pick one small place to start purging items you don’t use or need and organizing will become easier. Work your way through your home until you’re comfortable with how everything fits together. When you have a space that you love, you’ll want to pick up as you go, put items away after use, clean a little bit daily, and train your kiddos to participate in maintaining your sanctuary! It’s okay to live with imperfection, it’s a process. Know that you can work toward a clutter-free, organized, and clean home so that you’re not distracted and can enjoy quality time with your family instead!

What are your favorite ways to keep your home clean?

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