Would you like a tidy home but don’t have time or energy to keep it that way? Today I’m sharing 10 simple habits for a tidy home to make having a clutter-free, organised and clean home that little bit more achievable.
HOW TO KEEP A TIDY HOME WITH LESS STRESS AND TIME
I think many of us would like to live in a tidy, organised home – a space that feels calm, inviting, and a place to unwind at the end of a long day. But let’s be honest, life can be busy, and the idea of maintaining a spotless home all the time can really feel daunting! We even put extra pressure on ourselves sometimes by feeling a failure or lazy if we can’t keep up to that exacting standard. But perhaps it’s time to re-think things…
The good news is that keeping a tidy home doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With a few simple habits woven into your daily routine, I think many of us can create a space that stays neat and organised with minimal effort and stress.
10 SIMPLE HABITS FOR A TIDY HOME
These tidy home habits aren’t about being perfect or spending hours cleaning every day. They’re about small, manageable actions that add up over time to make a big difference. This is the amazing benefit of habits and in this article I’m exploring some easy, hassle-free habits that will help you keep your home tidy without the stress.
1. Make Your Bed Every Morning
Making your bed each morning is one of the simplest habits you can adopt, but it makes a huge difference. This quick habit sets a positive tone for the day, giving you an immediate sense of accomplishment. Quick wins which are easy to achieve, like this one, are great for getting us in a positive and motivated mindset.
A made bed can transform your bedroom, making the whole room feel bigger, more put together and peaceful, even if there are a few things out of place elsewhere. Clothes flung on the back of a chair? A pile of books waiting to be read?
Plus, there’s something satisfying about coming home to a neatly made bed at the end of a busy day. It creates a little pocket of calm and order in your life, and it only takes a couple of minutes.
Tip: If you find making your bed a hassle, keep things simple. Consider a duvet that’s easy to pull up, and reduce the number of pillows and blankets to streamline the process.
We used to have five different cushions that made our bed look really lovely, but we never knew where to put them when they weren’t on the bed so they usually ended up on the floor. And, it took a few extra seconds to make the bed in the morning, but (more importantly) it was extra stuff that needed managing and I just don’t have the bandwidth for that right now!
2. Do a Quick Clean Before Bed
One of the best ways to keep your home tidy is by doing a quick 5-10 minute clean-up before bed. This doesn’t have to be an intense cleaning session – just a simple sweep of the main areas in your home. Put away any dishes, straighten the living room, and toss any clothes or items lying around into their proper places.
Waking up to a tidy space makes the morning feel less chaotic and gives you a sense of control and calm before the day begins. A bit like starting the day with a clean slate instead of dealing with the mess and clutter of yesterday. You don’t have to tackle everything; just focus on a few key areas, and you might find you start each day in a calmer, more open-to-possibilities mood.
Tip: Get the whole family involved! If you live with others, make it a nightly routine where everyone tidies up their space. You’ll be amazed at how much gets done in a short amount of time when everyone pitches in. Even young kids can help tidy their toys and bedroom.
3. Clean as You Go
One of the simplest and most effective habits for maintaining a tidy home is to clean as you go. This means taking care of small tasks in the moment rather than letting them pile up. For example, wash dishes or load them into the dishwasher right after you eat, rather than leaving them in the sink. Wipe down the bathroom counter after getting ready in the morning, or take a minute to fold laundry as soon as it’s out of the dryer.
By handling small messes as they happen, you prevent clutter from building up and reduce the need for long, exhausting cleaning sessions later. This habit is especially helpful in the kitchen, where messes can quickly become overwhelming if left unchecked.
I love this habit and use it many, many times throughout the day in my own home. It’s based on the 2 Minute Rule from David Allen whereby, if something takes 2 minutes or less, don’t procrastinate, just get it done. Not only does this stop all those small, niggly jobs from building up in your mind and To Do list, it’s also a great way to avoid smaller tasks growing arms and legs and becoming more overwhelming, bigger ones.
Tip: Start by focusing on one area of your home, like the kitchen or bathroom, and practice cleaning as you go. Once you get into the rhythm, you’ll find it becomes second nature in other areas too.
4. Tidy Up High-Traffic Areas Daily
Certain areas of your home, like the kitchen, living room, and entryway, tend to get messy faster than others simply because they’re used so frequently. Make it a habit to tidy up these high-traffic areas daily. This could mean clearing off the kitchen counters, fluffing the couch pillows, or organising the shoes and bags that accumulate by the front door.
As I write this, my kids have just gone back to school after a break and it’s amazing how much more stuff seems to come in and out of the front door – school bags, PE kits, shoes, coats etc etc. I’ve had to change my strategy and do a regular, almost daily, tidy up of this area and monitor it for random stuff being dumped. Whereas, in the school holidays, there was less of a need.
This just goes to show that you’ll probably need to review your habits for a tidy home regularly for when your lifestyle changes and your home functions differently.
By giving a little extra attention to the spaces you use the most, you’ll prevent clutter from taking over and hopefully keep your home feeling neat and organised – no matter how many people and how much stuff have gone through it!
Tip: Set a timer for 10 minutes and see how much tidying you can get done in that time. You’ll be surprised at how much better your home feels after just a few minutes of focused effort. I know that this is easier said than done, especially for those with difficulties with motivation, focus and physical limitations. But, sometimes, it’s also a question of practice and doing what you can just when you can, without pressure or judgement.
5. Everything Has a Home
One of the keys to a tidy home is making sure that everything you own has a designated spot. When items have a “home,” it’s easier to put them away rather than leaving them out on countertops, tables, or floors – these aren’t storage spaces although they may look like them sometimes!
Take some time to organise your belongings and assign each item a specific place, whether it’s a drawer, bin, shelf, or closet. Importantly, remember to let everyone else in your home know where things live so they can put them away too. It’s not just YOUR job to deal with EVERYONE ELSE’S stuff.
This habit makes it easier to tidy up because you’ll know exactly where things go. It also helps you avoid the wasted time and frustration of searching for misplaced items.
Tip: If you find that certain items never seem to stay organised, it might be time to declutter. Letting go of things you no longer need or use can free up space and make it easier to keep everything tidy. Before you buy new things, you could also spend a moment deciding where that item will live. If you can’t think of a place for it, do you really need to buy it? Food for thought!
6. Use a Laundry System That Works for You
Laundry can be one of those chores that feels never-ending, but having a system in place can make it more manageable. Whether it’s doing a load of laundry every day or setting aside specific days of the week for laundry, find a routine that fits your lifestyle and needs.
Once the laundry is done, make it a habit to fold and put it away right away. It’s tempting to leave clean clothes in a pile or basket, but putting them away immediately prevents them from becoming another source of clutter.
When I leave a pile of clean laundry on my bed to sort, and then forget about it until I go to climb into bed at night, it’s so frustrating! I always try to think of my ‘future self’ and put the laundry away as soon as I can after it’s finished drying.
Tip: Keep laundry baskets in key areas, like bedrooms or bathrooms, so dirty clothes don’t pile up on the floor. Having designated spots for laundry helps keep your space tidy.
Currently I’m trying to deal with 3 teenagers who find it ‘difficult’ to regularly locate the dirty laundry basket in our house. It never moves and we’ve had it for years, so I’m still not quite sure why it’s become such a challenge now! Anyway, to make things as easy as possible and to avoid me having to ‘remind’ them daily about its location, I’ve adopted a new strategy. It’s not perfect and doesn’t make my bathroom look beautiful but it works for us right now.
All dirty laundry gets thrown in the bath in the main bathroom and I sort it from there. If that’s the best we can do right now, and it’s the most non-stressful and reliable way to get all dirty clothes in one location, then I’ll take it. We don’t often use the bath so it’s okay, and I can see exactly how much laundry there is to deal with. Plus, even teenagers can chuck dirty clothes in a big bath!
Do you have teenagers who also have ‘difficulty’ finding the correct place for their dirty laundry (or the kitchen when it’s time to return dirty plates and glasses!?).
7. Declutter Regularly
Clutter tends to creep up on us, even if we try our best to stay organised. That’s why it’s important to make decluttering a regular habit. Every few months, go through your home and take stock of what you no longer need, use, or love. Donate, sell, or recycle items that are just taking up space.
Decluttering not only helps keep your home tidy but also makes it easier to clean and organise the things you truly need. Less stuff means less to manage!
Tip: Decluttering doesn’t have to be an all-day project. Set aside just 10-15 minutes to tackle one drawer, shelf, or closet at a time. Small, consistent efforts make a big difference too, and are often more sustainable.
8. Create a Routine for Paperwork
Letters, bills, school papers, and receipts can easily pile up and create clutter if left unchecked. To avoid this, create a routine for dealing with paperwork. Sort through your mail as soon as it comes in, recycle or shred anything unnecessary, and file important papers right away.
Set up a system that works for you, whether it’s a filing cabinet, labelled folders, or a basket for incoming papers that need to be dealt with. By staying on top of paperwork, you can prevent it from becoming overwhelming.
Tip: Schedule a time each week to go through any papers that have accumulated and organise or file them as needed. Keeping up with paperwork regularly makes it easier to manage.
9. One In, One Out Rule
To prevent clutter from building up, try adopting the “one in, one out” rule. Whenever you bring something new into your home – whether it’s a piece of clothing, a book, or a kitchen gadget – find something to let go of in return. This habit keeps your belongings in check and ensures that you’re not accumulating more than you can comfortably manage.
Tip: This rule is especially helpful with clothes, toys, and decor items, which can quickly pile up if you’re not careful. It encourages mindful consumption and helps you keep control of your stuff and your stuff not in control of you.
10. Practice Gratitude for Your Space
Lastly, one of the most powerful habits for maintaining a tidy home is to practice gratitude for the space you have. When you appreciate and care for your home, it becomes easier to stay motivated to keep it clean and organised.
Take a moment each day to acknowledge the comfort, security, and joy your home provides, and let that inspire you to treat it with love and care, one little habit at a time.
CONCLUSION
Maintaining a tidy home doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With a few simple habits, you can create an environment that feels clutter-free, organised, peaceful, and manageable. Remember, it’s not about being perfect – it’s about creating a space that supports your well-being and makes you feel at ease.
Start small, be kind to yourself, and enjoy the process of building habits that will help you maintain a tidy home for the long term.
What habits do you have in your home? What habits make the biggest difference and are there any that you’d still like to put in place?
I’d love to hear from you so please leave a comment at the end of this article!
Laura A
Sunday 15th of September 2024
For myself, I'm finding that I can't implement these excellent ideas until my decluttering is done. I can't fit all I have into my available storage space! But I look forward to trying out these ideas once my home no longer looks like hoarder heaven. LOL. Thanks, Antonia.
Balance Through Simplicity
Monday 16th of September 2024
Hi Laura, you're very welcome. Good luck with the decluttering! Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.