Maintaining a clean home is easier than you think. You only need to form some habits that take only 5 to 10 minutes to complete in most cases. Here are 15 tips to keep your home clean and organized daily in just minutes.
15. Keep Things Clean as You Go
The most effective thing you can do to maintain a clean home is to keep things clean as you go. The moment something is out of order or dirty – clean it right then and there. If you move something, put it back. If you have kids who make spills or messes – clean them immediately.
14. Keep Frequently Used Things Easily Accessible
Keep the things you use most often in convenient and easily accessible places. For example, hang a frequently used jacket on a door hook. Keep keys, sunglasses, and umbrellas easy to reach and find. Store things in places that are easy to put away when you’re done. Use your out-of-the-way storage options for things you only use infrequently.
13. Keep Cleaning Supplies in Every Room
Keep bathroom cleaning supplies in every bathroom. Keep multipurpose cleaners and disinfectants in every room. Keep kitchen cleaners in the kitchen. This will cost more at first, but they will last longer and the cost will even out. Store brooms and vacuum cleaners in a central location where they are easy to access from anywhere in the home.
12. Give Each Person Their Own Laundry Hamper
Ensure that laundry doesn’t pile up by giving each person a laundry hamper to keep in their room. Put it wherever that person is tossing their clothes now. Otherwise, if you want it hidden, place it in a closet. If you have a washer and dryer, make it a habit to do laundry whenever the hamper is full.
11. Kill Clutter By Setting up a Donation Box
Somewhere in your home, place a box for collecting items you no longer use that can be donated. When the box is full, take it to your preferred donation center. If you have a major problem with clutter, give yourself the goal of adding one item per week or even per day. Before you know it, your clutter will decrease.
10. Make Your Bed Every Morning
A tidy bed makes the whole area look neater. Making the bed only takes a few minutes, and it won’t make a crucial difference no matter how busy you are. Once you get in the habit, you won’t think about it. From a positive mindset perspective, making the bed can be motivational as one task that’s already accomplished.
9. An Easy Way to Keep the Tub and Shower Clean
After each time you use your tub or shower – that’s when it’s the easiest to clean. The steam and hot water loosen the grime. Cleaning it immediately will keep dirt and soap scum from building up. Keep a bottle of cleaner next to your tub or shower. Give it a spray, then quickly wipe it down. Done.
8. Keep a Basket or Box in Each Room to Gather Clutter
There’s an easy trick for quickly tidying up a room. If there are things that don’t belong in it, simply use a basket or box to gather them up. Then carry it with you and drop things off in the rooms where they belong. This is much easier than walking back and forth with things one at a time.
7. Wipe Down Flat Surfaces Daily
Keep a duster or damp rag handy to wipe off shelves, tables, and counters daily. This will keep dust and grime from accumulating. It will only take minutes and you can do it while you’re doing something else, like watching TV. Make a habit of wiping things off the moment you spot a mess or finish meals.
6. Sweep or Vacuum High-Traffic Areas Daily
Doing this daily may seem like a lot of work, but it prevents buildup, more dirt getting tracked in, and a more difficult cleanup job. It only takes five minutes daily to sweep or vacuum the floors in high-traffic areas, such as hallways and around doors. Sweeping around your front porch also reduces the amount of dirt being tracked inside.
5. Leave a Clean Kitchen Every Night
A good way to do this is to imagine you’re shutting down the kitchen in a restaurant, so everything has to be clean for the next day. This shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. Wash the dishes, clean and disinfect all the surfaces and handles, and sweep the floor. You can rotate this duty with other members of your household.
4. Make Cleaning the Toilet a Pre-Bedtime Routine
Every night, as you’re preparing to go to bed, squirt some toilet cleaner in the bowl. While it sits, brush your teeth. When you’re done with that and whatever else you need to do, give the toilet bowl a quick scrub and a flush. That’s all you need to do to have a clean and fresh bowl always.
3. Dust Each Room Thoroughly Once Per Week
We’ve already discussed wiping down flat surfaces daily, but each room of your home will need a thorough dusting at least once per week (more if you live in a dust-prone area). Start your dusting at the top so the dust falls to the level you’re cleaning next and so on. Move items and get into those hard-to-reach places.
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2. Clean Floors Once Per Week
We’ve already mentioned cleaning high-traffic areas daily. However, once per week, you’ll need to mop and/or vacuum the entirety of a room. Break it up into a smaller task of one room per day. Repeat on a weekly schedule. Start at the back corner of the room and work your way toward the door.
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1. Create a Deep-Cleaning Schedule
Deep-cleaning tasks are something you’ll do only periodically. However, you should create a calendar schedule (or reminders on your phone) to ensure it isn’t overlooked. Typically, many cleaning tasks only need to be done every three months, six months, or yearly. Tasks include cleaning your fridge and freezer, oven, drapes and curtains, pillows and comforters, windows, carpets, and upholstery.
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