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Does it feel like your home is always untidy, no matter what you do? These simple habits of people with clean homes can help you make small changes that will have a big impact on your beloved home.
Habits of People with Clean Homes
1. Clean often, rather than let it build up
Some people tend to be reactive, rather than proactive when it comes to cleaning. They will only clean when it visibly needs to be done or the state of their home is causing stress and anxiety.
People with clean homes buck this trend, by making cleaning a regular part of their day. They wipe down counters, put clothes away, load the dishwasher, and vacuum a room or hall, without making it a big deal.
By approaching cleaning as a series of very small tasks, rather than one mammoth accomplishment, cleaning takes us less time. It can even become therapeutic as you develop this habit.
2. Make the bed first thing in the morning
Cleanliness is a mindset, and it starts when you first wake up. Those with clean homes will spend a minute or two, first thing in the morning, making the bed.
The act of walking into a room with a made bed reduces stress and anxiety and sets a good precedent for the rest of the day.
3. Invest in storage accessories
Home organization gurus like Marie Kondo swear by the importance of all your household belongings having a home. Those with clean homes invest a little time and money to make this happen.
Shoe racks, coat hangers, baskets, and spice racks are just a few of the many organization accessories you will find throughout the home of a clean person.
If every item and household accessory has a place to be put back, you will quickly stop shoes, clothes, toys, and other things piling up and being left out.
Related: Best Desk Organization Gadgets, Accessories, and Essentials
4. Keep cleaning supplies stocked up
Look in the pantry of a clean home, and you will no doubt find a range of cleaning supplies and equipment, suitable for all rooms and scenarios.
By constantly replenishing their stock, people with clean homes can always bleach, polish, spray, and mop their homes. A simple shopping list can help.
5. Track cleaning with lists
Thinking about cleaning can be overwhelming. Even in a small house, there always seems like there is so much to do, which leads to us burying our heads in the sand.
People with sparkling homes overcome this with a cleaning tracker list. Having a list of everything that needs to be done means you never miss or forget about certain tasks or rooms.
Cleaning gurus will then assign certain days or hours to each cleaning task, breaking them up in a weekly cycle and ticking them off when done.
That way, cleaning is done on a schedule. Nothing is missed, and the house is cleaned often.
6. Wash clothes and dishes regularly
Dishes and laundry are two of the most visible causes of untidy homes.
Those with clean houses get on top of these tasks daily. They make it a habit to load the dishwasher or wash dishes straight after meals.
They also do laundry in smaller loads, regularly, rather than letting it build up. That means fewer piles of dirty clothes and fewer clothes drying throughout the house.
7. Take off their shoes
Those with clean homes always take their shoes off at the door and insist guests in their home do the same.
While difficult to see, shoes bring all sorts of mess, dirt, and bacteria into the home.
To get guests to remove their shoes, have some house slippers ready for guests when they visit your house.
8. Use compartments in closets and drawers
When overwhelmed by cleaning, the urge to simply stuff everything into closets and drawers can be strong. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
Not for people with tidy homes. They use simple accessories like dividers, trays, baskets, and racks to make sure everything behind closed doors is in order and accounted for.
That way, they don’t have to pull everything out to find what they need.
9. Deep clean one room at a time
Many homeowners opt to do their deep cleaning in one go, hence the idea of the ‘spring clean’. However, all that tiring cleaning in one go can be too much.
People with clean homes deep clean weekly or bi-weekly but they approach it room by room.
Even by focussing on one room a week, your entire home can be deep cleaned in a 6-8 week cycle. You will never have to face the grueling task of doing the entire home, all in one go.
10. Prioritize space for frequently used items
Homeowners on top of their cleaning understand that a functional home is a clean and tidy home. They design their home in a way that’s convenient for their busy lives.
If they drink coffee every morning, they will prioritize space for their coffee machine equipment and coffee, out on the kitchen counter, for efficiency in the morning.
Their slow cooker, however, which they only use every few weeks, will be neatly stored in a cupboard, not taking up unnecessary counter space.
11. Clean the refrigerator regularly
Our refrigerators store the food we eat every day, meaning they should be one of our highest priorities for cleaning. But because we can close the door, it is easy to neglect it.
Those with clean homes clean their refrigerator at least once a week, if not more. They understand the importance of food hygiene and the feeling of calm that comes with opening the door to a clean fridge.
Related: Best Fridge Organization Products, Accessories, and Hacks
12. Help their partner and family to clean the home
Homeowners with clean homes will try to create a culture of cleanliness within their homes. They will implement schedules and systems for everyone to get involved.
This has to be done slowly, with patience, but, in time, they help develop simple habits of cleanliness in everyone that lives in the house.
While keeping your home clean does take a little time, energy, and planning, it does not have to be a stressful, over-the-top marathon effort each time.
People with clean homes do small, simple tasks every day, to help maintain a baseline of cleanliness. They also use simple accessories and organization tools to help them.
Like anything in life, you can slowly build these easy, simple habits over time. Soon enough, your home will become a place of comfort and pride, rather than stress and anxiety.
Eager to start making your home cleaner and more organized? Keep these cleaning habits in an easy-to-find place by saving this list to one of your Habits or Cleaning Tips Pinterest boards.