Things Tidy People Do Daily That You Should Be Doing in Your Home, Too
The secret to a clean home? Do these daily tasks to maintain a spotless space effortlessly.
Tidy people don’t spend all day cleaning, it just looks like they did. Their secret? Routines and habits that keep their homes consistently clean.
Most people react to the word “routine” or “habit” negatively. They like the idea of having a tidy home, but think that consistent tidying means constant cleaning. Nothing could be further from the truth. You just need to adopt the habits of tidy people.
Start The Day Right
Tidy people make their beds every day. It might sound like a ridiculous task, but there are good reasons for it.
- Set an intention: “I will tend to small tasks, starting with this.”
- Instant results. Then, you’ll be less likely to put up with other clutter in your room.
- Feel empowered. Instead of knowing you’re leaving a mess behind, you know you’re already tidying up.
- Guilt-free rest. Imagine how much bette you’ll sleep when your bed doesn’t make you feel guilty.
Pay Attention
Tidy people don’t obliviously walk around their homes. They have habit chains, as I discuss in my book, Cleaning 101. That means they pick up after themselves and spot clean small messes.
- They check the tabletops for clutter and trash.
- They sweep or quickly vacuum up crumbs or debris on the floor.
- They wipe up spills right away.
- They put things away after use.
They don’t necessarily stop there, though. Many tidy people have a daily cleaning routine they follow to keep messes under control.
Have a Shutdown Routine
Tidy people know that having a good morning starts the night before. Instead of turning off the TV and heading straight to bed, they have a nightly shutdown routine that ensures they go to bed with a tidy kitchen, locked doors, and everything ready to go the next morning.
- Do the dishes or run the dishwasher.
- Set up the coffee maker.
- Wipe the kitchen counters and sink.
- Take out the kitchen trash.
- Spot clean the kitchen floor.
- Get keys, backpacks, briefcases, etc. together for the morning.
- Decide what to wear the next day.
- Plug phones into the charger.
- Set the alarm.
Don’t Think About It
Tidy people don’t ask themselves if they feel like cleaning. They don’t wonder whether things are messy enough to be cleaned. Truly tidy people follow a weekly pattern of spending 15-20 minutes cleaning a different room each day.
- Monday: Kitchens
- Tuesday: Bathrooms
- Wednesday: Bedrooms
- Thursday: Laundry room & home office
- Friday: Living room
Accept That it’s Ongoing
Tidy people know that cleaning is simply part of a home-care routine. You wouldn’t expect to brush your teeth once then not have to mess with it again for days. That approach would lead to some awful results!
The same goes with cleaning: you build it into your day to avoid bigger problems down the road. That’s how tidy people became tidy in the first place: by making it part of their day. Now it’s your turn!
Need a Cleaning Checklist?
Subscribers gain access to all of my free printables.
YES! I’m trying to get my husband on board with making the bed. He’s the last one up every day and he doesn’t care what it looks like. My favorite thing to do is clean up the kitchen at the end of every night after my little one goes to sleep. Nothing better than waking up to a clean kitchen and admiring it with your cup of coffee!
#YourWhimsWednesday
It really does make a difference to your mood when you wake up to a clean kitchen, doesn’t it?
I am working bit by bit on applying these small things into my daily routines. Excellent thoughts. Always good to hear from people who know how to keep a clean house. (Tidy and routine goes against every fiber of my being) #InspireMeMonday
I used to hate routines, too, Brittany! It always seemed like following one meant turning into a robot. Turns out, though, that following a routine frees up my brain to be more creative. Who knew?
Yes I feel that a bed that is made is half the battle psychologically!
Absolutely!
I’m guilty of not always making the bed, but I do like to make sure the kitchen is tidy before going to bed. I hate waking up to a messy sink 🙂
Me, too. Now that my teen stays up later than I do, I’m teaching him to make sure the sink is empty before he goes to bed. It’s for his own good. ????
I really appreciate these tips because they really do work. I have to work on tidying up the kitchen on a nightly basis.
It really makes a wonderful difference in your entire day when you wake up to a tidy kitchen. 🙂