I’m sharing 10 simple tips for keeping your home clean and tidy today.
Spring is here, the weather really warmed up in New England over the last week. Once the weather finally turns nice in the spring, I get the sudden urge to clean every single thing in my house. I guess that’s where the term “spring cleaning” comes from. That sudden urge to clean and purge that comes inevitably with the nicer weather. It happens to me every year, and and then I get overwhelmed… because it feels like everything needs a deep clean. In case your cleaning systems slipped a bit while we were tucked away for the winter here are 10 simple tips I’ve developed over the years for keeping our home clean and tidy, even with a big busy family and constant home renovations.
There’s nothing wrong with hiring cleaning professionals, but you don’t have to do that to have a clean home. Whether your home is big or small, simple or fancy, everyone deserves a space that feels like a haven from the world. Your home can become this for you and your family. Creating systems that work for your family to clean and maintain your home will make it a place everyone wants to be and will bring you tons of peace of mind.
1.Make your bed first thing in the morning.
I know some people think making your bed is a waste of time, you’re just going to climb back in it again at the end of the day, afterall. But the opposite is true. Making your bed first thing in the morning creates a cleanliness ripple effect that spreads through the rest of your bedroom and then your house. You are signaling to your brain first thing in the morning that you are taking ownership of your space. That your home is important to you, that you are the kind of person who has order.
I’ve heard it said people are either bed makers or not. Some people are naturally prone to making their beds automatically, and others are not. From my experience with a husband and 5 kids, this is true. Some people in my family were born making their beds automatically, others have needed more practice. But EVERYONE can learn to be a bed maker. Everyone in my family makes their bed every day because we’ve trained them to. Good habits can be learned.
Read my easy tips for making a lovely bed.
2. Create a laundry system
When my kids were little I did one load of laundry every day. Wash, dry, fold and put away. (You can read about that system here.) Once they were old enough to start doing their own we moved to everyone has a laundry day, and everything gets washed, dried, folded and put away on their own day. Read about that system here.
3.Clean out your closet at the end of every season.
If you do it every season, it takes 10-15 minutes and isn’t overwhelming. It’s also easier to do this for the clothes you just got done wearing, because it’s fresh in your mind. Go through all your clothes for the previous season, if you didn’t wear something, don’t like it anymore, if it doesn’t fit, etc.; pull it out and donate it. Don’t let it sit collecting dust and cluttering your space for another year. This goes for your kids’ closets as well. Clean them out at the end of every season. if they’ve grown out of it, if it’s gotten shabby, or they didn’t wear it over the last season, it’s time for it to go. More closet clean out tips here.
4. Try tornado tidying.
Never underestimate the power of a good tornado tidy. When things around the house get messy or feel out of control, set a timer for 30 minutes, get everyone involved and blow through your house doing a quick clean up. Sometimes our spaces feel overwhelming and it forces us to inaction, but there is so much that can be done in a quick 30 minutes. Get everything off the floors and flat surfaces, straighten throw pillows, throw the dishes in the dishwasher and do a quick vacuum, you’ll be amazed what 30 minutes can do to transform your space.
5. Have a well stocked cleaning arsenal.
amber spray bottles. Clorox wipes. broom/dustpan. flour sack dish towels. dust cleaning gel. scrubbing sponges. steam mop. Swedish dish cloths. magic eraser. toilet scrubber. scrubbing brush.
Make sure you have the supplies and tools you need to properly clean your space. A craftsman is only as good as his tools after all. Make sure you’re home is always stocked with what you need to keep it clean. Have good scrubbing sponges, keep Clorox wipes for quick bathroom wipe downs, you can make your own cleaners in these amber bottles or buy them, just make sure you have what you need on hand for anyone to clean effectively, which leads me to…
6.Give your kids chores.
For a home system and family to work effectively, everyone needs to have/feel ownership of the space. Work as a team to keep your house clean. Give your kids stewardship over a space in your home; this means they are responsible to keep it tidy every day, and deep cleaned once a week. You can rotate spaces once a week or once a month, or keep them always, it really doesn’t matter that much. But, having ownership over a specific space in the home will teach your kids stewardship and accountability and they’ll feel the pride of a job well done. It’s also easier to keep them accountable, because it’s easy to see who hasn’t done their chores when it’s a whole space.
7. Make doing the dishes part of your dinner routine.
Having dinner every night as a family is really important but the ritual doesn’t end with the meal. Once you are finished eating make it a habit that everyone gets up and helps clean up the kitchen after dinner. Many hands make light work, the job is done fast, the conversations from dinner continue, and the camaraderie formed creates deeper familial bonds. (I know, that’s a lot of benefit from doing the dinner dishes, but in my experience, it’s true.) Once the dishes are done, start the dishwasher.
8. Tuck your house in at night.
Spend just a few minutes at night before bed tucking your house in. This is essentially about starting each day with a clean slate. Don’t leave today’s messes for tomorrow; give yourself the gift of a strong start in the morning by ending the day with a clean house. It’s also a really great part of a nightime routine. Turn off screens, and do a quick tidy up before bed. Put everything back in place. Fluff the pillows, clean off table surfaces, put away magazines and books. Empty the dishwasher you started earlier, so it’s ready for the breakfast dishes first thing in the morning. See how much better you sleep when everything is tucked away for the night…
9. Declutter one space a week.
If your house feels cluttered and out of control it can feel overwhelming to get started. It’s also virtually impossible to keep your home clean if there isn’t space and a place for everything. Give yourself the gift of letting go of things you don’t use, or no longer serve your family. To effectively declutter your home, make it manageable. Choose one space, or closet a week to clean out, until you’ve decluttered your whole home. Then go into maintenance mode (similar to your closet). Once a season, go through the spaces and quickly dejunk clutter and items you no longer want/need.
Read more about how clutter in your home negatively impacts your life (and what to do about it).
10. Tips for a clean car.
Tidy your car every time you get home. Yes, everytime. The car is one of those spaces that gets out of control fast, especially if you have a big, busy family or if you have small kids. Don’t let toys, clutter and garbage pile up in your car. Every time you get home, take an extra minute (literally it takes less than 60 seconds) to grab anything that shouldn’t be in the car: toys, jackets, garbage, etc. Clean it out quick, and it will never pile up. If you are running errands with kids, ask them to grab anything they see that doesn’t belong in the car when you get home and it will go even faster. I also recommend giving your car a quick inside vacuum and wipe down every couple weeks and it never gets too dirty. I love using the armourall car wipe products for quick clean-ups. Most car washes have vacuums, but we also own a shop vac and I have loved it for quick and convenient car cleaning.
I hope you find these 10 simple tips for keeping your home clean and tidy helpful and that they make it easier for you to have a home that feels peaceful and happy.
Want more motherhood tips? Read these:
A simple mantra I tell myself when I feel overwhelmed.
Simple tips for keeping a tidy house with kids.
4 simple ways to help your kids develop independence and accountability.
How I increased productivity and stopped being late for my life.
How to help your kids develop grit for uncertain times.
With your laundry, you mentioned your kids put in a load in before they go to school. Do you switch it to the dryer for them? And then put it on their beds? I love the laundry day idea. I’m doing it!
Hi, I don’t usually switch it, they just finish it when they get home from school. A lot of time they’ll start a load when they first get up and switch it before they leave for school.