How to Keep a Tidy Home

A tidy home is not only visually appealing but can also significantly impact your mental and physical well-being. A clutter-free environment promotes a sense of calm, improves productivity, and helps you feel more in control. What’s good to know is that maintaining a tidy home doesn’t have to be an overwhelming or time-consuming task. You, too, can keep your living space neat and organized with minimal effort. Here are some practical tips to help you achieve and maintain a tidy home:

Create a Cleaning Routine

Establishing a regular cleaning routine to maintain a tidy home. Whether you prefer to clean daily, weekly, or monthly, consistency is key. A little bit of effort every day can prevent the mess from piling up and becoming overwhelming.

Tips:

• Daily tasks: Make your bed, wipe down surfaces, and tidy up as you go to prevent clutter from accumulating.
  

• Weekly tasks: Vacuum, dust, and clean bathrooms.
  

• Monthly tasks: Deep clean appliances, organize closets, and sort through paperwork.

Designate Storage Spaces

Having a designated place for everything in your home makes it much easier to keep things organized. Invest in storage solutions like baskets, bins, and shelves to keep items in their proper place. Labeling storage containers can also make it easier to find things when you need them.

Tips:

• Use vertical space: Wall-mounted shelves or hooks can free up floor space while keeping items accessible.
  

• Maximize hidden storage: Invest in furniture with hidden storage, such as ottomans or under-bed storage.

• Keep high-traffic areas tidy: Designate spaces for coats, shoes, and bags by the door to avoid clutter from piling up.

Practice the “One-Minute Rule”

The “one-minute rule” is a simple yet effective strategy to prevent clutter from taking over. If a task takes less than a minute to complete, do it immediately. Whether it’s putting away a dish, folding a sweater, or wiping down a counter, handling small tasks as they arise prevents them from adding up and becoming overwhelming.

Tips:

• When you take something out, put it back as soon as you’re done using it.
  

• Wipe down surfaces while waiting for something to cook or during commercial breaks on TV.

Involve the Whole Family

If you live with others, it’s essential to make tidying up a team effort. Assign tasks and encourage everyone to take responsibility for their spaces. Setting a designated time for a quick family clean-up or having daily chores can make maintaining a tidy home easier.

Tips:

• Make cleaning fun: Play music or turn it into a game to make it more enjoyable.
  

• Create a chore chart: Assign age-appropriate tasks to kids and rotate chores to keep everyone involved.

Avoid the “I’ll Deal With It Later” Mentality

It’s easy to let small messes accumulate with the intention of cleaning them up later, but that approach often leads to bigger messes over time. Train yourself to deal with messes immediately. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that they will pile up.

Tips:

• When you see a mess, tackle it right away, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
  

• Set a timer for 10-15 minutes to focus on a specific area of the house each day.

Maintain Minimalism

Minimalism isn’t just about decluttering; it’s about being intentional with the items you bring into your home. The less stuff you have, the easier it is to keep your space tidy. By carefully curating your belongings, you can reduce the time and effort spent cleaning and organizing.

Tips:

• Focus on quality over quantity: Invest in fewer, more durable items.
  

• Avoid impulse buying: Take time to consider if you truly need an item before purchasing it.

• Streamline your decor: Opt for simple, functional design elements that don’t require constant upkeep.

Set Realistic Expectations

Remember, perfection isn’t the goal. Life happens, and there will be times when your home gets messy. Instead of stressing about every speck of dust, focus on creating a space that is generally clean and functional. Keeping a tidy home is about developing habits that prevent chaos, not achieving an immaculate space at all times.

Tips:

• Allow yourself grace on busy days when tidying up is not a priority.

  
  

• Focus on areas that make the biggest impact, such as the kitchen, living room, and bathroom.

Stay motivated with Jamie Novak

Local Jamie Novak, a NJ-based professional organizer, has made a name for herself by helping people declutter their homes and create simple routines to maintain cleanliness. She’s also the author of several books that offer step-by-step advice on organizing your home, such as The Get Organized Answer Book and Keep This, Toss That.

Novak’s approach is built on making tidying up less overwhelming. One of her key tips is to tackle the process in small chunks. Instead of thinking about decluttering your entire home, focus on one category or area at a time. Whether it’s your closet, your kitchen, or even just a single drawer, breaking down the task into manageable pieces prevents you from feeling bogged down.

Another tip Novak emphasizes is to find a home for everything you own. This prevents clutter from accumulating and ensures you know where things are when you need them. She recommends implementing “one in, one out” rules, meaning that whenever you acquire something new, you let go of something else.

Novak’s main advice is to embrace progress over perfection. A messy home won’t change overnight, but by setting small goals and sticking with them, you’ll see steady improvements.

Whichever route you take, a tidy home is within reach. By implementing simple routines, creating designated spaces, and staying on top of small tasks, you can enjoy a cleaner, more organized home without feeling overwhelmed. With a little consistency, you’ll find that keeping your home tidy becomes second nature, and the results will leave you feeling more relaxed and at peace in your space. 

Until next time, peace.