How to Maintain a Clean and Organised Home at All Times

Having a clean and organised home doesn‘t have to be a source of stress. Between busy schedules and everyday chores, it is very easy to get overwhelmed. However, a clean space goes beyond aesthetics; it is also about keeping calm, being focused, and being in control. The key is consistency and simple habits. In my previous article, “Decluttering and Organising Home: Start the New Year Fresh,” I introduced some great tips for quick organising and cleaning.

Within this guide, you will learn some easy tips to help you keep your home neat without having to spend hours cleaning. From quick daily routines to clever storage hacks, these ideas will keep you on top of it all. Let‘s make your home a place you love, one step at a time!

How to Maintain a Clean and Organised Home

Establish a Daily Cleaning Routine

Small daily habits can make a big difference in maintaining a tidy home. Instead of letting tasks pile up, dedicate a few minutes each day to key areas. For example:

• Make your bed every morning: A made bed instantly makes your bedroom look more organized. It also sets a positive tone for the day.
• Wipe down surfaces after use: After cooking, quickly clean the countertops and stove. In the bathroom, wipe the sink after brushing your teeth.
• Do a nightly 10-minute tidy-up: Before going to bed, spend 10 minutes picking up toys, putting away clothes, or tidying common areas. This prevents clutter from building up overnight.

By consistently tackling small tasks, you’ll avoid feeling overwhelmed by bigger messes.

Declutter Regularly and Thoughtfully

Clutter is one of the biggest obstacles to keeping a home organized. Commit to a regular decluttering schedule to make your space feel lighter and more functional. Here’s how:

• Start with one area at a time: For instance, focus on your kitchen drawers one day and your bathroom cabinets another. Breaking it into smaller tasks makes it manageable.
• Follow the one-year rule: If you haven’t used something in the past year, consider donating, selling, or discarding it. For example, that waffle maker collecting dust might be better off with someone who will actually use it.
• Limit sentimental items: Keep only what truly brings you joy. Instead of holding onto every piece of artwork your child creates, select a few favourites and store them in a memory box.

Regular decluttering not only keeps your home organized but also helps you appreciate the items you choose to keep.

Maximize Storage in Every Room

A well-organized home starts with smart storage solutions. Make the most of the space you have by using creative methods to store items neatly:

• Invest in clear bins and labels: For example, use labelled bins to store toys, seasonal decorations, or pantry items. Clear containers help you see what you have at a glance.
• Use vertical space: Add shelves in closets, hang hooks on walls, or install over-the-door organizers. For instance, you can hang a shoe organizer in the closet to store scarves, belts, or even cleaning supplies.
• Designate specific zones: Assign areas for specific purposes, such as a charging station for devices or a dedicated drawer for takeout menus and coupons. This keeps everything in its place and reduces random piles.

Adopt the “One In, One Out” Rule

Prevent clutter from creeping back in by being mindful of what you bring into your home. For example:

• If you buy a new pair of shoes, donate or discard an older pair.
• Got a new kitchen gadget? Let go of the one you never use.

This rule ensures you don’t accumulate unnecessary items and keeps your home from feeling overcrowded.

Tackle Laundry Before It Piles Up

Laundry can quickly spiral out of control if not managed regularly. Create a system to keep it in check:

• Set a schedule: For example, do one load every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday rather than waiting for a massive pile to form.
• Sort clothes as you go: Use separate hampers for lights, darks, and delicates. This saves time when it’s time to wash.
• Fold and put away immediately: Avoid the temptation to leave clean clothes in a basket. Take five minutes to fold them and return them to their designated spots.

A consistent laundry routine prevents clutter and keeps your home looking polished.

Involve the Entire Household

Keeping a clean and organized home isn’t a one-person job. If you live with family or roommates, encourage everyone to contribute:

• Assign age-appropriate tasks: For example, younger kids can put away their toys, while older ones can handle tasks like vacuuming or washing dishes.
• Set clear expectations: Create a chore chart to divide responsibilities fairly. For instance, one person can clean the bathroom while another tackles the kitchen.
• Make it fun: Turn cleaning into a game or play upbeat music to keep everyone motivated.

Shared responsibility ensures that the burden doesn’t fall on one person and helps maintain a harmonious household.

Focus on High-Traffic Areas

Certain areas of the home tend to get messy faster, such as the entryway, living room, and kitchen. Keep these spaces under control with simple strategies:

• Entryway: Use baskets or cubbies for shoes, a small tray for keys, and hooks for bags and coats. This keeps everything in one place and prevents clutter from spreading.
• Living room: Add a storage ottoman to hide blankets, remotes, or magazines. Fluff the pillows and fold blankets daily for an instantly tidier look.
• Kitchen: Keep frequently used items, like utensils and spices, within easy reach. Use drawer organizers to prevent chaos.

By focusing on these high-use areas, your home will appear cleaner, even during busy days.

Schedule Deep Cleaning Sessions

While daily habits keep things tidy, deep cleaning is necessary to maintain a truly clean home. Plan regular sessions to tackle tasks that don’t need daily attention:

• Monthly tasks: Clean out the fridge, dust ceiling fans, and wash windows.
• Seasonal tasks: Shampoo carpets, deep-clean upholstery, or declutter storage areas like the attic or garage.
• Annual tasks: Clean gutters, inspect appliances for maintenance, or refresh your home’s paint.

Scheduling these tasks ensures they get done without disrupting your daily routine.

Create “Reset Zones”

Designate areas in your home where everything gets reset at the end of the day. For example:

• The kitchen table should always be cleared and ready for the next meal.
• The living room should have pillows fluffed and blankets folded.
• The bathroom counters should be free of clutter.

These reset zones act as visual reminders to tidy up regularly and prevent the mess from spreading to other areas.

Stay Consistent and Flexible

Consistency is key, but life happens. Some days you may not have time to clean everything on your list, and that’s okay. Focus on maintaining your core habits and tackle the rest when you can. For instance:

• If you’re short on time, prioritize key tasks like washing dishes or tidying the entryway.
• Use downtime, like waiting for food to cook, to complete small chores.

The goal isn’t perfection but creating a space that feels comfortable and manageable for you and your family.

Practical Tips for Daily Cleaning

To put it all into a new perspective, I put together 20 helpful tips for your daily and weekly cleaning routine that will guide you through individual tasks more efficiently. I practice most of these on a daily routine but remember, it’s important to split the work.

As a working mom, I don’t get any extra time; therefore, it’s absolutely necessary to keep this schedule going. Perhaps it will shed some light on your chaotic household chores board too.

Daily Cleaning Habits

1. Unload the Dishwasher in the Morning
   Start your day by emptying the dishwasher. This small habit ensures you have an empty space ready to load dishes throughout the day, preventing sink clutter.
2. Wash Dishes Immediately After Use
   Instead of leaving plates in the sink, rinse and wash them as soon as you’re done eating. This keeps the kitchen looking neat and saves time later.
3. Clean as You Cook
   When cooking meals, wash utensils, cutting boards, and pots between steps. This prevents a pileup of dirty items after meals and makes cleanup a breeze.
4. Wipe Down High-Touch Areas
   Use a damp cloth or disinfectant wipe to clean doorknobs, light switches, and remote controls daily. These areas accumulate germs quickly, so giving them a quick wipe helps maintain hygiene.
5. Put Away Items Before Bed
   Take five minutes each night to pick up misplaced items like shoes, toys, or books and return them to their designated spots. Waking up to a tidy home feels amazing!
6. Sweep or Spot Vacuum High-Traffic Areas
   Use a handheld vacuum or broom to quickly clean up crumbs and dirt from areas like the entryway, kitchen, or dining room. This keeps your floors looking polished daily.
7. Keep Bathroom Counters Clear
   After brushing your teeth or applying skincare, put everything back in its place. A clutter-free bathroom instantly looks and feels cleaner.
8. Shake Out Rugs or Doormats
   Dirt and debris often collect in entryway rugs or kitchen mats. Shake them out daily to prevent dirt from spreading to the rest of your home.
9. Take Out the Trash Before It Overflows
   Empty small bins around the house daily if they fill up quickly. It prevents bad odours and keeps rooms looking tidy.
10. Do a Quick Clutter Sweep After Dinner
    Before settling in for the evening, do a five-minute sweep of the living room. Fold blankets, and fluff pillows, and put away items like mugs or stray papers.

Weekly Cleaning Tasks

11. Designate Laundry Days
    Create a schedule for laundry—perhaps clothes on Wednesdays and linens on Sundays. Stick to it to avoid overwhelming piles and always fold clothes immediately after drying.
12. Deep Clean Kitchen Appliances
    Once a week, wipe down the microwave, stovetop, and oven. Don’t forget to clean out the crumb tray in your toaster and descale the coffee maker!
13. Dust Furniture and Shelves
    Use a microfibre cloth to dust bookshelves, picture frames, and furniture. Dusting weekly prevents buildup and keeps your home looking polished.
14. Vacuum Carpets and Upholstery
    Deep clean carpets and vacuum fabric furniture weekly to remove hidden dirt, pet hair, and allergens. A clean floor instantly uplifts the room.
15. Scrub the Bathroom
    Dedicate one day a week to scrubbing the tub, toilet, and sink. Replace bathroom towels and bath mats to keep the space feeling fresh.
16. Organise One Drawer or Cabinet
    Tackle one small area of your home every week, such as the junk drawer, pantry, or bathroom cabinet. Decluttering one spot at a time keeps your home manageable.
17. Rotate Cleaning Bedrooms
    On a weekly basis, vacuum under the bed, dust nightstands, and change the bed linens. Rotate through children’s or guest rooms to maintain all spaces.
18. Polish Mirrors and Glass Surfaces
    Use glass cleaner to shine up mirrors, windows, and glass tabletops. Clean surfaces reflect light, making your home feel brighter and more spacious.
19. Clean Baseboards and Door Frames
    Spend a few minutes each week wiping down baseboards and door frames with a damp cloth. These areas are often overlooked but make a big difference when spotless.
20. Tidy Outdoor Spaces
    Don’t forget your patio or balcony! Sweep away leaves and dirt weekly, water plants, and arrange outdoor furniture to keep these areas inviting.

Bonus Pro Tip: Create a Cleaning Routine That Works for You

If everything seems to be too much, just concentrate on one room at a time, or sometimes one task. Give certain tasks a specific day, such as “Monday is bathroom day.“ Breaking down into smaller steps means cleaning will always be doable and never a chore.

With these tips integrated into your daily and weekly routines, you will find it becoming second nature to maintain a clean and organised home. Small efforts consistently applied can create a stress-free and welcoming space for you and your family!

Final Thoughts

Cleaning the house does not have to take a long time or be an overpowering commitment. You can include mere daily habits and easily manageable weekly tasks to set you up with a routine that will leave your space clean with minimal stress. Consistency is key, and over time, small efforts add up to making your home inviting, cosy, and clutter-free.

The secret to success lies in finding a system that works with your lifestyle. Whether doing dishes immediately after meals, designating days of the week for laundry, or organising one drawer at a time, such small changes make a world of difference. A clean home lends itself to clarity in the mind and a peaceful feeling within.

Start small, stay consistent, and celebrate the progress you make along the way. Your home is a reflection of you, so keep it as calm, inviting, and vibrant as you want your life to feel!