Discover six incredible, life-changing habits that keep the house clean and tidy all the time.
1. The Nightly Non-Negotiable: The Key to a Tidy Home
This is perhaps the most life-changing habit that can be implemented. It can be the secret to transforming from a messy environment to a house that’s always tidy. Many people operate on an “all or nothing” basis, so if procrastination is allowed, things will never get done. A hard rule and a nightly non-negotiable are essential.
The Two Non-Negotiable Tasks
- Always do the dishes after dinner and clean the kitchen, no matter what. No show-watching or leaving the kitchen until the dishes are done. This is non-negotiable, even when sick or busy.
- A 10 to 15-minute quick tidy right before bed. Don’t go to bed without quickly putting things away, such as bills or items on the counter. Straighten the pillows to wake up to a tidy home, preventing the mess from becoming overwhelming.
Making these two things non-negotiable can change the entire house, making it tidier and cleaner. Waking up happier because of doing a favor the night before is a great benefit.
2. Never Leave a Room Empty-Handed
This seems obvious, but many who struggle with a messy home don’t do this regularly. Every time you leave a room, consider what can be taken. In the morning, take down the dishes or whatever is on the bedside table. If you’re downstairs, bring up a load of laundry or restock toilet paper. Before leaving a room, look around. Even go into kids’ rooms to grab dishes or other items that need to be brought down. This habit can make a home so much tidier.
It takes work to remember, so repeating this mantra is key. As soon as this becomes second nature, the entire house will be much tidier.
3. Clear Kitchen Counter: A Freaking Magical Cleaning Habit
This is magical but requires hard work initially. Take a look at the kitchen and find homes for things currently out, like the toaster and air fryer. It may be a pain to take things off the counter and put them back, and it might require decluttering to make room. However, clutter attracts clutter, so when there’s a lot on the counter, it signals the brain that it’s okay to keep piling things. When kitchen counters are clear and empty, it signals the brain that you can’t put anything down.
Look at your kitchen differently and find homes for the things that are out. Take the clear counter challenge. This habit will make your house tidier. Once mastered in the kitchen, try it for bathroom counters or any other flat surface.
4. One Product Wonder: A Must-Have Cleaning Habit
Instead of waiting to do one big cleaning job on the weekend for hours, having one product that’s good for every surface means you can pick it up whenever you notice a spill or dust and wander around the house. It’s perfect for ADHD, as you can do a little light fixture here or wipe the table there.
Doing a little bit every day means the house is always cleaner than it would be if cleaned all at once on a weekend. There’s no pressure, and you’re just randomly wiping stuff, noticing things you wouldn’t otherwise, like light switches and smudges on walls. The house is overall cleaner because of it.
5. The 21 Item Toss: A Monthly Decluttering Habit
Do this every single month to keep the house under control. Grab a bag and hunt for 21 things that can go. Look in drawers for wrappers, scrap pieces of paper, socks without a match, or Tupperware lids without a bottom. You’re not pulling things out or making piles; you’re just looking for things to leave your house.
Doing this every month helps maintain your clutter threshold. It won’t help with a big declutter but will help prevent accumulating more clutter. Look in the shower for empty shampoo bottles. Twenty-one things is the perfect number because it’s big enough to push you out of your comfort zone but small enough that you can do this in 5 minutes. This is a great decluttering habit.
6. Be the Hero of Your Own Home: A Mindset Shift
Change the mindset and the way you talk to yourself about housework. When things were messy, you might have told yourself how much you hated housework. Changing the mindset is key. You can’t make your family care as much as you do, but you can do this as a gift to your future self.
Put on a cape and save yourself. Be the hero of the story. If you love when your house is clean, do that for yourself as a gift. Saying things like “I deserve a clean kitchen” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It becomes a positive experience. See the act of vacuuming or cleaning as self-care and self-love. That mindset shift means you no longer procrastinate and dread it because it’s like medicine for your soul. Repeat mantras like, “I deserve a clean kitchen, I’m doing this for me.” That will change everything.
Bonus Tip: Know Yourself
Knowing yourself has changed so much. Knowing your organizing style helps you stay tidy because you’re working with your natural tendencies. Your home can catch your clutter and keep it tidy effortlessly. Also, know your cleaning style, because not everyone cleans the same way. Some are weekend warriors, daily speed cleaners, zone cleaners, or taskmasters. Knowing the difference is helpful because you can find a cleaning routine that works with your natural cleaning style.
