6 Simple Habits To Keep Your Home Clean & Healthy
So you've been tackling your clutter and getting your home clean and more naturally healthy.
But how do you keep your home clean and tidy?
Do you have to resign yourself to major cleanups overtaking your weekends?
Do you need to learn to live with the chaos coming back over and over?
No, you don't!
I’ve found that by establishing some simple daily habits, I can keep on top of the chaos and clutter and dirt so that cleaning takes half the time. Some of these I've learned from my Mom, and some just from experience in intentionally creating a naturally healthy, simple and decluttered home.
Quick daily cleaning habits to shave off hours every week:
1. Keep shoes at the door.
Do not wear shoes past the entryway. Period. Make it a rule in your home and ask guests to take their shoes off. They won’t mind.
Just think about where the bottoms of your shoes have been and what you would be bringing into the house. Contain all the gross dirt and germs at the doorway, and you have less to clean throughout the rest of the house. And you only need to have one storage system for shoes.
Make sure to add enough shelving or cubbies or perhaps a big bin to store your shoes in at the entryway or in an entry closet. And keep a natural fiber rug at the doorway - one inside and one out. Outside the door have a rough sisal mat so that you can scuff off any major dirt from your shoes. Inside the door lay down another mat made of a natural material like seagrass or sisal. This kind of material is not only non-toxic, but it hides dirt really well and soaks up winter slush. No need to continually mop the floor this way - simply shake it out outside or vacuum it up once a week. It's worth investing in one that covers the majority of your entryway flooring surface.
2. Put things away as you use them.
It’s so much easier to pick things up as you go rather than wait and end up having to have a huge cleaning session all at once. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but it's something to strive for nonetheless. The key to making this work, of course, is to ensure that everything has its own place. Do that first if you haven't already.
Examples:
Put toiletries & makeup away in their spot every morning after getting ready. Don't leave the hairdryer laying on the counter! ( I have a metal basket on the floor beside my dresser for my hairdryer and styling iron).
Throw dirty clothes in the hamper, not on the floor or on a chair. Hang hooks in your bedroom or bedroom closet for clothes you’ll wear again before washing. It’s super-easy to hang them on hooks instead of folding them up again or hanging them on hangers.
Hang coats on hooks at the entryway. Have hooks inside a coat closet door to hang bags and purses.
Put kitchen appliances back in their designated spot after use.
Put mail in a basket that’s SPECIFICALLY FOR MAIL and PAPERS to keep them contained.
Take your laptop back to the desk when done using it elsewhere in the house.
Put your phone & tablet back on its charging station when done.
Fold blankets and throws back up and put them in their spot when done snuggling up on the couch. Hang them neatly over the arm of a chair or sofa, or keep them rolled up in a pretty basket on the floor.
Put wet towels on a hook to dry and reuse - have a hook designated for everyone in the house.
Put magazines and books back on shelves or in baskets when done.
Put tools or junk back in the junk drawer or garage or tool caddy when done.
Have a change bowl to collect change, sunglasses, etc. at the door.
Have a bowl on a nightstand or dresser too, to keep lip balm, reading glasses, etc. contained.
I know many of you may be thinking that you can do this but you'll never get your spouse or kids to do it as well. Perhaps sit them down to explain why it's important, and implement a mandatory family weekend cleaning time that they will have to take part in. The more they leave around through the week, the longer the cleaning time on the weekend will be! Hopefully, they'll soon learn to create these good habits too.
3. Make the bed every morning.
I've posted more fully here on why it's important to make your bed every day. It not only keeps your home tidier but also reduces your stress level and promotes happiness. Take two minutes every morning and get in the habit of making your bed (or have your partner do it if they're the last one out!)
4. Wash the dishes every night, and put them away every morning.
Whether you hand wash and leave dishes to drip dry like me or you use the dishwasher, get in the habit of cleaning all dishes in the evening and putting them away in the morning. Waking up to clean dishes and coming home to a neat and clean kitchen after the workday will help you to relax.
Turn this chore into a meaningful habit by combining it with music, or meditating to a guided app, or repeating a positive mantra. And use a natural dish soap that appeals to the senses and smells amazing!
5. Wipe down your counters and table after each meal.
The simple act of wiping down your counters and table (with an all-natural disinfecting spray) will get you in the habit of keeping those surfaces clear of clutter and clean of dirt. Surfaces should be free and clear to prep and prepare and eat on - just doing this one thing will help you feel tidier and lighter all around.
6. Spend 10 minutes tidying up before bed.
Set the alarm on your phone to go at a designated time for a bedtime wind-down routine. Spend the first 10 minutes of it doing a scan of your home to pick up anything that needs put it in its place. Do a quick sweep of the floors if needed, and spot-wipe any spills or dirty areas. Quickly wipe down bathroom sinks and counters with an all-natural disinfectant spray (keep a spray bottle right in the bathroom under the sink in a little bin or bucket, along with a couple of cleaning cloths).
Bonus: Do a declutter dash once/month
Some things will pile up naturally, like mail, magazines, books, empty food containers, and even socks that lose their match. Spend an hour once every month to go through these things and recycle, donate or toss what's not needed any longer. Go through the mail pile and do what’s needed (ie. pay bills, mark appointments in your calendar, make any calls that are needed, etc. ).
Keeping your home free from stuff you don't use and that doesn't give you joy will help you feel calm and in control. Join the free Declutter Dash challenge for tiny tasks to help you do this!
These little habits sound so simple that you wouldn’t think they'd make much difference in the overall state of your home and your mental state, but I promise you they do! Developing these routines - that take only a few minutes - will make life sweeter and your house more comfortable and supportive for you and your family.
