If you struggle to keep your house tidy, these tips and tricks will help you keep things clean, without really noticing that you’re doing it!
Our house is usually tidy. We’re not clean freaks, but for the most part, our house stays neat (of course, we all have our moments!). I chalk it up to a method of cleaning that I invented for myself years ago. Basically I play an all-day game to keep the place tidy and chaos at bay.
This method is for keeping things put away and neat, as opposed to deep cleaning. This approach is more about maintaining control over the chaos so that when you need to deep clean, it’s a lot easier.
First, a few things are important for this method to work:
1. You Can’t Have Too Much Stuff
Clutter is the enemy of keeping your house neat. The more stuff you have, the more you have to put away. While I wouldn’t call us minimalists, we definitely purge often and don’t have a lot that we don’t use on a regular basis. Our house isn’t enormous and what we have fits nicely into our space. If you have too much stuff, do something about it. Trust me, you’ll be a lot happier.
2. Your Stuff Has to Have a Home
If you don’t know where to put things, you’re going to hit a serious wall trying to keep everything neat. There’s no possible way to put things away if they have no “away”!
For example, the hardest thing for me and Ryan to keep neat is our mail/paperwork. I have yet to work out a good system for controlling it in our new home, so often I don’t know what to do with everything and it can take over the kitchen counter. I’m currently working on a system to give our paperwork a home and reduce the clutter.
3. Kids Make Things Harder
Our kids don’t make a mess…yet! Our house isn’t under constant attack from toys and kid mess right now. So we’ll see how things go once they get older. The good thing about this method is that it doesn’t really take much extra effort — and it’s so ingrained into my daily routine — that I should be able to continue it in some sense once the boys start to make a mess. Plus, growing up we always had a neat and tidy home and my parents made sure to involve us in keeping it picked up, when it was age-appropriate.
UPDATE: We now have two SEVEN-year-olds! And yes, things are more difficult. But using these methods all day, I keep our house relatively clean and tidy even with two Tasmanian devils destroying everything!
Okay! Let’s see how I keep my house tidy!
How to Keep Your Home Tidy Without Really Trying
The best part approach is that you can sort of make it a game. I have always thought of it as a game and somehow I even enjoy it sometimes! Crazy, right?
1. Take One Thing
I rarely leave a room without something in my hands that belongs in the room I’m going to. Shoes sitting by the couch? I drop them in the closet on my way to the bedroom. Cup by my bedside? It goes in the dishwasher when I walk back to the kitchen. Kleenex box sitting on the dining room table? That goes with me to the bathroom. Because I’m constantly moving around my home, I’m constantly taking things with me when I go and putting them away.
And note that I put them away. I don’t put the glass on the counter, I put it in the dishwasher. I don’t put the shoes on the floor in the closet, I put them on the shoe rack in the closet. It takes no extra time to actually put things all the way away.
Since I’ve been doing this for a while, I often take up to three things with me and deposit in different rooms as I pass them. And sometimes, I can’t find anything to take with me — and that’s an awesome feeling!
2. Five at a Time
I don’t like spending a lot of time on one chore, so often I break it down and do five things at a time. The best example is laundry — I’ll dump all the clean laundry on the bed as I do it, and any time I enter the bedroom I have to fold five things. Just five. But I am always surprised how often I go into the bedroom, so the pile tends to get folded pretty quickly. Then I just put the folded clothes away (hanging five things at a time in the closet, instead of the whole pile at once — because I hate hanging things up!).
I also do this with the dishes, both putting them in the dishwasher (though I usually try and do this right when we use them — but it doesn’t always work that way!) and putting the clean dishes away. I’m sure I’ll be doing it with toys soon, too, as will my boys, when they get old enough (update: sure enough — two years later and I do this all. day. long!)
3. Thirty Seconds is More Than You Think
While I agree that sometimes we just need to space out, I often spend the 30 seconds (or so) waiting for things to happen to tidy up around me. Waiting for my iron to heat up in my craft room? Put away some sewing supplies I’m not using. Making toast? Put a few things from the dish drainer
into the cabinets until the toast is done. Waiting for my computer to boot up? I toss the dog’s toys
back in his basket and re-fold the blankets on the sofa. Those 30-second bits of tidying up make a difference day-to-day.
4. Ten Minute Madness
When I do need to do more than just put things away, I’ll set my timer for ten minutes and do a quick clean. Wipe down the counters, sink, and stove, for instance. Dust the living room or Swiffer
the hardwood floors. Nothing crazy — this is quick cleaning. Because my house remains fairly tidy, doing these quick cleaning sessions is easy. Some days I do a bunch of these little cleaning sessions, other days I skip them entirely. Really depends on what I have going on. But ten minutes here and there should be manageable for most people.
And if it’s not manageable for you, having a tidy house makes it a lot easier if you have a housekeeper! (Oh, to dream!)
I know this method won’t work for everyone, but I wanted to share my method since it’s bound to resonate with someone. Overall, I may actually spend more time tidying than if I did it in large chunks, but since it doesn’t feel like it, it’s worth it to me!
Comments & Reviews
Lisa at Mabey She Made It says
I love this method. I need to enlist my girls’ help more often in my home–especially those things that are theirs. I love the one thing the most.
Ashley says
I need to do more as-I-go tidying. The toys and mail definitely take over if we don’t stay on top of them.
Cori George says
The mail. OH THE MAIL.
Dianna says
I do almost all those cleaning as you go tips and my house is still a mess. The one thing I need to do is get rid of what I don’t use, but I sell online so I can’t rid of anything I may be able to sell. I have space in my house designated for my for sale items, but I am always sorting things, bringing in more from a thrift shop stop or auction, and cleaning the items I plan to sell, or photographing them in a place with the best light, so things are often out of place. But your article motivated me to get rid of things I know I can’t use or sell. That would simplify things immensely!
Cori George says
Getting rid of things is key! I’m reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up right now and it’s really helping me shed the extra STUFF.
Marjorie Snyder says
I love the way you keep your house so clean and tidy! I have a similar way but may be we have to many things in the house and we lack enough storage space. This is the biggest problem I think and finally I feel inspired to get do something about it! Some things have to go! For the rest I really don’t mind cleaning 10-15 minutes per day. :) Thank you for the tips!
Cori George says
We have some definite storage space issues, the biggest being that we don’t have a pantry in our small kitchen. Still trying to figure that one out!
Jeanine says
Your #1 Take One Thing is how I clean the house. My husband HATES it. He thinks you should only stick with one room at a time. His method doesn’t work at all, because he will pile things that belong somewhere else, BUT NEVER TAKE THEM TO SOMEWHERE ELSE. It’s a constant battle in our house.
Cori George says
He needs to get on the Take One Thing bandwagon! It’s the only way!
Susan says
Great article–I have been using the five and ten minute method for years. I just label them FMJ’S and TMJ’s–I only know what they mean, but I can sure get some things done way faster than I ever thought, Even a TMJ time to rest! Good job.
Cori George says
I love it! I might use those acronyms for myself :)
KittyLuvr says
Your tips were very helpful. I always walk out of a room with things in my hands and have tried to install that in my family. I also like the “don’t set it on the counter”. I looked around my house and the majority of the clutter is things that have not been properly put away…..if I can accomplish that, then the rest needs to go!
Blanca Jensen says
These are lovely ideas for how to keep our homes clan and neat! I can say that at home is more or less the same. I am not really a maniac about keeping clean but at home is clean and tidy. Sometimes during the summer when we spend more time outside cleaning is not such a priority and it gets messier! I really appreciate the cleaning tips! :) Greets!
Kerri says
If I lived by the “five at a time” principle I would never complete a task, however I find the other ideas very practical and efficient.
BarbaraLee says
I do this all the time too. My biggest time is sweeping and washing the floors. I also got in the habit of putting a load of laundry in the wash and put soap in so all I have to do in the morning is start it. Switching clothes to the dry is a breeze and I watch t.v. while I fold. I only do one load a day when I need to so laundry doesn’t sit around.
I too have a lot of stuff in the house. Then I have to clean it or deal with it. Things have a place or it leaves my house. And being I do daycare for a living I don’t want to be cleaning all the time either.
Cori George says
Oh yes, the floors! That’s my least favorite chore these days. :-P
Fabi says
I didn’t know I had a system, but it appears that over the years I’ve developed the same exact method you have! It really does work. We entertain often and I tend to get many compliments on the “cleanliness” of my home. I don’t consider myself a clean freak, but I am a bit of an organizational freak. My mom always said, “everything has a home.” Thank you for sharing!
Olivia says
I want to know how this works with kids because I already do all those things and I feel like things get out of order a lot faster than I’m putting them back in order. ( I have 3 kids that are kind of like mini tornados through the house.) I sort of feel like the only way to keep the house clean (or even get it clean) is to let my kids veg on TV all day long. Any suggestions. Also, lest I’m misunderstood. I love all these tips and would be in way worse shape without them. :)
Cori George says
I think kids make everything more complicated! My twins are too small to be tornadoes yet, so I don’t have any real-world experience. BUT, my husband and I spend a few minutes every evening putting away their toys (they are 8 months) into a basket and tidying up before we veg. I am also constantly putting their things away as I go — purging their stuff often also helps! Less stuff makes it easier to keep it tidy.
Maria says
Liked these tips, we can follow with ease, we have 3 years kid and it is not easy to keep our room tidy, thanks Cori
Bethany at The Southern Couture says
These are tips that I have never really thought of or read before. Thanks for the suggestions. I definitely do not feel right when the house is not tidy, but I’m working on it.
yvonne says
My Dh repeats a well known saying, ‘a place for everything, an everything in it’s place’ but what if ‘that thing’ (mail) does not have a place? we have moved from a large house with heaps of storage to a very small house with no storage. I also do lots of craft
Cori George says
Mail is the hardest one for me. I’m constantly trying to find it’s “place”! My craft room is often a disaster as well. But I keep at it — one of these days the right way will click for me!
Deb says
Hahahaha Cori, I have found a way to keep my craft room clean. I hold weekly girl scout meetings there now so it has to keep clean. I used to finish crafting and I would leave everything out since, well I’ll probably be back down here tomorrow and the my ironing would get set on the table until I could iron and the mess was on etc. Sometimes all that is needed to keep our good habits on track is a little urgency, hence the impending troop meeting! I am not recommending you take on one more thing, I am only telling you what works for me. It seems to be just the kick in the butt I need to clean up as I go =)
Cori George says
Ha! I wouldn’t be able to fit more than one and a half girl scouts in my small room, even when it’s clean!
Deb says
I have used this method most of my adult life, i.e. while my coffee is brewing in the morning, I empty the dishwasher. While I wait for the water to get hot in the shower I make my bed and tidy the nightstands etc. This keeps the things relatively tidy until Friday when I do a deep cleaning which actually takes less time since everything is where it belongs to begin with. Great job! It’s definitely effective but on the downside as my daughter tells me, it’s a tad OCD. Lol!
jessica jessy says
your article is so nice . we can know many things . plz write some article about fashion … trendy fashion
Jennie Jones says
Keeping the kitchen clean after every meal is something I attempt to stress in my household everyday however somehow it never seems to get done. Regardless I really did enjoy reading your post, very informative.
Airbnb Clean says
So True! these simple tasks will only take a few minutes each day yet will make a really big impact!
Karen Rivera says
Great tips to focus the mind when my head is whirling with jobs to do. I have to remember the house only needs to be good enough not perfect! I would add clean the kitchen floor, mine gets mucky with all the food prep beforehand and it makes the kitchen look dirty even when the work tops are actually clean.
Alex Robert says
I seriously get tired after reaching home from work and didn’t get enough energy to clean my living area. Your tips made that easy for me. Thanks for sharing such great ideas :)