17 Habits of People Whose Homes Are Always Organized

It almost feels defeating when you have friends who always seem to have an organized home while you’re in a near constant struggle to keep yours looking just ok.

Getting rid of clutter and keeping everything in its place should be pretty simple. But when you’re coming back from work exhausted, you have kids, and so many other life distractions, you’re just not sure how you can make it work.

And while organization can feel like a battle at times, I promise you, there are ways to keep things consistently straightened up.

In fact, there are people who have habits in place that help them keep their homes organized and looking amazing. They’ve built systems and methods for organizing the different spaces in their house or apartment, and they’re good at keeping it that way.

So while your home won’t always be 100% neat and organized, these habits should definitely make it a lot easier to be consistent!

1. They Find a Place for Everything

Clutter happens when different items start piling up where they don’t belong.

So take a few seconds for each item and ask yourself, “Where should this belong?” If you’re finding your space getting constantly cluttered, it’s important to give everything a home. That way it’s not staying on your coffee table for the next 2 weeks or shoved into a random drawer.

Once you’re done using it, you know exactly where it should go.

Also, just being consistent to scan the room you’re in before leaving, and grabbing items that don’t belong, will help you to keep clutter to a minimum .

2. Focusing on One Thing at a Time

Trying to do everything at once is impossible and a great way to get overwhelmed.

So instead of telling yourself, “I’ll just organize my home once a week,” and focusing on all of the rooms, try having certain set days of the week to focus on specific rooms.

Or certain times of the day (like just after breakfast) for straightening up the different rooms.

That way you’re not associating keeping up with the home as a stressful task, but more as something you do as a normal part of life.

3. They Delegate Tasks

It’s easy to feel like you need to do it all, otherwise it just won’t be done correctly (been there).

But it’s not working, so it’s time for a change.

You don’t have to shoulder everything on your own, so it’s time to either teach your spouse or kids exactly what you want done, or just have it done imperfectly.

There’s no need to allow the full burden of keeping up the home to fall on you. It’s time to delegate the tasks (or more of the tasks) so that you can have the home you want.

4. Ignoring Distractions

When you’re doing something, give it your full attention.

If you have to switch tasks, that’s fine, but then give that task your full attention. Say to yourself, “For the next five minutes, I’ll be decluttering my closet” and don’t let anything else distract you.

It’s a great way to make sure something gets fully done and not left as a reminder of a failed task.

5. They Get Rid of The Items That Don’t “Spark Joy”

It’s so easy to get emotionally attached to items that don’t serve us anymore.

But as Marie Kondo said, “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it.”

It’s a simple way to understand what to keep and what to finally throw away.

6. They’re Happy With “Good Enough”

If there’s a big pile of papers and books that need organizing, don’t spend 2 hours going after it. Just do the best you can and move on. Otherwise, you’ll exhaust yourself and waste time.

Don’t try to make everything a 10/10 because sometimes, a 6 out of 10 will do just fine for now.

And later on, once you’ve figured out how to properly organize them (internet hacks and ideas are always handy), you can take on the task again.

7. They Utilize Small Moments of Free Time

You might think you don’t have enough time to be productive if you’ve only got 10 minutes before you have to leave, but you actually do!

A lot can be accomplished in short, 10-minute periods.

You could put a load of clothing into the washer, make headway with the dishes, put some clothes away, or sweep the kitchen floor.

8. Emptying the Fridge Regularly

Instead of leaving food to go bad (and fester) in the fridge, people with clean homes will go through their food items regularly.

You’ll wanna do this on a weekly basis and chuck anything that is past its expiration date.

Also, you can use this time to write a shopping list for the upcoming week!

9. They Keep Supplies in Smart Locations

Keep your kitchen supplies in the kitchen and bathroom cleaners in the bathroom.

By keeping these items where they’re used, you’ll be more likely to pick them up and use them than if they were stored away in a pantry down the hallway.

10. Doing the Dishes That Day

I know it’s not the funnest task, but this is one chore you need to dedicate yourself to completing each day.

And whether you’re washing the dishes by hand or with a dishwasher, you’ll make sure that they’re done and not overlapping with other chores the following day.

11. They Trash Things Immediately

Instead of holding on to old packaging or putting certain items aside to put into the trash later, do it right away.

When you don’t procrastinate, you’re not allowing rubbish or clutter to build up. And this can help keep surfaces from looking disorganized and messy.

12. Labeling Storage Solutions

By putting labels on pantry items, as well as general storage boxes and containers around the house, you’ll always be able to find the things you need. You won’t be accidentally doubling up on items and taking up more space.

Also, it’s a great reminder to use something up before it goes bad and to keep things looking tidy.

13. They Set Deadlines

Instead of saying you’ll carry out a specific task at some point in the future, set aside some time and a hard deadline for getting it done.

This will help you to make sure that it actually gets done, and it’s not piling up with other chores that are also getting delayed.

14. They Create a To-Do List at Night

Instead of trying to remember all of the tasks and chores you have to finish, write a to-do list each night.

Doing it the night before will help to make sure it actually gets done. You’ll know exactly what needs to be done the next morning and later on in that day. Also, it’s a visual reminder of what you should be taking care of and keeps the distractions away.

And lastly, the morning can be a busy time, so it’s best to do it in the evening.

15. Now is Always the Right Time

For organizing lovers, there is no tomorrow for tidying up the house.

And anyone who is organized realizes that it’s essential to do things immediately rather than wait for the next day.

Otherwise, each day might pile onto the next, and before you know it, you’ll have a week’s worth of chores to catch up on.

16. No Unnecessary Extras

Say this with me: I do not need extras for things I already have extras for.

I understand that it can feel nice to buy new thing for the home, but you already have enough pillow cases, blankets, mugs, and table trinkets.

So keep your items to a minimum. Because if you don’t, then it’s a great way for the home to look and feel pretty cluttered, and you might just run out of storage space!

17. They Never Leave a Room Empty-Handed

This one is key to decluttering and maintaining a tidy home.

Before you leave a room, look around and grab as many things as you can that don’t belong. Its just a simple way to make sure that everything is in its place and your spaces stay organized.