Cleaning the house can honestly suck.
Yeah, don’t feel feel bad if you don’t like it.
I mean, I get it, you might feel like you’re supposed to be ok with it because your’e an adult now. And adults are just supposed to be cool with certain things that are every day adult tasks.
But you don’t have to and you definitely don’t have to feel bad about that.
It’s normal. And thankfully, there are some awesome tips and tricks that are gonna make things a little bit better when cleaning the home.
So check them out and let me know what your favorite cleaning tips are in the comments down below. I’m happy to help!
1. Starting the Day Off with One of the Most Important Tasks
I don’t know why, but I just don’t really like making the bed first thing in the day.
It’s like, “Oh fun, I’m starting the day off with a chore. Could I have a coffee instead?” I know, I”m pathetic.
But, I have found that when I do this (and don’t make excuses), I do feel a ton better about being able to…
- Keep things clean around the home in general – I feel like it helps me start off the day with a general attitude of just keeping things straight.
- Feel so much better about how my space looks. It’s like when this one things is done, the rest of the room feels a lot more put together and clean. And when things feel clean, you end up feeling a lot more relaxed (at least I do 😊).
What about you? How do you feel when you make the bed? What do you notice is different about yourself when you do it?
2. Washing Clothes More Often?
Gonna be honest with you, I’m still working on getting better at this one, but I have noticed that people who do have a great habit of keeping things straight in their home, just have a regular laundry day (or days depending on how many people live in their home).
Yeah, sometimes it can feel better to just do it whenever you want, but then those annoying piles of clothes just end up building up and then you feel stressed.
So I’d honestly rather you cut the stress and feel a lot better with a mess free home. So try having a regular laundry day; test it out and see what you think!
3. Papers
Another fun thing that comes with adulthood are papers.
And one thing I know people with clean homes do well is to keep their papers organized and under control.
They buy folders or binders or anything they need to separate them based on whether they’re:
- Recyclable (ex. junk mail)
- Important ( ex.insurance documents, birth certificate , etc.)
- Temporarily Important (ex. bill information, receipts, etc.)
Also, this honestly just makes life WAY more stressful when you have a place to find all these things. 🤷♀️
4. Refrigerator
One of the BEST ways to make it look like you have it all together in the first place is to have that fridge organized and clean.
ALSO, it just feels so good to open up the fridge and be able to easily find and grab something + see how clean and nice everything looks and feels.
You’re honestly just gonna feel so much netter about things and I really want that for you. 😊
5. Shoes & Coats
Hate seeing the shoes under the coffee table and jackets laid on the bed or couch? Yeah, I get it.
But by just taking a couple minutes to decides where you want your shoes to be when you get home and where you want to keep your jackets, is gonna be such a quick win.
Like, keeping the kitchen clean is a lot more work, but doing this fast and simple thing even right now is gonna make you feel so much better and more organized. 🙂
6. Get those Dishes Done Fast
One of the worst things to wake up to in the morning is a pile of dirty dishes in the sink.
Like how many times have you woken up and wanted to actually make a nice breakfast for yourself only to find that you first have to wash some dishes? Not fun.
Buuut… on the other hand, waking up to an empty sink and clean counters is probably one of the best feelings as well. So definitely give yourself the chance to start your morning off right and get those dishes done as soon as your done with dinner.
7. They Store Things After Use
Have you ever just used something, then places it somewhere random without thinking (because you’re a busy person that’s got a lot on their mind and a lot to do), and then realize you have to find that thing a few days later because you need it again?
(Sorry for the run-on sentence 😬).
Yeah, you’re not alone. But I know you’re gonna feel so much better if you just quickly put it back where it belongs right after using it.
Trust me, it’ll only take you a few seconds and it’ll make your life a ton easier!
8. Dusting & Vacuuming
Next to dishes, this is probably the least fun chore to do. But it must be done!
So just select a day in the week to get that vacuuming done, and as for dusting, figure out many times you want to do that in a month (ex. twice a month, so once every two weeks).
Then once you have that figured out, go for it and you’ll feel so good once you’ve got this habit down.
Keeping the home clean and organized isn’t super fun (I mean, watching Netflix and baking chocolate chip cookies is a lot more ideal), but it’s a necessity.
And especially when you feel stressed when the home is a mess.
I don’t want you to feel stressed, so definitely give these habits a try and see how much better feel in your home.
Also, you’re gonna have more time for more enjoyable things when your home is constantly straight. 🙂
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.
I hate starting the day with my 1 big task, but I really am so productive if I am able to get my big tasks done first.
Tip #7 is so helpful. Everything needs a home. Great tips.
Great tips that I can attest work. The one thing on your list that I consistently struggle with is dusting. I HATE it! But your tip for making a schedule for it is GOOD, and I’m going to try it!
On another note, one thing not on your list is the bathroom. I have made a habit of taking my bath cloth and wiping the sink and counter after brushing my teeth and washing my face. This really helps keeps the bathroom looking clean in between cleanings and it doesn’t increase my dirty laundry!
That’s a great tip, thank you! 🙂
I totally agree with you about dusting and vacuuming. I swear I have to vacuum every day to keep up with the pet hair and crumbs!
I leave the bed unmade for at least an hour to let it air out. This inhibits tiny little creatures!
Totally agree…never leave dirty things to pile before you clean them. Don’t wakeup and leave your bed to do somethings before you make it up…you can even forget it.
Thank you very much for your advice.
You are so right! And you’re welcome. 🙂
Great list and I’ve stuck to these habits for over 50 yrs. I would add another that my Mom taught me…. Clean as you go while cooking! It’s so much easier and less time consuming when meals are finished. The final clean up is a breeze.
Be married 50 years, I do these things too. It doesn’t take long to clean if you follow these tips! Did this when I worked 55 hours a week . Also had 2 children to care for. Every one helped out. Teach kids to help too.
Great ideas!
I totally love these tips. I have also found that everyone in the family should get in the habit of putting things away when they are done with them, a drop zone near the front door makes sure you always know where your keys and wallet are and you don’t forget anything when you leave the house. I also think dusting once a week can go a super long way!
Totally agree on all 8 ways to keep a tidy home
This is so me I’ve been doing this since 1980 41 years yes and still happily married to the same Guy we r a good team , love having a tidy home and I don’t mind the time or work it feels awesome having a tidy and organized home
Seriously, these are quite common habits of clean people. I can relate to this blog.
That’s our house 100%. Makes life easier
Thank you. This article has helped me quite a lot. Val
Our mom used to force us to make our beds when we were kids (which we hated) so maybe that’s why we stopped when we grew up. I’d be surprised if all my nieces and nephews even know how to do this simple chore. I’m sending your list to my sisters as a challenge.
I am learning how to be really organized and this has really helped. Thank You
You’re welcome. So glad we could help you, Gloria! 🙂
I was amazed that I do 7 out of 8 of those notes. The 8th one, dusting, and vacuuming. Notice I did spell it right! Anyway, I feel so proud of myself. My bedroom carpet gets messy so I bought one of those gadgets with a handle and is round and sticky. Need I say more……
thanks for the good tips.
Suzie (I spell mine with an e) ( My husband always called me Suz)
I enjoyed reading thanks it will be great plan for 2021
That’s a huge NO for the bed making from me. If you make your bed right after getting up you are trapping ALL the moist (from sweating or just from body temperature) under the covers. The sheets and blankets need their time to ventilate so the best you can do is moving them around as much as possible and opening a window for some 3-4 minutes 🙂 At least. After that it’s more safe to do it. Although when you live in the city it’s questionable how much of a “fresh” air will enter the room 🙂
That’s a very good point, thanks Nelly! 🙂
PS – Sorry, I just now saw this!
They are sorted | color coordinated | fixed & peachy sort of vibe in the house …if you do this you’ll start noticing a change in your mind. Clean clothes, less clutter and approximately 15-20 mins to do this. So good luck guys ❤️
I agree so much with Making The Bed not to mention The Dirty Dishes. I also make sure that the Bathroom is always clean because they are next to the Kitchen the most frequently used part of the house. When It comes to Paper, I wait until the Bill is officially due then I tear it up and I open the Envelopes right away because you never know what’s inside. On Hoarders a Man had all kinds of Paperwork and lost a chance to cash Two Income Tax Return Checks.
You air your bed when you wake up in the morning. You pull back the sheets to get the body heat, sweat, smells, to leave the bed. Because you open the window to air the room also. And later you make the bed which will be cold and smell fresh aired. Hygienic. The habits of Europeans when they used to hang the duvets over the verandas to air etc.
You’ve mentioned all the necessary information regarding a clean home. Thanks for sharing this post.
Thanks for sharing this helpful post. I will surely follow all the instructions and tips which are mentioned in this post.
Great article
I always try to keep my home clean but something was missing and u have mentioned that in this post. Glad I found it.
Great page great info 8 habits to keep a clean house.
Great list! Sorting and dealing with papers as they come is such a huge tip! I don’t know how many times I have wasted time and energy dealing with cluttered piles later!
Thank you so much Suzi! I really appreciate it! 🙂