21 Habits of People Who Always Keep Their House Clean

You probably have that friend who always has a clean and tidy home. And you’re not sure how they’re able to even keep it that way. They might have kids and/or a busy life, but their home is always spotless.

And then you wonder what you’re doing wrong. You don’t know why you’re struggling to keep a consistently clean house and stay on top of the chores.

But there’s a lot more going on than you think. They’re not just spending hours each day keeping their homes impossibly clean. In fact, they’ve built up good habits that have helped them to maintain a clean house.

They’re delegating tasks, tidying up as they go, and even tackling small tasks throughout the day so that the chores don’t start building up. They make the time for the little cleanups so that they don’t turn into one big cleaning day.

And if you’re curious about their other good habits, I’ve broken down some of the best clean-house habits you can adopt yourself. They’re not hard to try and once you have a rhythm going, you’ll always be one of those people who knows how to keep your house clean.

1. They Make Their Bed First Thing

I’m not always so crazy about making my bed first thing in the morning. I’d much rather have a cup of coffee instead. ☕️

But, I have found that when I do it (and don’t make excuses), it helps me to…

1. Keep things clean around the home in general – I’m able to start off the day with a general attitude of just keeping things straight.
2. 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, I end up feeling a lot more relaxed.

And people with consistently clean homes are very careful to keep this morning ritual a part of their daily routine.

2. They Break Down Their Cleaning Schedule

People who always have a clean home don’t do all of their chores at once, they break it down.

So for example, instead of spending a full day scrubbing and cleaning, you might find it easier to do a little bit each day.

You could do vacuuming one day, cleaning the bathrooms a different day, and mopping another.

And by not overworking yourself, you’ll be more likely to stick with a routine and be able to consistently keep your home clean.

3. They Clean as They Go

When you’re cooking, don’t leave the dishes until after the meal or worse, the next morning. Or if you just came in and tracked in some dirt, don’t let it sit there.

Clean up as you go about your daily life.

So if you just used that bowl to mix up a sauce, either quickly wash it by hand or place it in the dishwasher. Or if you just brought in some dirt with your boots, take them off and sweet up the mess before anything else.

That way these little and big messes don’t stack up into one huge cleanup.

4. They Find Ways to Make Cleaning More Fun

These kinds of people try to find ways to make the cleaning process more fun, interesting, and speedy.

So for instance, they put on some music as they do the dishes, they time themselves to see how fast they can get a certain task done, or they have a small reward they give themselves at the end of a chore.

5. They Have the Right Equipment and Supplies

A major part of making sure that the house is always mess-free is to have all of the right supplies and keeping them in easy to reach place.

So make a list of all the cleaning utensils, appliances, and solutions you’ll need. That way you won’t have an excuse to put off a chore for later and can take care of it right away. 😉

6. They Don’t Own “The Chair”

Almost all of us are well aware of “the chair” and why it’s a problem. It’s that spot in the bedroom where clean but not super clean clothing gets put and starts to pile up throughout the week.

But clean and tidy people don’t turn any of their chairs into a place where clothes and random items pile up.

They always make sure that there’s no clutter; everything is in its place.

7. They Delegate Cleaning Tasks

Cleaning the house is not a one-man job.

And people with a clean house always make sure that everyone in the house has a job to do when it comes to keeping it spotless.

But if that makes you feel uncomfortable because you’re afraid it won’t be done right, then it’s time to start teaching your kids or significant other the way you want something done.

And once you’re past that, you won’t have as much on your plate.

8. They Don’t Enter the New Day With Old Problems

Before going to bed, they thoroughly scan the whole house and make sure that everything is in the right place.

The pillows on the couch are set, curtains are closed, sheets are folded, dishwasher running, and the laundry is put away.

This way when they wake up the next day, everything is taken care of and there’s no need to fix yesterday’s messes.

9. They Remove Their Shoes

It’s a horrible feeling when you’ve just finished vacuuming or mopping and someone tracks dirt across your clean floor.

It can make you wonder why you even bothered.

But getting your entire household into the habit of removing their shoes by the door will help you to never have that feeling again and keep your floors spotless.

It really is a simple way to get rid of the extra maintenance.

10. They Have a Regular Laundry Day

I’m going to be honest with you, I’m still working on getting better at this one.

But I have noticed that people who are great at keeping their homes straight just keep a regular laundry day.

Yes, it can feel easier to just do it whenever you want. But then those annoying piles of clothing just end up building up and stressing you out.

So it’s a lot better if you can have your own designated laundry day and get rid of that extra stress in the home.

11. They Put Laundry Away Immediately

People who have a clean home are great at just quickly doing tasks as soon as they arise.

And when it comes to the laundry, they try to make sure that as soon as the dryer is finished, the clothing is getting folded and put away.

That way there are no piles of clean clothing waiting to be hung or folded and making the space look like a mess.

12. They Wipe as They Go

This habit is pretty simple. It doesn’t matter if you just spilled a bit of water in the bathroom, got some food on the dining table, or dirtied the kitchen counter while making dinner.

The rule here is always the same; clean it up as you go along.

It’s an easy way to keep up on the cleanliness of your home.

13. They Organize Their 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:

1. Recyclable (junk mail)
2. Important (insurance documents, birth certificate , etc.)
3. Temporarily Important (bill information, receipts, etc.)

Also, this makes life WAY less stressful when you have a place for easily finding all of these things, and they’re not just lying around in a random drawer. 🤷‍♀️ 

14. They Keep Their Fridge Organized and Clean

One of the BEST ways to make it look like you have it all together in the first place is to have your fridge organized and clean. 

There are no foods about to expire, there are no spills that need cleaning up, and everything you need is easy to find and grab.

Also, it just feels so good to open up the fridge and see how clean and nice everything looks and feels.

So make it a regular habit to clean up small messes, organize, and get rid of expired goods each week.

15. They Have a Place for Their Shoes & Coats

Tired of seeing your kid’s shoes under the coffee table and jackets laid on the bed or couch?

Well when you take just a couple of minutes to decide where you want the shoes and outerwear to go once you and your family get home, it’s gonna make a big difference.

It’s such an easy life upgrade. I mean, keeping the kitchen clean is a lot more work, but doing this fast and simple task is gonna make you feel so much better and more organized.

16. They Get the Dishes Done Before Bed

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 only to find that you first have to wash some dishes? Not fun.

But on the other hand, waking up to an empty sink and clean counters is probably one of the best feelings as well.

So definitely adopt this habit and give yourself the chance to start your mornings off right by getting those dishes done as soon as you’ve finished dinner.

17. They Empty the Dishwasher Every Morning

People who always have a clean home pay the utmost attention to their kitchen because it’s the easiest place to get dirty.

And a great habit to start is to empty the dishwasher every morning.

It’s just a great way to make sure that the dishes aren’t piling up in the sink. Also, if you do need to do another load of dishes during the day, it’s getting done before you start prepping for dinner.

18. They Clean Their Tools

Cleaning your home only works if the tools themselves are clean.

Vacuum cleaners should be emptied regularly, cleaning and dusting cloths should be washed after each use, and your dishwasher should be cleaned every so often.

This way, your home will actually be clean, rather than the dirt just being transferred around. Or appliances will be able to work properly and not break down.

19. They Give Everything a Place

People who always keep their home clean also have a place for everything in their house.

Doing this not only keeps their homes looking organized and tidy, but they also have a much easier time finding everything they’re looking for. So, make sure to use organizers and give everything a home!

20. They Tidy Up the Rooms Before Bed

People who have a clean home tidy things up before going to bed.

They check to see if there are any dirty clothes, shoes, books, or other things that might not be in their place and put them away before finishing the day.

It’s a great way to make sure you’re waking up to a much cleaner house and you’ll feel so much better.

21. They Regularly Throw Items Away

Sometimes the best cleaning tip is just to get rid of things.

Go through your fridge, freezer, cupboards, drawers, and dressers and remove all of the out-of-date food items, tools, clothes, makeup, toiletries, and appliances you never use.

If your home is in need of a serious clean up, then this might be the best first habit to implement so that you can free up some space and get rid of clutter.

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