Keeping your home tidy can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. The secret to a neat home is to develop habits that prevent it from becoming a mess in the first place. Here are some habits that will prevent clutter all year round. Even if you can’t commit to all of these, try at least one or two. You’ll be surprised how much tidier your home will become.
Is the thought of a major decluttering project every season too intense? Instead of dreading a big whole-house declutter every season—simply declutter regularly. You can schedule according to what makes sense for you. Do your garage on the first rainy day of every month. Spend fifteen minutes going through your pantry every third Saturday. When your bathroom cabinets start to look a little messy, spend ten minutes getting rid of old and expired products. Or simply commit to decluttering as shelves and drawers start to fill up.
Life can get busy, but we all have ten minutes a day to tackle messes. Set a timer on your phone and pick an area that needs the most attention. Things can stay neat if you devote just a little bit of time every day.
Commit to editing your closet quarterly. Try to get rid of things that no longer fit, are worn out, or you simply will never wear again. This can also save you money because by taking inventory, you won’t end up buying unnecessary items.
Tidy up your favorite lounging area by organizing items like a craft project, nail file, charger, and snacks into a basket for easy access and less chaos.
If piles of mail are causing clutter, set aside time to sort and open your mail a couple of times a week, preventing piles from building up.
Think you have too many reusable bags? Limit your stash to ten and carry a few in your car to prevent them from cluttering your home.
If holiday decorations are cluttering your closet, limit your decor to one bin per season. Transition easily between seasons by keeping the current season’s bin accessible while storing others.
Lastly, it’s important to avoid bringing unnecessary items into your home. Whether it’s gifted items or promotional freebies, only accept things you genuinely want or need.
