How to Keep a House Clean
Want to spend less time cleaning without sacrificing cleanliness? How to keep the house clean longer? Busy work, family and other responsibilities altogether. I know, we don’t have time to clean.
Over the years, I’ve learned that develop a cleaning routine helps keep a house clean and tidy all the time, With that said, all you need to do is to create a daily cleaning schedule to follow. Then, you don’t have to spend the whole day scrubbing. You’ll have more time to have fun with family and friends on weekends.
Today, I’m going to share a list of tips I’m using to keep my house clean and neat. They are simple and easy to do. Consistency is the key, stick to them and you will turn these cleaning tasks into habits.
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12 Habits for a Clean Home// Tips to Keep Your House Clean
1// Remove your shoes at the door.
If you want to clean less and keep your home cleaner, take off your shoes before entering the home. I learned this habit from my mom when I was a little kid. My mom is very strict about this.
We have a boot tray at the front door. We take off our shoes as soon as we enter the door and put the shoes on the boot tray. If you’re like us and live in a city in which winter is cold and snowy, this quality boot tray helps a lot to protect our flooring from all ice, salt, snow, and dirt.
Taking shoes off has been a rule in our house. We go barefoot sometimes, but most of the time, we wear indoor slippers.
Removing your shoes at the door helps to stop bringing in sand and dirt from the outside. If you’re not doing this, start to build this habit today. It could save you so much cleaning time every day.
2// Make your bed.
Making the bed is important to me. It starts my day off right and makes me calm when I go to bed at night. But, I don’t make my bed right after I get up in the morning.
Every morning I open the blinds and let the light in. I shake the blankets, put them on the dresser, and have the bedlinens air out for a few hours before making it. (Dust mites like to stay in warm and moist areas) Keep in mind that washing your bedding regularly is also important to cut dust mites.
Some days when I need to be away from home all day, I just simply fold the blankets at the end of the bed.
On a side note, we never sit on the bed in outside clothes. I want to keep our bedsheets as clean as possible.
3// Do a load of laundry every day.
We do one load of laundry each day to keep the laundry pile under control. We only have one hamper in the bathroom. When I see it’s full, it’s time to go wash them. And it’s easy to get a full load of laundry every day as we have an apartment-size washer and dryer.
I usually do one load of laundry every day at night. Every family is different. You may not have a full load of laundry to wash every day so you just do 1 or 2 or 3 loads a week. That’s totally fine.
All just I wanted to say is try to avoid the laundry pile-up if you want to keep your home neat and clean, especially when you’re living in a smaller home.
Personally, I hate to tackle a mountain of laundry once a week. I only use 15 minutes a day to tackle the laundry each day. This makes me happier than devoting an entire day to doing all the laundry for hours once a week.
Related minimalist cleaning post:
5 Laundry Habits as a Minimalist
My Minimalist Cleaning Schedule
4// Dust, vacuum and mop once a week.
We don’t spend a lot of time dusting or vacuuming as a minimalist family. Fewer furniture and things make us spend less time cleaning.
You need to vacuum more often if you’ve pets and small children. Dust first, then vacuum. I like using microfiber cloths for dusting.
Actually, microfiber cloths can dust almost everything. You can use them dry for dusting surfaces, walls, floors, glass, computer screens, etc. They are statically charged so they pick up the dust effectively. You can also use them wet for cleaning.
Vacuum all the dust and dirt, and wet mopping the floor will eliminate dust and keep allergies under control. Using a high-quality vacuum cleaner with a strong suction helps cut down the cleaning time and do the job efficiently.
If you’re looking for an affordable and good-quality vacuum, I highly recommend this one. It works great on carpet and hardwood floors.
Related cleaning post:
How to Clean Your House Fast and Efficiently
How to Declutter When You’re Overwhelmed by a Messy House
Easy Spring Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home
5// Spot clean.
Though we do not vacuum and mop the whole house every single day, we do spot cleaning daily in high-traffic areas such as the dining room and kitchen.
We do clean up the crumbs under the dining table after meals. And if I see any crumbs or sticky spots on the kitchen floor, I wipe up the spills right away. It’s always easier to clean the messes as they happen.
Implementing “clean as you go” when you’re cooking will keep your home clean and stay organized. Clean up messes, hand wash dishes, or put them in the dishwasher as you cook. Wipe down the kitchen sink and surfaces after meals. Wipe down the bathroom counter after you’re done brushing your teeth. All these little habits take you a few minutes or less but can keep your spaces clean at all times.
6// Put things away.
Every time you leave the space, put things back where they belong. Place a basket at the stairs, and put things into it if they belong upstairs. So each time you go upstairs, you just grab the basket with you and put things back.
Straightening up the room before you leave. When you get off the couch, straighten the throw pillows and blankets or put them in a huge basket. When your kids finished their homework or crafts, remind them to check if they’ve already put things away.
Tidy as you go will make things easier. This will also make your home stay cleaner and more beautiful.
7// Throw stuff on a regular basis.
Purging stuff regularly is one of the effective ways to keep your home tidy. Get rid of all the things you don’t need or use anymore. Sell or give away usable items. Recycle or throw away the broken things that no longer serve you.
I don’t sell things now because I know I don’t have time to deal with them. I used to keep them all at home and thought I would sell them one day when I have time. But, it didn’t happen. I held them all at home that cluttered my spaces. This was annoying me. So right now I just give away the unwanted stuff to friends or donate them to charity.
8// Keep flat surfaces clear.
Declutter and keep surfaces clear on a daily basis. A clear surface is easier to dust and clean. You don’t have to lift things often when cleaning.
Life is busy and things can be easily put on the kitchen counters, dining table, and dressers all over the home. Spend some time at the end of each day to declutter and put things away.
Put the dirty dishes away from the counter to the dishwasher. Sort the mail and recycle the papers as soon as possible.
Kids always bring home their artwork and papers. It is easy to see papers end up in piles on counters. Set up a system to organize everything and make it a habit to remove pile-up clutter from all surfaces.
Some practical organization systems like this set of 2 nice-looking and high-quality wall mount storage baskets can keep the school papers or mails organized.
Use this sturdy wooden coat rack stand to hang your clothes that can be worn again. So that clothes and jackets will never be found on the floor or on chairs that clutter the space. I like this modern and chic looks design coat rack stand because it’s so multipurpose that we can hang hats and purses as well.
Storage bins and boxes can be a brilliant way to keep toys and little pieces tidy on a daily basis. This functional toy organizer can keep toys from the floor and organized them in the bins. Find the organizational systems that work for your home.
9// Put dishes away and wipe the counters.
Never let the dirty dishes pile up in the sink all day long. Hand wash them or stack them in the dishwasher after each meal. Run your dishwasher at night and spend a few minutes unloading it in the morning. This routine will keep your kitchen stay clean and tidy.
Clean the kitchen sink, wipe down the counters and stovetops after each use. Developing this simple daily cleaning routine will keep your kitchen sparkling clean every day.
10// Take out your trash often.
I don’t know about you, but taking out the trash is a part of our cleaning routine every day. We live in a townhouse that has a garbage room for every household to dump their garbage, recycle, and compost. I take out the trash with me when I go pick up my kid.
If you’re like us living in a smaller home, emptying the trash daily will make your home cleaner and less cluttered. Never let your trash pile up or till it smells.
11// Wipe down your toilet.
Wipe down your toilet daily. I keep the disposable disinfecting wipes under the sink. I use them to wipe the toilet seat, the top, and the bottom of the seat lid and rim every morning. Don’t forget to clean the base and floors around your toilet.
I don’t set a schedule to clean the toilet bowl. Once I see the toilet is dirty, I just pour the toilet bowl cleaner and leave for 10 minutes. Come back later and use the toilet brush to clean it. It just takes a minute to make the toilet sparkle.
Related seasonal cleaning posts:
The Ultimate Room-by-Room Spring Cleaning Checklist
30-Day Spring Cleaning Challenge + Free Printable
12// Spray shower cleaner after a shower.
Give your shower walls and door a quick clean after each use. This only takes you a minute. Wipe down the shower walls and door with a squeegee, and spray the shower cleaner on the tub, walls, and door/curtain. You may want to use a homemade daily shower cleaner or a store-bought one.
My homemade daily shower spray is very simple to make. 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water. A few drops of essential oils if you like.
Having a few sprays after the shower and using them in between the deep cleanings can keep away the soap scum and mold. So you don’t have to scrub that hard when you do the deep cleaning next time.
Don’t forget to turn your exhaust fan on for 30 minutes after the shower. This helps to remove moisture and humidity that can lead to mildew growth.
Final Thoughts on Keeping a House Clean
Creating the above daily cleaning habits and doing little things each day will keep your house clean and organized. Some of them just take you a few seconds of extra effort now and will save you so much time later.
Keeping a house clean when you’re working full-time is challenging though. You’ll find it helpful by sticking to a daily and weekly cleaning schedule.
Try to build 1 or 2 cleaning habits for 3 weeks in the beginning if you feel overwhelmed.
You can still keep a clean house even if you’ve kids. Teach them to put things away after use. You may want to organize your home with storage bins and baskets. Label them to make it easier for kids to do on their own.
As a minimalist, I would love to say if you want to keep a clean house with little effort, simplify your home as much as possible. The fewer things you have, you have fewer things to clean and put away.
Related Simplify posts:
5 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Home
5 Ways to Simplify Your Life as a Mom
Do you take your shoes off when you enter your home? I usually take off my shoes even when entering friends’ houses. And I would ask visitors to take their shoes off when they enter our home. Do you have a habit of taking your shoes off? Please comment below and I’d love to know.
I had to laugh at #7…I usually wait until I’m having a meltdown to throw my things. It’s nice to know I can do it on a regular basis!