10 Things I Do Every Day to Keep a Clean and Organized Home
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Some days I am super productive, and then other most days I’m not!
As a wife, mom, and homemaker, I have many tasks and responsibilities that I am accountable for, and it is amazing how easy it is for the house to quickly look like three little (adorable I might add) tornadoes have blown through.
You know what I mean? …. toys everywhere, book baskets spilled, cheerios all over the floor, sippy cups leaking water, random articles of clothing lying around.
Moms, please tell me that your house either currently or has looked like this is the past!
So to keep the house clean looking and to help me keep a little bit of my sanity, there are a few things that I try and do every day to really help keep the house in order.
I do use my Motivated Moms cleaning app to help me stay on top of all the main cleaning but some days the only things that get done are the things that I prioritize as the most important.
10 Things to Keep a Clean and Organized Home
Make the bed
I don’t know about you, but I feel that when my bed is made I can at least make it through the day. I try to make my bed as soon as I get up.
Even if I get nothing else done during the day, making the bed is a simple way to help keep the room tidy. Plus a made bed is much more inviting to get into at the end of the day, at least I think so anyway!
Wipe down the bathroom
As soon as I have taken my shower and dressed for the day, I do a very quick bathroom wipe down.
I clean off the countertop by putting away all of my personal products. I wipe around the sink to remove any water rings, makeup, or loose hair. I quickly spray the shower down with a daily shower cleaner
This takes me no more than a few minutes to do this, but it really helps keep the bathroom clean until I get around to doing my weekly cleaning of the bathrooms.
One load of laundry washed, folded, and put away
Laundry seems to multiply around here and if I let a day go by without doing at least one load of laundry, the clothing piles can quickly add up and seem unmanageable!
Most days I do two loads, but my main rule is that I always do at least one load. I also take the time to fold and put away the laundry too, because I hate having piles of clean clothes lying around the house.
Load, run and empty the dishwasher
As soon as breakfast, lunch, and dinner are over, I immediately clean the dishes and load the dishwasher. Most days I run the dishwasher after dinner, but there are some days when the dishwasher needs to be run and unloaded before dinner.
I don’t like to let the dishes sit in the sink for very long. I also try to unload the dishwasher before bed because I hate to have to wake up and unload the dishwasher during the breakfast rush.
Keep the kitchen counters clean
As I mentioned above, dishes either get washed or placed in the dishwasher as soon as possible. I also try to keep the counters clear of unnecessary clutter throughout the day.
I clean as I go while cooking so I don’t have a huge mess waiting after meal time. Plus who wants to clean the counters just to make dinner?
Tidy up bedrooms in the morning and in the evening
In the morning after I make the bed, I also put away my PJs, and take the dirty clothes to the hamper. I clean off the nightstand of water glasses or books.
I’m also teaching my kids to pick up their room too. They love to “throw” their clothes in the hamper and shake the empty trash sack for the diaper pail.
Need help creating a morning and evening routine that will dramatically improve your day?
Arrange the couch pillows
Our living room is the main play zone in our house and it quickly can get cluttered. We have a few throw pillows on the couch that can really look messy if left thrown about.
While I usually tend to wait towards the end of the day to pick up toys and books, I try to keep the couch pillows organized and neat so that way it at least gives the illusion of a neat living room.
House clutter sweep through
Once the kids are in bed and before I relax for the evening, I do a quick house sweep through. Any remaining toys that need to be picked up, I put away. Any clothing that needs to be folded or put away, I quickly do that.
I wash bottles and clean the kitchen counter of anything left out. This takes about 15 minutes, but it is so worth it. It is so nice to be able to relax at the end of the day knowing that everything is picked up and put away.
Plan for tomorrow
I take a few minutes and look at my calendar and fill out my planner for tomorrow. I make any notes of things I need to do or remember.
I make my lists and write out a basic plan for the day. I also do a brain dump, where I write down anything else that I want to do or need to remember not necessarily for the next day, but for the future. This way I can relax knowing that I have thought through my day and my to-do list.
Layout breakfast dishes
I like to lay out the breakfast dishes on the kitchen counter the night before because I have some early risers! It just helps me prepare for the early morning if I have the main dishes out and ready to go.
I don’t lay out any food, just the dishes, toaster, blender, or whatever appliance I need to prepare breakfast. I also make my husband’s lunch, get my water bottle ready for early morning exercise and prepare the coffee pot
OK… I had to add one more task in, and while it’s not necessary to keep a clean and orderly home, it’s definitely necessary to keep me sane!
Read
I am very intentional about spending the last 30 minutes to an hour of my day by reading.
Reading is one of my favorite things to do and it’s just nice to spend some time at the end of the day to do something for myself. Reading helps relax me too, and unless I’m reading a page turner, it helps to fall asleep.
I may not get around to doing any real deep cleaning, but I find that if I do these things it helps keep my home organized, tidy, and clutter free.
Plus if I get nothing else done through the day, if I accomplish all 11 of these basic housekeeping tasks, I feel like I did accomplish something.
How about you, what do you try to accomplish every day to keep your home clean and organized?
Great post. When you spell it out like this it doesn’t seem overwhelming. Like you most days I’m pretty productive, but if my morning gets away from me the house can quickly go down the tubes!
Thanks for sharing
Sarah
Creative Ramblings
I agree that mornings make or break the day, that’s why I try really hard to establish and keep a consistent morning routine. Sometimes though my little ones don’t quite know how to follow the routine! 🙂
I love your list! I try to do a lot of the things on this list too, like wipe down the bathrooms and kitchen counters, and I feel so much more organized and clean because of it. One thing that you mention that I don’t do but want to start is reading at the end of the day. I love to read too, but never prioritize it. It only makes sense to sit down with a book and enjoy your clean home at the end of the day. 🙂
Reading is such a great way to end the day, and if you make it a priority you can really read a lot of great books too!
I’m like you and like to keep up all the time. If I let it go, then it can be just too much and I don’t have little ones in my home anymore. Well, unless you can call hubby and the dog little ones. hehehe
I guess the thing I hate the most and put off is vacuuming. ugh I have one of those rainbows and they are heavy to pull behind you!
My dog is the biggest mess maker of them all! It’s a good thing they are so cute and cuddly because the hair he leaves around and the mud/dirt that he drags in makes me crazy!
It is the kitchen counter that always does me in:( I’m not giving up though! Spot-on list!
It’s amazing how quickly those counters can really get out of control!
GREAT LIST!!! Sounds like we are on the same page most days. I have a list of things I try to make sure I get done each done to keep things running smoothly too. My two favorites are READ and EXERCISE. 🙂
I can’t believe that I forgot to add exercise! If I don’t get around to my full exercise routine, then I will at least take the kids for a walk around the block. It definitely helps me feel so much more productive! Thanks for the reminder 🙂
It took me years to understand that it was way easier to tackle the clutter day by day, rather than let it pile up. Great list.
Sharon (popping by from Titus 2 Tuesdays
I agree that just taking it day by day to help keep the home manageable really makes a difference until I get the time to have a day of deep cleaning or purging. My house may not be clean, but at least I try and stay on top of the basic daily maintenance 🙂
Amazinggg must say…. Found so interesting, the way you maintain the home….So quick n fast…Guess what, I am really motivated by this and Thanks to you for putting it down on the website. The next moment onwards, I am gonna put all your points into action . This is m y decision….. Lazy creepers like me need energy boosters like you 🙂
I’m with you, the number one thing I do each day is make our bed. Thank for linking up at Pin It Tuesday!
Yes making the bed can really help set the tone for the rest of the day!
I just wonder how. How do you manage to shower daily? I struggle with this so much, and I only have one child. I know our situation is different — my husband works nights, so I am up at 5:15 with our 15mo son solo until about 8. By then most days I have struggled to get breakfast made, let alone anything clean. LO goes to bed around 7, and after that I work on blog stuff. I crash around 10:30.
Do you get up before your kids or have a special place for them to be while you shower? Thanks!
Some days I am able to get a shower in before they wake up. On days where I am not able to shower before they wake up I either wait until their afternoon nap time (which I hate doing, and try to avoid), or what I do most often is I shut my bedroom door and bring in several toys for them to play with and keep the bathroom door open so I can see and hear them. I have learned to take quick showers this way so that way they don’t have time to really get into anything they are not supposed to. I personally am a “take a shower everyday girl” becuase I feel like it helps me to wake up and refreshen so I make it a priority to take a shower, which isn’t always easy with little ones!
Blessings to you as it sounds like you are busy with your son all day! 🙂
I love that you added reading to your list. I could do all the housework in the world but, if I don’t have my quiet time to read and/or write, my home (and mind!) turn chaotic anyway.
Yes it is such a peaceful way for me to end my day and I think it’s so important to do something for yourself each day, whether it be reading or something else you enjoy. 🙂
Such a great list! I’m horrible at following through and doing these all these things – my hubby on the other hand is great at it! I never really understood why he insisted on straightening the pillows and blankets out – I’ll have to keep an eye out for that more. The Before and After pictures where very helpful too!
#11 is my favorite of your 10 things list! I completely agree actually, when I am nourished and filled up with the things that I enjoy – reading, writing, devotions – my house and family fair much better 🙂 Other than that, clean kitchen counters and an empty sink are my top priority because it the hub and makes everything feel less stressful.
Great tips! We do many of those also, I love the brain dump though. I think I need to start doing that, maybe I can get to sleep faster at night that way 🙂
Love the tip about reading at the end of the day. I mesed up on making my bed. Great tips!
These are some great tips! And yes, my house gets like that too. When you were describing all the chaos and cheerios on the floor, I was like “Yes! Yes!”
I don’t have any tips to share. My 2nd child is 6 months old and I have yet to find a real cleaning/cooking pattern that I can manage without one of my LO’s crying for me. This was really helpful!
Found you thru the #LOBS blog hop 🙂
Such a great list! I make the bed every morning and I do a lot of the others on this list, but not quite as consistently. 😉
I need to be more intentional, I feel like if I do it everyday I don’t get the before and after feeling. We don’t spend much time home during the day, but by Thursday, little things do add up. And by Friday, it’s so monumental, besides I never know how bad my house looks any given day, so it’s hard to simply invite someone last minute.
Great list!! I’m with you all the way with the “make the bed” thing. Nothing makes me crazier than walking upstairs and seeing the bed still isn’t made. Thanks for sharing with us at LOBS!!
Love it! I am still working on my new routine in my home I just recently moved back to.
I like to clean as I go during during dinner preparation too. We also load our dishes directly into the dishwasher throughout the day, although occasionally I will find dishes in the sink because no one bothered to check to see if the dishwasher was clean or dirty, lol!
I like to pick up the house throughout the day and do a final “clean up” at night. When the kids were little we had a 7 pm cleanup. We’d all run around the put things away for 15 minutes.
I had three toy pick-ups scheduled throughout the day: before lunch, before dinner, and before bed. So they picked up the toys and put them away during the 7 pm pick-up time. It was always so nice waking up to a clean house!
Great list. Stopping by from the link up.
This is a great plan of attack especially when you have different things that may get in the way throughout any give day. I try to have basic things I do every day without fail as well.. making all beds is one of them. I always tell my Kiddies that we never ever leave a bed unmade. To me it just seems as if you never planned to do anything that day…plus who doesn’t love pulling back the covers at night to go to sleep? I know I do 😀
Great post. I like to do much of the same. With 5 children, it is tough to stay on top of it all.
Sounds exactly like FlyLafy! (flylady.net) it’s a great list.
This is such a good routine when your children are little and even when they are not so little. As long as I don’t get sidetracked…I love my morning routine. I found your post on Titus 2 Tuesdays today.
I really appreciate this post. I find myself overwhelmed with everything going on in my life, and I feel like I just needed someone to tell me “here is a quick checklist of things you can do each day to make your life easier!” I pinned it! And congratulations on being featured on Pin It! Tuesday! Hope you’ll be back this week!
OMG… good job mom!!! I think I can manage most things on the list but I find the everyday quickie bathroom and kitchen counter touch ups a challenge. But I will try!!!! Thanks!
Great list! I really love to exercise, but it is so easy to give up in the name of getting other stuff done! Pinning!
Your list is very different than mine will be, but I have been thinking I need a short list of things like that gets me going in a positive way every morning. I already have a couple of things that I do for the office every morning while having my coffee, but I am thinking how much better it would be if I had a few things on a list that were specifically for me, to get a good start on things I want done or make my day at least start moving in a positive direction.
Hi,
This is so true. I try to do these kind of tasks at least a couple of times a week.
But I can’t manage to do it every day. For now I only have a husband and two cats but they can make
a messy house with the three of them.
I don’t mind when the house isn’t crispy clean but I do mind the clutter!
x Mandy
I love how you break it down into small manageable tasks. I think making the bed is so important in giving me a good start to the day.
These are seriously some GREAT tips… and so simple! I also find that when I go a day without doing one of these (ahem.. laundry anyone?) it will pile up for the next week like a ripple effect!
Brandi
http://www.nestofbliss.com
What a great post! I know I’m always looking for ways to become more organized and this is a great start!
Pinned!
Shauna @ The Best Blog Recipes
I’m really not an underachiever…but my goal everyday is just to get out of bed and get to work without being more than half an hour late! Second on the list would be taking a shower…and third would be eating. Oh, and I make sure the cats are fed and there are cold cans of coke in the fridge. Other than that… 🙂
This is an inspiring list! I am going to try to do each of these things each day this week and see how it goes. I’ll let you know. 😉
That’s great Carly! I hope you find that these simple things help you 🙂
Oh I so needed to read this.
I am going crazy! 🙂
My house looks like your before pictures and I can’t seem to get a break!!
I think naturally I’m a cluttered person so therefore my house is always cluttered. Any tips for a “cluttered” person? 🙂
Every home owner should follow these excellent tips to keep their home clean and well organized. A good home cleaning can help to keep home clean and cut down on the potential health problems caused by the presence of dust mites.
Good list but do u vacuum
I only vacuum once a week. Since I have hardwood floors, I use a dust mop every other day to pick up the dust and dog hair.
I like this post a lot, because there are some things I actually could implement without having the feeling I’m constantly doing housework. Thanks for sharing!
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Wow, you are very organized! My daily cleaning routine is usually doing the dishes, scooping the kitty litter, emptying bins & washing, if it needs to be done
I hate to arrange the couch pillows. My cats love to rearrange them after me!
Very useful tips! I love the tip with the bed. I always forgot to make my bed when I got up but the truth is that the room will look tidier if I just make my bed. Thanks a lot for sharing your tricks!
I’m a professional cleaner but my home is not really organized! Your tips are great and I’m going to use them! Thank you for sharing!
Best regards! Muswell Hill Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
Love these advices! Love the article too! I am so happy to read so helpful articles! I have two children at home and it is hard to find time for everything. I hope that with these tips it will become easier!
I wanted to thank you for this excellent blog!! I definitely loved every little bit of it.Cheers for the info!!!! & This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you.
You are a girl after my own heart! I’ve been feeling overwhelmed with chores, and wondered if there might be other things to try. I’m doing the same things you do so I feel better knowing I’m on the right track! I have 3 year old quadruplets so it’s about managing the chaos all day 😉
Oh my, what a blessing you have with your quads! I only have three but yes, managing the chaos is how I would classify my days too! 😉
Very useful tips, I think you’ve build wonderful routine to help you get things handled. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
It is a great list. I always feel compelled to pay homage to the woman who first generated one very similar: The Fly Lady. She provides such great support through her “baby steps” program, which is especially helpful for those of us starting from a much more overwhelmed place.
I love the Fly Lady! She taught me so much in creating basic routines around my home too!
Hi Victoria
I just found your site and of course I’m eating it up!
One thought I had about this post is that although I am at a different stage of life than you and probably most of your readers (my littles are now grown, and I am widowed) I still enjoy reading, thinking and planning about all these same topics. It’s easier now than when they were small but I still think it’s fun and kind of like a puzzle to figure out how to get it all done! Not nearly as overwhelming now though.
Thanks so much for putting this all together!
Great list. Your home is lovely. I especially like the hardwood floors and the nice kitchen cabinetry. 🙂
Thank you Janna, we love it too!
I still haven’t developed a regular routine yet. I tend to clean in spurts when I get “fed up!” Not the best way to handle things but I’m getting there. My mantra is Progress, not Perfection!
Stock the bathroom and kitchen with dispensers of all-purpose cleaning wipes for quick spot cleanings when necessary.If you aren’t in the habit of putting things away daily, add “declutter” to your cleaning list. It’s much easier to clean a home that’s free of surface clutter.
routine cleaning
wow!
I really like your home and i must say that your blog is really appreciable .
Be prepared before you start- have your cleaning supplies, garbage bags and storage containers ready to use.
Also you can recruit family members- don’t try to do this alone, otherwise it will be very hectic.
Every family member should share in the responsibility of keeping things clean and organized.
Also you can hire a cleaning company. They have thoroughly trained and experienced cleaners.
This means that you won’t need to worry whether or not the hired maid will meet your expectations or preferences.
Without risk of damage or safety hazards, they can easily achieve and maintain a high level of hygiene and keep your property clean all the time.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience with us .
Keep doing good work.
God Bless U!
It took me years to understand that it was way easier to tackle the clutter day by day, rather than let it pile up. Great list.
I think there comes a time in every individual’s life where they realise – it suddenly clicks and all falls into place – that it’s much more efficient, less time consuming and less of a headache to tidy a little each day rather than leaving everything until the last minute.
I learned the ABC rule when I was young :
Always
Be
Carrying
It suggests that everytime you take something you put it back and any time you leave the room you should bring what something back to where it belongs in the room you’re heading towards. It works a treat too!
Thank you very much for sharing this blog.
This is a very good list of activities to minimize the effort to keep your house. Thanks again for all you share with us!
You are much more organized than me. We clear up our kids on a needed basis, like clear the table just before dinner. I leave Sundays for hoovering and tidying the rooms.
I find it a good time to read before bed too. Having a Kindle app has made it much easier.
I’ve found doing a little bit at a time as you go is the easiest way to stay on top of things and avoid being overwhelmed. If I let things go and the house gets messy, then I’m demotivated when the end of the week comes and it’s time to do the deep cleaning. I don’t want to have to tidy everything up just so I can clean.
You have some great tips that make everything seem really manageable if you just make it routine. One thing I like to do in the kitchen is to wash all the dishes (or put them in the dishwasher) that I used to prepare the meal before I get to eat. That way there’s barely any clean up afterward!
After reading your post, I’m feeling inspired to start working on my daily habits to maintain a clean and uncluttered home. My first step towards improvement is going to be making my bed everyday.
It seems so simple when you list it in an article like this, but I think that many people could benefit from this type of orderly approach.
Great article.
You should try out PikyPak https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pikypak/id1292018000.
It’s a tool helping to stay more organized by keeping track of all your essentials at home. You can track your groceries, drugs, self-care essentials, pets food, cleaning essentials and many other things. The app also can notify you when something is finishing or expiring, so that you can plan ahead. Moreover, it makes you not forget to update your stuff in the app every time you take/add something from/to your pantry.
I grew up in a very strict home with a mother who was a professional housekeeper. So these are all well known and used in my home. I don’t use the lemon Pledge, but I do love the Multi-surface Pledge. I only use wood oil on my furniture, such as Old English.
I just read your post on 10 Things I Do Every Day to Keep a Clean and Organized Home. As someone who shares the same passion for keeping my home clean I think you are doing an excellent job with this. Thank you for writing this! It was really inspiring to read about all of your tips.