How to keep a tidy and organised home

[Pinkunicorn21]

I love the feel of a tidy and organised home, I feel much calmer and relaxed but I just can’t keep on top it. I do work and have a young child so I know I have to maybe lower my expectations but I’m curious, how do you manage to keep on top of everything? What are your top tips and things you always do each day / each week to keep things running smoothly?

At least one load of washing every day. Wipe kitchen sides down after every use. Make sure washing up is done. Clean toilet seat and bathroom sink every day. X

I live alone, that's my top tip!

Declutter. Do this regularly as the less stuff you have the less mess can be created. Try to find a home for everything so it's not living on counters and surfaces. Everywhere will automatically look cleaner and tidier.

Tidy and put things away as you use or see them.

Don't let piles of clean laundry take root, iron as needed and put away.

Tidy up the kitchen after every meal, sweep or hoover the floor after dinner. Check it again before bed.

Keep on top of bathrooms, how often they require attention depends on how many are using them and how much mess they create.

Tidy the living room before you go to bed.

Make your bed and tidy the bedroom before starting your day.

Do a weekly overall clean, you can do one or several rooms in one day, or all of them together depending on what suits.

Get everyone in the home (once they're old enough) involved with tidying up after themselves and sharing the laundry etc.

Don't let recycling, waste or charity bags build up. Get them moved on asap.
Never go up or downstairs empty handed.
If you are chatting on your phone at home, have a damp e-cloth in your other hand and wipe down the skirting boards and around light switches while you chat.
Unload the dishwasher or clean the sink while you wait for the kettle to boil.

Leave empty spaces in cupboards and drawers so you can chuck stuff in and shut the door and don't have open shelves or glass cupboard doors. Then at least the rooms look tidy and you can sort the cupboards later! No hooks on the backs of doors, hat stands etc.

No ornaments, rugs, occasional tables, floor lamps, magazine racks, any other stuff that gets in the way when you are trying to dust, clean and vacuum.

Dishwasher.

Declutter and then declutter some more.

Train the other family members to tidy and organise their own stuff.

Before I leave the house each day:

Kitchen - empty and load dishwasher. Put everything away. Wipe benches.
Load of washing on.
Robot vacuum on.
Clear front entrance way of anything that doesn’t belong there.
Make beds.
Clean toilet, wipe basins.

Rid yourself of any dh, dc. And any pets . Job done..

Definitely declutter - it's a struggle for me, but less stuff has made everything easier.

I don't need to do a wash every day, as there's only three of us. I have different laundry bins upstairs to collect white, darks and lights separately, and I only put a load on when the bag is full. Even then, I will wait until it's 'a drying day' if necessary. In the winter, weather not relevant, but I still only do a load when I know I can get it dry, ironed and away the same day, or next day at the latest.

Clear and wipe down kitchen before and after making dinner.

Put everything away - this is where I fail. Every time.

I think the "dont leave a room empty handed" rule is a good habit to get into. If you do it every time it really makes a difference

Declutter and have a home for everything.

Put things away and not down elsewhere.

Do a room a day (or a job a day like hoover or dust up/downstairs etc)

Do a wash load as soon there's enough

Meal plan.

Less stuff, all round. Declutter declutter declutter.

I have a cleaner who does a basic weekly clean. This makes me pick everything up the night before.

Loose weekly meal plan, I don't buy too much food either, otherwise 'clean out fridge' becomes another job.

I have an ultra efficient tumble dryer, which I love, as it makes getting clothes, washed, dried and put away much easier, so laundry doesn't hang around.

I pick up after myself as much as possible, and everything has a home.

On days I wfh, I do laundry, quick tidies etc in coffee breaks, so most things get done during the week.

I was a single mum and had 2 babies under two.. I had a large 2 level home 5 beds 3 baths and a huuuge lawn front and back.. I was raised in a clean and organised home so I expected a lot from myself..

Here are some of my tips. I hope you find them helpful..

• Beds get made as soon as everyone gets up from them.. If bedding needs cleaning strip the beds instead and put them straight into the washing machine.

• I had a room downstairs designated for the kids toys and that’s where they needed to stay. Kids understood this. They could play with everything throughout the day but before bed it’s clean up time.

• all housework needs to be completed before 10am.. At 10am I go on a 1 hour walk.

• 11-2 pm I get in my grocery shopping, run errands, laundry, clean car in and out, mow lawn etc

• 4pm I prep dinner then we eat at 5pm

• Dishes are done immediately.

• 6pm we go for another one hour walk.

• 7pm it’s bath time for the kids, pjs, free time before bed.

• While the kids are playing I vacuum and reset the house. I never go to bed when there’s housework left.

• I keep a notebook and pen beside my bed where I write out my weekly meals, shopping list, list of errands and appointments.. I highlight the things I’ve done and add to the list daily.

• I live by the rule that when you walk into a room you pick up, put away, wipe down, straighten up this helps to stay ontop of the smaller more tedious things.

• Getting the kids involved is always a big help but it also teaches them good habits for when they’re older.

• I always clean the bath and the shower after we use it. Its so much easier this way.

When I started working full time I would iron and lay out all our clothes the night before. Pack lunches and school bags the night before. I would only need to make the beds of a morning and do a quick 10 minute tidy before school drop off. My housework would be done of a night. I also like to fill up my cars petrol of a night rather than during the day I feel like it’s cuts down so much time.

I like to keep my home free from unnecessary clutter and everything in its place..

Theres a lot more I could add but I feel like these are the major tasks.

Remember that it’s natural to feel overwhelmed so take your time and enjoy what you do eventually it will just be second nature.

Get rid of at least half your stuff.

Invest in good built in storage for the remaining stuff.

Do a quick clean/reset every day, and then deep clean/organise different areas on a rota when you have time.