Here’s the 6 habits I utilize to keep it clean:
When I take my clothes off, or walk in the house, whatever I’m wearing is either put away or put in the laundry. I don’t throw them over a chair or throw them on the floor. All my clothes have a place, and they go there at the end of the day without exception. It takes less time to do this each night than it does to run around looking for the other match to a pair of socks or your favorite jeans.
This wasn’t always the case. I used to have extras of everything. But once I decided I wanted to live a simple life, I had to make decisions about what I was going to keep and what I was going to get rid of. I remember the day I was organizing the attic and found 30 sets of Christmas lights, enough lights for three trees or more. I tested them all, threw away what wasn’t working any longer, kept the ones I wanted and gave away the rest.
If you have piles of papers all over your home then you’ll really want to consider adopting this habit! It takes less effort to file papers immediately instead of keeping papers hanging around the house. When bills come in, put them in one place and after you’ve paid the bills, file immediately. Keep menus, coupons and other mail you may need in one place so you can find what you need and purge regularly.
After I cook, brush my teeth, make a sandwich, put on my makeup – whatever I do, I wipe down the surface I just used. I can’t stand to see a dirty sink, stove top or counters, so I make it a habit to do a quick wipe of the area to keep it looking neat and clean. It takes only a few seconds to wipe down the area you just used and it stays clean and disinfected, ready to be used again. Most importantly, if you let grease and grime build up over time, it’s almost impossible to restore it to its original condition.
My mother was a borderline hoarder and always had junk on her bed. It drove me crazy to see this and I couldn’t understand why anyone would leave junk on their bed. I mean it interferes with your sleep, right? My bed is used for it’s intended purpose which doesn’t include storing clothes or other items. If you need your bed to put your clothes on, you probably are due for a major clothes purge.
I remember going to clean this house for the first time and counting 12 pillows on the bed. How on earth do these people sleep with 12 pillows? I’m surprised they never suffocated themselves! If you have too many sleeping or decorative pillows they’re hard to manage and often end up on the floor; too many blankets end up there to. Keep a reasonable amount of pillows and blankets that you’ll actually need. Throw out your old pillows and donate the blankets to a local animal shelter. The less you have on your bed the more likely you’ll make the bed each morning.
