Making lasting change is all about forming good habits. The philosopher George Santayana said, “Repetition is the only form of permanence that nature can achieve.” And it’s repetition that will turn a new behavior into a habit, and give your home a (somewhat) permanently better state!
The best thing about a habit is that you (eventually) don’t feel like you’re making an effort to do something at all—you just do it. It does take time to establish a habit, but if you commit to doing something regularly, after a few weeks it will start to feel habitual. That’s what you want! (Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day; you can always pick right back up where you left off.) You’ll get hooked on the good feeling, and your old ways will be the ones that start to feel uncomfortable.
Here are 5 of my key habits to adopt for a noticeably cleaner and better-looking home.
Make the bed each day.
Your bed takes up such a huge amount of space in your bedroom, so if it looks like a wreck, basically the whole bedroom looks like a wreck. But not only does making the bed make your room look better, there have been studies (studies!) that prove that a made bed makes for a happier, more productive day!
Wipe kitchen counters at night.
Like the bed in the bedroom, the kitchen counters dominate the space in the kitchen, so if they’re greasy and crumby, guess how you’re going to feel when you walk in the kitchen? (That’s right, you’re going to feel greasy and crumby. Or maybe crummy.) It takes 30 seconds. Make it the last thing you do after washing up from dinner. Wipe down all the crumbs, then do a second round with all-purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth to make it really shine.
Put clothes away as soon as you take them off.
Tossing your clothes on the floor looks awful, and let’s face it—it’s basically postponing a decision you’re going to have to make eventually. When you take clothes off, make up your mind: Will you wear it again? Then fold or hang it and put it away. Will you wash it? Then into the hamper it goes. Was that so hard?
Put dishes away after eating.
I know Netflix is calling, but that stack in the sink will just make you want to cry when you see it in the morning. Take the time to wash the dishes now, whether that means loading the dishwasher or doing it by hand, so that you are greeted with a clean kitchen the next day.
No cluttering the entryway when you get home!
I know, you just walked in, so the pull is strong to just drop everything and start relaxing. Control yourself! A cluttered entryway makes the whole house look like a disorganized disaster. Designate a place to put shoes, coats, bags, and anything else that should not be on display here, and make it a habit to use them.
I’d love to know: What habits are you going to try incorporating into your day? What habits do you have that you recommend others try?
Let me know in the comments down below!
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Keeping the fridge clean and tidy is our new goal. Leftovers, use or lose them. No new food in unless there’s sufficient room and old stuff tossed.
I love your videos and articles and have been following you for a while now! Keep up the amazing work!
My daily habits are as follows:
Morning: Make and clear up breakfast
Get myself and the girls ready
Put bags by the door ready to go.. and do a quick pick up of toys
After walking the girls to school I file any paperwork, do grocery shopping, put out the bins… I always do the same rotation in our home, starting with the beds- they are stripped and I start the laundry- during this time in the bathroom I take everything out, quickly spray everything, wipe down- then put everything back. I squirt bleach down the toilet and let that work as I tidy the bedrooms, dust, spot clean windows and points of contact etc and put on fresh bedding. I then dust, spot clean the living room, wipe down the kitchen (on a monday I do the fridge, thursday the oven, saturday is purge and organize day and on Sunday I do the car). By the time I’ve done that the laundry is done, I hang that up, scrub the toilet and wipe it with an antibacterial wipe then finish off by sweeping and mopping. All in all I spend about an 1hour 30 doing all this.
In the evening all we then have to do is set out outfits for the next day, check the calendar, write a to-do list, pack the school bags and lunch and of course, always a 10 minute “frenzy clean” before going to bed 😀
When I change my clothes and I am in a hurry. I put dirty ones in my dirty clothes basket and I have a smaller basket for putting clean clothes in because I hate putting my clothes on the floor.
I try to always put things back where they belong when through using them an in that certain place they will be when needed..
I also always wash dishes as I cook I use my dish washer as a drying rack unless Im going to use it for a full load that needs washing.
Melissa, I my email about this article, it was written as by Chad Reynolds and not you. I’m wondering if this person is hijacking your articles or do you know him.
chad is her partner!! hes also the guys whos behind the camera if not most of the time 😉
Wonderful for people who can do them. I am 83 and ill so I can’t do them, but I enjoy reading about them and dreaming of a clean, organized, neat home. And I’m so happy for the younger ones who can do this to be getting all this good information. You two are jewels!!!
I heard on a morning TV program that you should not make your bed to keep bed bugs away (or at least under control). I also heard that shoes should be allowed to air out for 24 hours before putting them away. I love your videos, but I did notice these two items that conflict with advice from other sources.