Living in a cluttered home can be stressful and overwhelming. Clutter collects everywhere – on counters, tables, floors, and every other flat surface. It can make your home feel small, chaotic, and dirty. The good news is that with a few simple habits, you can prevent clutter from taking over your home and enjoy a tidy, serene, and relaxed living space. Here are 5 easy habits to help keep your home clutter-free:

Develop Consistent Cleaning Routines

One of the best ways to prevent clutter is by cleaning your home regularly. Consistent cleaning routines help keep everything in its place. Here are some tips for developing good cleaning habits:

Clean for 10 minutes daily

Set a timer for 10 minutes each day and focus on quick cleaning tasks. Do a speed clean of the kitchen after dinner. Spend 10 minutes tidying and organizing before bed. Over time, these small daily cleaning sessions really add up, preventing messy build-up.

Set a cleaning schedule

Designate certain chores for certain days. For example, Monday could be bathrooms, Tuesday vacuuming, Wednesday dusting, etc. Sticking to a routine is key.

Incorporate cleaning into your schedule

Look for opportunities to combine cleaning with your existing schedule. Wipe down the bathroom while you wait for your shower to heat up. Clean the kitchen while dinner is in the oven. Fitting in quick cleaning sessions during downtime makes it feel less burdensome.

Make it a family activity

Get everyone involved in the cleaning routines, even kids. Giving each person set chores appropriate for their age teaches responsibility. And cleaning together can even be fun! Put on some upbeat music and make a game out of getting things cleaned and put away quickly.

Declutter Regularly

Clutter accumulates easily if you don’t stay on top of it. Make decluttering a habit by incorporating it into your regular cleaning schedule. Here are some tips:

Declutter before buying something new

Before bringing any new items home, get rid of the same number of items. One in, one out prevents the endless accumulation of stuff.

Categorize clutter

Go through items, sorting by categories like keep, donate, recycle, trash. This makes decluttering efficient and prevents getting sidetracked handling each item.

Set targets

Aim to declutter a set amount – like 5 items from each room – whenever you declutter. Targets motivate you to really pare down the clutter.

Designate a clutter zone

Have boxes or designated spots for each family member’s clutter. Quickly stashing it there contains mess to one area so it’s not all over.

Make it a habit

Add decluttering to the agenda of your regular cleaning routines. Even decluttering small areas prevents out-of-control mess.

Adopt the “One Touch” Rule

This habit prevents items from accumulating in random places. The “one touch” rule means that anytime you handle something, you put it away in its designated spot. Don’t just set it down temporarily on any flat surface. Put it away immediately in its proper home. This prevents random clutter piles and keeps everything tidy.

Put items away when done using them

Instead of placing them randomly, make a habit of immediately putting items away. Hairbrush goes back in the bathroom drawer. Dishes go directly in the dishwasher.

Deal with things immediately

When mail comes in, sort and file papers right away instead of creating a pile. As soon as laundry is folded, put it away in closets. Handle items ASAP to avoid clutter.

Return items to their “homes”

Get into the habit of putting things exactly where they belong after using them. Keys on the hook. Coat in the closet. Having a designated spot for everything helps.

Teach kids this habit early

Start training young kids to put toys away when done playing. Making it an ingrained habit prevents dealing with their clutter later.

Organize Your Home

An organized home makes it so much easier to stay clutter-free. When everything has a designated spot, it prevents random piles from accumulating. Here are some organizing tips:

Use baskets, bins and trays

These inexpensive but handy organizers create instant places for everyday items. Store kids’ toys in bins and trays. Use baskets for paperwork, mail, accessories, etc.

Invest in drawer organizers

Use cutlery trays, dividers, and inserts to neatly organize kitchen and bathroom drawers. They corral all the small loose items.

Label storage containers

Use labels so the whole family knows exactly where things belong. Labels on bins, shelves, drawers, etc. makes organizing instinctual.

Pare down regularly

Even the best organization gets cluttered over time. Make it a habit to periodically pare down your possessions and get rid of unused items taking up space.

Maintain only frequently used items

If you haven’t used an item in over a year, chances are you can live without it. Keep only your most used, loved possessions.

Tackle Clutter Hotspots

In every home, there are “clutter zones” more prone to disorganization. Get in the habit of frequently tidying these hotspots to fend off mess.

Kitchen counters

Quickly wipe down kitchen counters and put away stray items daily to maintain clean surfaces. Store appliances to free up space.

Entryways and mudrooms

PREVENT piles of shoes and bags that collect by the door. Give everything a home and put items away immediately when you enter.

Bathroom vanities

Wipe up water after bathing, organize supplies in trays/drawers, and quickly put away things around sinks to keep vanities neat.

Bedside tables

Don’t let these become clutter magnets. Charge devices in another room, keep only books you’re currently reading, and frequently tidy.

Laundry room

Stay on top of putting away folded loads ASAP. Use storage bins to contain laundry supplies. Quickly get washed items sorted and put away.

Make it a Family Effort

Getting the whole family in the habit of clutter-free living prevents you from constantly picking up after everyone. Make it a team effort.

Lead by example

Practice the habits yourself first. When kids see you actively keeping clutter at bay, they’ll be more likely to follow suit.

Give kids age-appropriate chores

Starting as young as age 2, kids can help tidy and put away their own toys or help with laundry. Match chores to abilities.

Make it fun

Add a playful spirit to chores by setting timers for speed cleaning or playing upbeat music. Praise kids when they contribute.

Offer incentives

Offer rewards like a family movie night when clutter goals are met. Track progress on a chore chart.

Get everyone involved

Call family meetings to identify problem areas and solutions. Make decluttering a collaborative effort with assigned tasks.

In Summary

The habits you form in your daily life will determine if your home trends toward clutter or simplicity. By focusing on small, consistent habits like quick cleaning sessions, decluttering regularly, putting items away immediately, keeping organized storage, and tidying hotspots, clutter doesn’t stand a chance. When the whole family gets involved, not only will your home be clutter-free, but you’ll instill values like responsibility and teamwork. With some dedication and consistency, a tidy home can easily become your new normal.

Frequently Asked Questions About Keeping a Clutter-Free Home

Here are some common questions people have about maintaining a clutter-free home:

What are some tips for decluttering quickly?

Set a timer and sort through items swiftly. Don’t overthink it.
Declutter one area, one type of item, or one drawer/shelf at a time.
Have “toss”, “donate”, and “keep” boxes to quickly categorize items.
Avoid handling items multiple times. Touch something once and immediately decide where it goes.

How can I make decluttering seem less overwhelming?

Break it up into manageable time increments like 10 or 15 minute sessions.
Tackle clutter category by category instead of room by room.
Focus on quick wins first like surfaces and visible hotspots. Save deeper clutters like closets for later.
Recruit someone to help. Decluttering together can be motivating.

What daily habits prevent clutter from building up again?

Putting items away immediately after using them instead of setting them down.
Conducting quick 10 minute tidy sessions in high traffic areas.
Getting clutter items out of your home daily by donating, recycling or trashing them.
Maintaining consistent cleaning and decluttering habits.

What are some organizational systems that help control clutter?

Baskets or bins for categorizing toys, supplies, accessories etc.
Labels so everything has an assigned spot to return to.
Drawer dividers and trays to neatly contain loose items.
Coat hooks, racks, shelves or other storage furniture to give everything a “home”.

How can I get my family to help keep our home clutter-free?

Lead by example. Practice the habits yourself first.
Give each person age-appropriate chores like picking up toys or taking out trash.
Use incentives like rewards or chore chart tracking.
Make it fun by playing music and setting timers to clean quickly.
Host family meetings to talk about problem areas and solutions.

What are some good daily habits for tidying up kitchens and keeping them clutter-free?

Load dishes directly into the dishwasher after meals instead of leaving them in the sink.
Quickly wipe down counters, stovetops and tabletops while waiting for food to cook.
Regularly sort through and purge pantry items. Donate unopened nonperishables.
Use drawer organizers, turntables, and trays to neatly contain items.
Spend a few minutes putting away clean dishes and any left out appliances or food each night.

How can I maintain an organized entryway and prevent clutter there?

Install racks, hooks, shelves or cubbies to give everything entering your home a designated spot.
Put away shoes, bags, coats etc. as soon as you enter instead of tossing them down.
Only keep essentials stored there and purge excess accessories, shoes, outerwear etc.
Keep a donation box handy for spur of the moment decluttering.
Spend 5 minutes tidying the entry when leaving for work each day.

How do I keep clutter from taking over the bedroom?

Make the bed every morning so it doesn’t become a clutter magnet.
Put clothing away promptly after it is clean and folded, don’t leave piles.
Use trays and baskets on nightstands to corral small items.
Reduce clutter by removing non-essentials like extra pillows and books you won’t re-read.
Do a quick tidy at night picking up any stray items and garbage.

Conclusion

Adopting consistent habits and getting your whole family involved goes a long way in keeping a home tidy and clutter-free. Focus on quick daily cleaning sessions, decluttering regularly, always putting items away immediately, maintaining organized storage, and frequently tidying hotspots. With some dedication, these simple clutter-fighting habits will become second nature, allowing you to enjoy an orderly, serene, and relaxed home environment.

5 Easy Habits to Help Keep Your Home Clutter-Free