8 Daily Habits to Keep Your Home Spotless

Does your living space resemble a scene from a disaster movie? Don't worry, by establishing just a few smart habits, you can kick the chaos and transform your home into a picture-perfect setting. Simply work on implementing these eight daily habits — one at a time — and you'll be surprised what a difference it makes, with minimal effort!

1. Begin With Baby Steps

It can be tough to go from zero to 100 when forming new habits — especially if your whole house looks messy. Try ramping up your daily cleaning habit by completing just one small cleaning task that takes less than 5 minutes every day. This will help develop your "cleaning muscle" and empower you to tackle the other items on this list.

2. Create a Weekly Cleaning Schedule

The key to making cleaning feel like less of a chore is turning it into a routine. Designate days for different tasks — for example, you might vacuum on Mondays and dust on Tuesdays. You can create your own schedule or find one online that appeals to you. Above all, keep it manageable or you won't do it.

3. Make Your Bed Every Day

"If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day." Admiral William H. McRaven gave this famous advice to the graduating class of 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin, going on to explain that completing this one seemingly insignificant task can actually lead to a chain reaction of productivity throughout the day.

Kickstarting your day with a simple bed-making session is like smoothing out the day's first wrinkle and sets a tidy tone that can inspire cleanliness throughout your house.

4. Clean as You Cook

Have you ever noticed that some of the best cooks make cleaning the kitchen look effortless as they whip up their meals? That's because they have instilled a key habit — rather than cooking a big meal and having a mess to clean up afterward, they use each single ingredient and then immediately put it away. A quick rinse here and a wipe there can make post-dinner clean-up a breeze.

5. Do One Load of Laundry Per Day

You can keep the laundry beast at bay simply by developing a habit of doing one daily load — wash, dry, fold and put away. This approach keeps the mountain of dirty clothes manageable and ensures you always have your favorite outfit ready to wear. After all, no one wants to do 10 loads of laundry on the weekend!

6. Pick Up as You Go

You can make an immediate difference in your home by adopting a "see it, sort it" strategy. This means if you're walking from one room to another and you see something that needs to be put away, take it with you — it will save you a trip later. Similarly, if you walk in the door after work, don't throw your coat and purse down on a chair — instead, hang up your coat and put your purse on a hook right then. It takes almost the same amount of time and keeps everything in its place. By putting items away as you use them, you avoid the dreaded pile-up, making your home feel orderly almost effortlessly.

7. Sort Your Mail Over the Trash Can

Treat your mail like urgent news — sort it as soon as it lands in your hands. Stand over your trash can so you can decide quickly: keep, toss or shred. It's a simple tactic to keep your counters clear and your mind uncluttered.

8. Start a Nightly Timed Clean-Up Routine

Inject some fun into your nightly routine with a timed tidy-up challenge — set a timer for 15 minutes and enlist your whole family to help put things away. It's amazing what you can accomplish in this short amount of time! This nightly practice can dramatically reduce weekday cleaning marathons and sets a nice tone for the next morning.

You Can Do This!

Start developing these small habits one by one, and soon maintaining a clean home will feel less like a battle and more like a mindless part of your everyday life — even Martha Stewart will be impressed!

References: The Most Successful Leaders Make Their Bed Every Morning | A Simple System That Will Keep Your Home Clean | How to Keep a House Clean Every Day of the Week | 11 Daily Habits to Keep a House Clean and Tidy