Everyday Steps to Reduce Clutter

Every day housekeeping may sound like a chore, but by making simple adjustments to the way you do things every day, you might find it’s easier and more rewarding than you think.

Everything in its place: As soon as you finish with something, put it back where it belongs. It’s easy to cast this rule off on children, but much harder to adhere to as we become adults. It’s just as simple as when you were a kid, though: put things away, and the difference in your house will be immediately recognizable.

Donate or trash it: You probably have some items you keep moving from place to place that never actually get used. It can be tempting to keep things around “just in case,” but take an honest look at what you have. Anything you haven’t used or worn in six months is likely something you won’t miss much.

Reducing the number of things you have in your house is the first step to fighting clutter on a daily basis.

Wash dishes on a schedule: Make washing dishes a routine. Keeping the sink clear of dishes promotes health for you and your family, ensures you always have clean dishes, and makes your kitchen that much cleaner.

If you wait to wash dishes, you might end up with a huge stack that seems impossible to move through and might be discouraging. Instead, make a plan to wash dishes after dinner or before you go to bed. Schedule a time to load the dishwasher every day; your kitchen will appreciate it!

Don’t pile on the mail: Coming in from work or a day out, it’s easy to just toss mail into a pile. Unfortunately, this stack builds up quickly, and soon you have a mountain of envelopes and advertisements.

Take a second when you bring the mail in to throw junk mail away and put away bills and other important mail. Just a few moments will tremendously cut down on the paper clutter in your home.

Tidy before going to bed: Take fifteen or twenty minutes right before you go to bed to throw away trash, put dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher, and pick up toys or other misplaced items. Waking up to a clean house is worth the extra effort!

Don’t hesitate to get some help: Sometimes clutter can feel completely overwhelming. Don’t get discouraged—if you have a clutter problem or a clean house problem, there are wonderful maid services available to help you get caught up.

Every day clean is all about taking small steps to maintain a tidy house. Every time you walk into your home and it’s clutter-free, you will be glad you took the time to keep it straight.