Have you ever felt a tidy home is never going to be a possibility for you? It turns out it's not just about what you do to tidy, it's about what you don't do that'll crack the mess.
Our cleaning and organizing professionals share all the things tidy people never do in their homes. Embracing these habits will help you kick clutter and mess to the curb for good.
These tips for a mess free home starts and ends with the habits of highly organized homeowners and will be a game-changer for those struggling with mess.
1. Never leave dishes for later
A clean and tidy sink area
In the busy hustle and bustle of life, every minute is precious, meaning the temptation to pop your dirty dishes, cups and cutlery next to, or inside the sink for later is a real temptation.
But professional home organizer and CEO of Clean Carpets Josh Miller says this is a big no-no. He explains, 'You don't find dishes piled in the sink in neat homes. Whether it's washing up your plate after having a snack or loading the dishwasher right then, cleaning-as-you-go is the rule of thumb.
'I once worked with a client who couldn't help but make the kitchen cluttered. The simple habit we instated was to never leave the kitchen without cleaning one thing, whether it be a dish or a counter. And that little change completely transformed the space over time.'
If you can't manage to wash the dishes as you go, definitely don't leave your dishes overnight. Take that extra time before bed to load your dishes into the dishwasher, or hand wash and dry, ready for a fresh start the next day. Don't forget to wash the kitchen sink when you're done to banish bacteria and avoid having to get rid of drain flies.
2. Don't keep things for good measure
A tidy kitchen
Whether you're overwhelmed and avoiding decluttering, or you're feeling guilty that you haven't used something you paid money for, don't hold onto pointless things. That's things you haven't used, won't use or don't need anymore.
Josh Miller adds, 'Perhaps the single biggest habit of people with tidy homes is they don't let clutter build up. They're selective about what they keep, and quickly donate or discard items no longer used.'
Josh does a seasonal declutter to help him keep on top of things. He says 'The one in, one out method works best. For every new item brought into the home, something else has to go. That means stuff doesn't build up gradually.'
Real estate expert and founder of Ferro Home Buyers Alejandro Ferro adds, 'People with tidy homes never wait until a room is overwhelmingly messy to start decluttering. Regularly assessing and removing unnecessary items keeps things manageable.
'They also do not keep expired or unwanted Items, whether it's in the fridge or pantry. Routinely check for expired or unused items and clear them out regularly.'
Pantry organization is a great place to start as there is often a bunch of expired dry goods in there. Same goes when organizing spices.
I love the 'didn't know' decluttering method which is always a quick, guilt-free way to tidy my space. Simply, if you didn't know you had something, or forgot all about it, get rid of it, be it by donating, selling or recycling.
3. Never let paper pile up
A tidy home office
With the amount of mail, bills, flyers, and documentation we receive daily, plus the items we feel we have to print out, it's very easy for paper to pile up around the home. Add to that magazines, newspapers and recipes we keep, and the piles will seriously add up.
However, people with tidy homes don't let this one sneak up onto them. Alejandro Ferro says, 'In the homes of tidy people, mail, bills, and paperwork are dealt with immediately, preventing stacks of paper from taking over countertops or desks.'
Yosef Adde, professional home organizer and founder of I BUY LA adds, 'Paper clutter is a huge culprit in disorganized homes. A simple filing system and going paperless for bills and subscriptions keeps counters clear and homes looking immaculate.'
What you can do to organize paperwork at home:
- Go paperless. Ask your energy supplier, banks and other household service providers to send your documents and bills by email instead of through the post.
- Have a dedicated holding area for paperwork that needs sorting and set an achievable scheduling for reading, filing or safely discarding or recycling your paperwork. Remember to use a protection stamp roller, available on Amazon to black out your personal details before recycling so you don't end up a victim of identify theft.
- Have a dedicated filing cabinet to put things away in so you don't end up moving a pile of paperwork from one spot to another.
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This fireproof, water-resistant expanding lock box is perfect for storing important documents. You can grab and take it in an emergency, too as it's light and has handles for easy portability.
4. Don't keep a junk drawer
Utilize every inch of valuable closet, sideboard and drawer space well
Don't dedicate any space to housing 'junk'. Josef says junk drawers need to be banished, explaining, 'People with tidy homes don’t have catch-all drawers filled with odds and ends. Instead, everything has a place.
'I recommend clear drawer organizers to my clients for better visibility and tidiness. I always advise my clients to get rid of anything they haven't used in six months. Tidiness isn’t about big clean-ups, it’s about habits.'
Cleaning pro Josh Miller agrees. He adds, 'Tidy people assign homes for their stuff. Everything has its own place, and odd bits of junk don't get tossed into a drawer to be sorted out later.'
For organizing smaller items, Josh really likes the iDesign Linus Drawer Organizers, available on Amazon. 'From pens to spare keys, they keep everything in order and make "junk drawers" functional, not chaotic,' he adds.
You can also use drawer dividers to organize your drawers and categorize items within them. Organizing a bathroom vanity like this for example will help you identify duplicates you don't need to keep.
5. Never neglect storage solutions
Versatile built-in storage, that makes the most of the space you have vertically as pictured here, is crucial to avoiding visual clutter
Neglecting storage solutions will of course lead to mess as you might find your home is seriously lacking in drawers, cabinets, ottomans, shelving and other smart storage solutions to house your things. This will inevitably lead to piles of stuff and visual clutter around your home.
Ali Mirdamadi, founder and CEO of Juujbox, a company specializing in storage solutions for home, college and moving, says, 'I believe having adequate storage solutions is crucial for maintaining a tidy home. So, I always suggest investing in multi-functional furniture pieces such as ottomans with hidden storage compartments, bed frames with built-in drawers, and wall shelves. These not only help maximize space but also provide a designated place for items to be stored away neatly.'
This ottoman is a multifunctional purchase adding seating whilst housing plenty of storage space inside. It holds up to 660 lbs, and can be positioned at the end of a bed, to the side of a room, or even used as a chic upholstered coffee table. Having furniture that doubles up as storage is particularly useful in tiny homes. This comes in eight colors.
6. Never exclude children or grandchildren from tidying up
A neat and orderly play room with dedicated storage
If you have young children or grandchildren either living in or visiting your home, you'll know how quickly they can obliterate a room, or hurricane their way through toys and activities, leaving behind a trail of mess.
It might seem like tidying up after them or decluttering kids' rooms without them are the best solutions, and if they are very young, it might be the quickest way, but it will not help in the longer term to form good habits.
Amanda Schmitt, mom-of-two and owner of Life As Mama, says, 'My girls know that their toys go in the toy box, clothes in the hamper, and shoes by the door. Establishing these habits early on has saved us so many headaches.'
'Another thing we do is have the girls help out with chores and cleaning up after themselves. My four-year-old is in charge of clearing the table after meals and helping load the dishwasher. My two-year-old puts her dirty clothes in the hamper and helps wipe up spills. Instilling responsibility at a young age is so important. They see cleaning up as a normal part of our daily routine rather than a punishment.'
I have a daughter who is now eight and I wholeheartedly agree. We began helping her understand how to tidy as early as 18 months old, by making clearing up or organizing her toys after an activity a game. As she grew older, the responsibility and independence levels changed accordingly. The key, however, was making sure she knew if she was feeling overwhelmed, she could always ask for help and we'd do it together as a team.
If you have limited space, learn how to organize toys in a small living room.
Amanda loves this corded wet-dry vacuum. She says, 'With two kids and a dog, our floors get messy fast. The Crosswave vacuums, washes and dries hard floors in one step. It cuts my floor cleaning time in half and leaves my floors spotless. For tough messes, I use the Bissell steam mop which sanitizes floors and leaves them shining. With the right tools and habits in place, tidy living is absolutely achievable.'
7. Never procrastinate
Christina Giaquinto, professional organizer and brand ambassador of Modular Closets, says, 'Those who keep their homes tidy never procrastinate on their cleaning tasks. They know that even the smallest spill or mess can grow into a larger one if it is not taken care of right away.'
Utilize smart cleaning habits like cleaning spills and stain immediately, and use smart equipment.
Christina has seen the impact this can have. She adds, 'People with tidy homes even use cleaning tracking apps to avoid procrastination and stay on top of their cleaning tasks. There are apps available like Sweepy and Tody that help them organize their cleaning schedule and stay accountable. These apps also allow them to set reminders for what they need to clean so they don't fall behind on their duties.'
There you have it – seven things people with tidy homes never do. To help equip you further, delve into the ultimate decluttering tips from experts, and the daily cleaning habits for a tidier home.
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