The more time you spend at home, the more problems you notice about your space. That tiny pile of clutter suddenly seems like a mountain; those dusty surfaces suddenly all you can think about. Luckily, you don’t have to spend all of your time cleaning to get your home pristine. With these easy home tips, you can get your home more organized, more efficient, and cleaner in no time—and keep it that way.

 

Tip #1: Have a “no shoes in the house” rule.

Instead of walking through your home wearing dirty shoes, giving you yet another thing to clean up, make sure to kick off your kicks at the front door. It’s particularly important for homes with wall-to-wall carpeting or rugs, which require a more involved cleaning process than hardwoods or tile.

 

Tip #2: Create a cleaning schedule.

If you find that you never seem to have time to clean your house, put it on your calendar and make it a standing event. Plan out your to-do list in sections of daily, weekly, and monthly chores to outline what needs to be done first.

 

Tip #3: Use a squeegee after you shower.

Want to keep your bathroom cleaner without spending hours scrubbing? Then it’s time to break out the squeegee. The mineral content of the shower water settles on the tiles, walls, and glass over time leaving hard-to-clean spots if you don’t wipe them away while they’re still wet. We suggest keeping your squeegee stored on a hook inside the shower

 

Tip #4: Put things away immediately instead of putting them down.

Instead of coming home and immediately setting your phone, wallet, and keys on the kitchen table, put things away where they go. If you can make that part of your daily routine, that’s a huge game-changer.

 

Tip #5: Give yourself the 20-minute test.

If you can’t neaten up a room in 20 minutes or less, you’ve likely got too much stuff in it. Set a stopwatch, time your clean-up, and if you’ve still got clutter once the clock runs out, it’s time to start giving things away or tossing them.