9 Easy Steps to A Permanently Tidy Home

9 Easy Steps to A Permanently Tidy Home

Does it ever feel like you’re the only one with a perpetually messy home? Like you’ve dedicated entire weekends to cleaning and simplifying, only to wake up to clutter the next day? Honestly, we’ve all been there. The secret to success: consistency. “Maintenance is so important,” emphasizes Judi Igwe of Rescue My Space in Houston, Texas. “You can organize it, but it’s not going to stay that way if you don’t maintain it.” The good news is, it’s easier than you’d think—here’s exactly how to do it, according to two professional organizers.

Keep Decluttering

“A lot of times, the reason you can’t keep your home organized is because you have too much stuff,” explains Igwe. “You’re constantly going through it, you can’t find anything, and it’s a never-ending cycle.” Decluttering sessions are effective, but you can also make it a point to declutter as you go about your day. Try on something in your closet and find it doesn’t fit? Throw it into a donation box in your car.

Manage Your Papers

Bills, cards, children’s artwork—it all adds up surprisingly quickly. “A simple way to avoid overwhelm is to promptly recycle any junk mail and designate as little as 15 minutes of your week to tend to your papers,” Cheyenne Ely of Cheyenne Paige Interiors in The Woodlands, Texas advises. You’ll be amazed at what a difference this makes.

Give People Their Space

Living with someone who has a different organizational style than you can be frustrating, but remember that they probably feel the same way. Igwe has learned from experience that the only way forward is compromise: “In his own space, my husband can do whatever he wants to it, and now he doesn’t feel like I control everything.”

"Don't Put it Down, Put it Away!"

“Countertops and table surfaces seem to be a magnet for all the things. While it may seem easier to plop your items on the first flat surface you see, it only takes an extra second to return them to their rightful place,” Ely explains. By implementing this simple rule, you can avoid the clutter buildup and reclaim precious space in your home.

Create (and Refine) Your Systems

When nothing has a designated home, how will you know where to put it? “When you don’t have a system, you’ll just throw things anywhere, and that makes them hard to find,” Igwe says. But systems aren’t a one and done solution, she insists: “As your lifestyle changes, the order in your home will change. As long as you’re updating your home as your life transitions, it will always stay organized.”

Set a Timer

“If you find yourself putting off certain tasks, like unloading the dishwasher or folding a load of laundry, set a timer to see how long it takes you to complete,” Ely says. These chores might feel lengthy in the moment, but when you find out that it only takes 10 minutes to unload your dishwasher, you’re way more likely to get it done.

Keep Communicating

Igwe maintains that if you and your roommates/kids/partner aren’t on the same page about clutter, you’ll never get the tidy home you’re hoping for. This lack of solidarity, she warns, can also have a negative impact on the relationship.

Get Kids Involved

Toys can easily take over a home. In addition to decluttering, it’s crucial that they participate in the tidying process too. “Teach them young and create those routines,” advises Igwe. “We’re building habits with our children.” Part of this is also leading by example: If you want your kids to do it, then you have to do it too.

Do the Dishes

It’s surprising just how much of a toll a sink full of crusty dishes can take on your motivation. “Instead, make it a habit to load your dishwasher before bed and unload before breakfast in the morning,” says Ely. “With an empty dishwasher now on standby, the day’s dishes have no business going in the sink.”