Running a household is no mean feat and sometimes daily chores can feel endless. But following some golden rules and a few clever cleaning and organisational hacks can save you a lot time and effort.
From finding the right tools and knowing how to declutter your home more effectively, to simple ways to make your home feel (and smell!) fresher, we've collected 32 expert-approved tips to ensure your home stays neat - even when life gets busy.
We consulted some expert cleaners, home organisers and those who offer professional decluttering services on their best advice for keeping a household in order. Here are 32 household tips to help keep your home looking its best.
32 household tips for cleaning, organising and tidying
Don’t put off cleaning
The golden rule is not to put cleaning off, as cleaning and organising expert Joyce French at home improvement website HomeHow explains - little and often is best. "Don’t put cleaning off, as it will mount up and seem like too much to tackle in one go," she told us. "Do small cleaning tasks every day when you have a few minutes, to help keep on top of things and save the need for a large effort each week."
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Declutter every day
One of the golden rules of keeping a house tidy? regularly clearing away clutter. it may sound simple but when we let this slide, mess soon builds up and can take some time to shift, while a few minutes regularly can help keep everything in order.
Use the right tools
Invest in the right equipment says professional cleaner Sabrina Tretyakova, who works as a cleaning technician for Fortador cleaning appliances. "Your cleaning is only as good as the tools you use," she continued. "Invest in good-quality cleaning supplies like microfibre cloths, a vacuum with HEPA filtration, and effective cleaning solutions."
Build in ample storage
Make sure every room has enough storage to house bits and bobs as well as any items you want to keep out of sight. "Storage and organisation are key to keeping your house tidy. Make sure you have ample storage in every room, so things are easy to put away," cleaning and organising expert Joyce French explains.
Freshen surfaces with essential oils
An efficient and natural way to freshen up your home's scent is by using essential oils, as cleaning and organising expert Joyce French explains. "When dusting, dilute a few drops of lemon, eucalyptus or peppermint oil in water with a teaspoon of distilled vinegar and pop in a spray bottle," she told us.
"Not only is this an eco-friendly way to freshen surfaces, but the scent of the essential oil will linger, helping your home to smell good. If you want to use it to clean your kitchen, just add a few drops of washing-up liquid to your spray."
Hang up cleaning tools
Keeping your cleaning tools tidy will ensure they stay in a better condition - and can therefore clean your house more efficiently. Invest in sturdy hooks or a wall-mounted organiser to keep them in place.
Invest in compartments for drawers, cupboards and shelves
Another top tip is to compartmentalise your spaces. "Keep storage organised in cupboards, wardrobes and drawers, use baskets, tubs and boxes to compartmentalise items," cleaning and organising expert Joyce French told us. "This will ensure everything from spice jars and packets of food to stationery, toys and shoes remain organised."
Invested in a laundry basket with a lid
There's no getting away from laundry being unsightly. Invest in a large basket with a lid and try to keep on top of it so it doesn't fill up (often easier said than done with bigger families!) Keep it in a place where the basket will look discreet and tie in with the rest of the decor.
Keep on top of your clothes and beauty products
"If cupboards and wardrobes are overflowing, it may be time for a clear-out to stop rooms becoming cluttered," cleaning and organising expert Joyce French told us. "To stop this happening again, implement a one-in, one-out policy for clothes, toys and other items."
It's worth thinking about your capsule wardrobe and how it works as a whole to ensure your clothes collection is as compact as it can be and you're not housing items that simply don't work within your outfits.
Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda prior to hoovering
To leave rooms smelling fresh, scatter some bicarbonate of soda onto your floors before hoovering. "Use a sugar shaker with a closeable lid," cleaning and organising expert Joyce French told us.
"That way you can add lavender from the garden or a few drops of essential oils and give it a good shake to mix it in. Then, all you need to do is open the holes up and sprinkle it over your carpets and rugs. Plus, any leftover deodoriser can be stored until you need it again."
Establish a nightly routine
Cleaning expert Will Cotter of FreshSpace Cleaning advises getting into a nightly 'reset' routine. He explains, "Make a habit of putting things away and getting ready for the next day. Create a list of tasks you need to do before going to bed.
"You can wash or load the remaining dishes in the dishwasher, clean the kitchen counters and surfaces, and put away any items you used during the evening, like books, remote controls, or games. Then take out the trash, tidy up your shoes and jackets at the entryway." This will pay dividends in the morning!
Prep items for the next day
Cleaning expert Will Cotter also advises you to be prepared for the following day to keep your spaces organised. "Prepare the necessary items you’ll need the next day so they're easily accessible - such as keys, bags, or lunch." Having a designated spot for these will help keep your house in order and ensure you hit the ground running in the morning.
Invest in a good cookware rack
A good cookware rack, specifically that's easy to clean, is a must. There's nothing worse for a kitchen's ambience than dirty dishes stacked up and a larger, studier cookware rack will ensure your dishes have space to dry and will look more organised next to the sink. Look for one that's easy to clean without nooks and crannies that are difficult to get to and a design that encourages airflow.
Encourage good habits
Keeping a clean and tidy household is undoubtedly a team effort, as cleaning expert Will Cotter explains. "Encourage your family members or housemates to clean up after themselves. This includes putting away their own stuff, washing dishes, and wiping up spills.
"Talk to them about why it’s important to share the responsibility of keeping the living space clean and safe. You can even make it fun by creating a rewards system or consequences to motivate everyone."
Invest in trinket dishes for jewellery, hair ties, and keys
Everyone should have a trinket dish in their bedroom, as while we might intend to keep our jewellery tucked away in a box or jewellery roll, we often just fling it on the nearest surface after a busy day. A trinket dish will house those bits and bobs you regularly take off, or keys that often don't make it back in your handbag. It's also worth keeping one next to the kitchen sink for when rings and bracelets are removed before washing up.
Buy some storage containers for under the bed
The area under the bed can be a huge asset in terms of space, but it can also turn into a bottomless pit of old items if you're not careful. Instead, invest in storage crates, boxes or vacuum-pack bags to keep old clothes and other items out of sight.
Embrace the one-touch rule
"Another nifty trick is the 'One-Touch Rule'," cleaning expert Will Cotter tells us. "This means if you handle things once - don't leave items lying around, and put them where they belong right away."
Have a designated spot for post
Letters, bills and packages piling up can make anyone feel out of control. Designate a spot near the letterbox where you can keep your mail in one place and go through it daily to ensure nothing important is missed.
File receipts straight away
For those of us who are self-employed or keeping receipts for expenses, they can end up littering desks, or stuffed into random containers to be organised at a later date. Get into the habit of filing receipts straight away into a folder and keeping with the rest of your important documents. Or, take a picture and file them electronically.
Put together a cleaning schedule
Cleaning expert Sabrina Tretyakova recommends creating a cleaning schedule for your household to stay on top of. She suggests, "Breaking challenging tasks down into smaller ones, like daily, weekly, and monthly chores, makes them easier to manage. This helps keep your home consistently clean."
Upgrade your clothes hangers
Mismatched tatty old clothes hangers can look unsightly and also make it harder to see your clothes. Investing in wooden hangers gives a sleeker overall appearance, particuarly if you have an expose clothes rail. If you want to save space and find wooden hangers too bulky, velvet hangers have great grip and are a slimmer choice.
Invest in a clothes rail
A clothes rail can help you keep your clothes in order and prevent clothes that you never wear from piling up at the back of a closet. Keep your wardrobe minimal and organised by having pieces that are easy to mix and match on display so you can pull together an outfit in minutes.
Air our spaces when possible
It may sound simple but regularly getting some air into your spaces can make all the difference when it comes to keeping them fresh. "I advise opening your windows regularly and letting in fresh air to reduce indoor pollutants," says cleaning expert Sabrina Tretyakova.
Use natural air fresheners
Cleaning expert Sabrina Tretyakova suggests opting for natural fragrances over anything artificial in your spaces. "Instead of artificial fresheners, I recommend using natural air fresheners such as essential oil diffusers, fresh flowers, or simmering ports with citrus and herbs," she explains.
Invest in glass containers for storing dried food
Cereal, nuts, dried fruits and even dry pet food can be decanted into glass containers for a more pleasing aethetic and prevents half-empty cardboard boxes from cluttering your surfaces or pantry. It's also easy to see when your favourite dried foods are running out and a top up is necessary.
Make your bed
Another golden rule when it comes not just to keeping your household in order, but also boosting your mental health, is to make your bed. This short and simple task provides an instant sense of achievement first thing - and nobody can argue it's much nicer to come to a well-presented bed later in the day.
Cover drains with a hair catcher
Fishing weeks' worth of hair out of the bathroom plughole is never pleasant and a simple hair catcher can prevent this arduous task and ensure there's no build-up. This theory also works well with a food catcher in the kitchen sink.
Keep a squeegee in the bathroom
The bathroom is a breeding ground for bacteria so it's essential to keep on top of cleaning it. Investing in a squeegee will help you stay on top of things by removing excess water after showering or bathing. Also wipe around the areas of the sink to remove spills, excess water and hair.
Keep things in the same place
It might sound simple but having a set place for things like your hair bobbles, beauty products, the kids' toys and important documents - and sticking to keeping them there - will help your home feel much more organised.
Organise your fridge with an eat-me-first section
Keep food waste to a minimum by designating a section in the fridge to items that will soon go out of date. This fridge hack isn't only better for the environment by minimising consumption, it will also save you time and money.
Steam clean your microwave
Make a habit of steam cleaning your microwave once a week to keep it looking (and smelling!) fresh as well as warding off lingering bacteria. A simple and natural way to do this is to boil one cup of water in a bowl with lemon slices and vinegar and boil for a few minutes. Leave the bowl in the microwave with the door closed for at least five minutes and then wipe down with a cloth.
Get your family or partner involved in a ‘daily reset’
Professional home organiser Gemma of The Home Edit Bristol advises, "My best advice to keep a tidy home and my special tips for staying organised with the chores is to have a ‘Daily Reset’ just spending 10 minutes a day with a basket whizzing around the house collecting up items from work surfaces, floors etc and putting them back where they belong will ensure that keeping on top of your home is much more manageable.
"This is the piece of advice I always give to clients after a session to help them maintain their homes more easily and to help them feel less overwhelmed. If you’ve got children then why not get them involved too - play some fun music, set a timer and make the daily reset into a game!"
