Easy ways to keep your home tidy without the hassle

*Collaborative Post

Life is for living not cleaning, so why work harder when you can get that satisfyingly tidy home you’ve been dreaming of with less hassle? From your home’s flooring to keeping your space clutter-free, there are plenty of easy ways to keep your home neat and tidy. 

In this article, we’ll guide you through the best low-effort strategies to keep your place clean and organised so you have more time to kick back with a cuppa or curl up with a good book.

 

Get smart with your foundations 

Achieving a streamlined look starts with choosing your foundations wisely. The biggest surfaces in your home such as flooring and wall coverings should be easy to maintain and durable to minimise cleaning time. Hybrid flooring are both scratch and stain-resistant, and they’re both low-maintenance flooring options that are fast and easy to clean. 

Kitchen cabinetry is another big surface that attracts dirt and grime, and you’d be surprised at just how many drips and drops of food and drink end up all over them. Choosing a smooth surface will ensure easy wiping down, but colour should also be a consideration. Marks and fingerprints are much more apparent on white hues and very light colours as well as high gloss cabinetry, whereas patterns, matte or semi-gloss surfaces, and mid-dark colours will appear cleaner.

Declutter like a pro

Decluttering a whole house can feel so overwhelming that you often never get started. But it doesn’t have to be quite so daunting – start small and do a little bit at a time. Focus on one manageable area at a time, such as that one drawer that is full of miscellaneous items (we’ve all got one!), a corner of the room that collects clutter, or a bookshelf that’s less a place to store books than a random collection of knick-knacks or the part of the bench where the electronics accumulate. We also recommend trying the never-failing ‘one in, one out’ rule – whenever you bring something new off your wishlist home, remember to get rid of something that you do own.

By tackling a task a day (or week) it becomes more manageable, and if you add a regular nighty 10-minute reset, where you return that day’s clutter to its rightful place it becomes a breeze to keep everything from building up.

Keep it simple with storage solutions

Bins, baskets, and modular shelves are your best friends when it comes to organising your home. Much of the clutter we collect on surfaces is because those items don’t have a designated “home” to store them in. Items that are used frequently can be sorted into clear tubs or pretty baskets, and to help keep things from mingling into a mess ensure you label and categorise items for quick access. Multifunctional furniture pieces such as ottomans or coffee tables with hidden compartments or under-bed drawers are both practical while magically concealing less used items for a visually minimalistic look.

Use tools and tech to your advantage

Do you dread lugging that bulky vacuum cleaner around the house? Upgrade to a cordless one or go all out and treat yourself to a robot vacuum – it’ll turn that chore into a guilt-free excuse to put your feet up! You can even turn it on while you’re out and about to arrive home to a spotless floor – particularly handy if you’re bringing company home. You might know that handheld steamers are just the ticket for straightening out crumpled curtains but did you know they can be used to easily and hygienically clean countertops, appliances, taps, mirrors, grout, and even some fabrics? By embracing technology around the house you can make light work of your to-do list, allowing you to get more done with less effort. Simple hacks like keeping a cleaning caddy stocked and ready for quick touch-ups, and scheduling your cleaning tasks on a planner or app can also help keep your cleaning routine working effectively.

Create habits that stick

Keeping your home clean and well organised without the hassle is all about forming a ‘clean as you go’ mindset. Whether you’re cooking, working, or playing it’s much quicker to tidy that one jar of jam, dirty plate, jacket, or pair of shoes away as soon as you’re done with them than it is to deal with a day (or more) worth of mess all at once. By making small but consistent efforts like this it can prevent overwhelming clean-up days. So, get into the habit of making the bed every morning or tidying up after each meal, and enjoy the peace and serenity that comes with a low-effort strategy to keeping a tidy home.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.