4 things you can do to make sure your home is always clean – from clutter barricades to illuminating imperfections

With life pulling us in multiple directions at any given time, it can be tricky to always keep your house clean.

Luckily, professional cleaners have found four tricks that really force you to stay on top of the mess, from tricks to bring dirt into sharp focus, to physically blocking yourself from creating clutter.

Here, they have shared their top cleaning tips to ensure a home is always clean and that you stick to your habits like glue.

4 tricks to make sure your home is always clean

Breaking bad home habits to ensure a house stays clean is tricky, but these four habits of highly organized homeowners can help trick you into staying clean and tidy for good.

1. Use clutter barricades

The easiest way to tackle mess is to stop clutter before it starts. While you can commit to short-term buying bans or promise yourself that this really is the last time you will put something down rather than putting it away – it usually always ends up with piles of mess again.

To tackle this, Scott Schrader, professional cleaner at CottageCare, suggests using a physical barricade. He says, ‘Prevent clutter before it can build up. Use something decorative, such as a tall vase, sculpture, framed photo, etc., in areas of your home where clutter typically builds up, such as entry tables or kitchen islands.

'These decorative items act as physical and visual deterrents and subconsciously condition everyone in the house to keep those spots clear.’

2. Strategically use lighting to highlight dirt

It is generally a good idea to increase natural light in your home to help you stay energized and motivated; however, it can also prove to be the best motivation to clean, highlighting every crumb and speck of dust so that you physically cannot ignore it any longer, forcing you into an achievable cleaning routine.

Samantha Shpeen, controller and chief home officer at Cleancult, shares, ‘Let lighting do the dirty work. I like to open blinds wide during the day and turn on bright task lighting in the evening when cleaning. Natural light shows dust you might otherwise miss, and under-cabinet lights in the kitchen are surprisingly helpful for spotting spills and crumbs.’

3. Conceal cleaning tools everywhere

The clean-as-you-go method is nothing new and can certainly help to keep your home clean all the time. However, it can fall apart pretty quickly if you have to traipse across your home to find the right tools.

To counteract this and make cleaning feel more intuitive, Scott suggests doing away with the traditional cleaning cabinet and instead concealing your essential cleaning tools all over your home.

And Scott really means all over, adding, ‘Tuck microfiber cloths or cleaning wipes in bathrooms, kitchens, and yes, bedside drawers. In those moments when you wash your hands or wait for your coffee, you wipe down one small surface.

‘These 30-second habits don't let dirt pile up, and when you do a deep clean, it's modular, less daunting, and sometimes informal.’

The non-toxic Cleancult All Purpose Cleaners, available at Walmart, come in beautiful aluminum refillable bottles, making them easier to conceal in spots across your home. Pair with a pack of microfiber cloths, also from Walmart, to make cleaning quick, easy and effective.

4. Allow a clutter corner

‘Keeping a home clean all the time’ and ‘allowing a clutter corner’ don’t sound like they belong in the same article; however, giving yourself some leeway and following practices such as the desire-path decluttering method can give you a little space to rebel in an otherwise pristine home.

Samantha continues, ‘Designate a clutter corner and decorate it intentionally. We all have that one spot where clutter loves to pile up, so instead of fighting it, embrace it, but with boundaries.

‘I recommend keeping a decorative tray or a small bowl [such as the Target braided seagrass folio bin, which is deep enough to hide clutter but not so big as to stick out on a side table] in the usual drop zones, and even placing a plant or a tall vase in spots where things tend to accumulate. It gently blocks clutter from taking over and reminds everyone that this is a temporary holding space, not a dumping ground.’

FAQs

Why do I struggle to keep my house clean?

Keeping a house clean is a constant uphill battle, and can take a significant amount of time and energy (made worse by busy work or school schedules, or ill health). Trying to do little and often, rather than tackling everything in one go, can make the task feel more manageable and keep areas ticking over week by week, rather than becoming one big mess that takes longer to fix.

Try using adaptive pacing for cleaning if health barriers are getting in your way.

Does decluttering help with cleaning?

Decluttering your house regularly and keeping surfaces and floors tidy can help with cleaning, making it easier to see the mess, prevent dust, and clean around items, making your overall cleaning routine less overwhelming.

Decluttering can also help prevent pests by reducing their possible hiding areas and hot spots for harborage, resulting in a cleaner, safer home.

Meet the experts

Scott Schrader

Scott is a cleaning expert at CottageCare, which is a leading home cleaning company with over 41 locations nationwide. He's a big believer in using eco-friendly solutions, such as cleaning with baking soda.

Samantha Shpeen

Samantha Shpeen is the controller and chief home officer at Clean Cult, where she helps bring sustainability into every corner of the home. A mom of two and passionate advocate for practical eco-living, Samantha serves as the brand’s go-to expert on household sustainability.

These quick tips certainly help to keep a house clean all the time, but you still need to dedicate some time to deep cleaning your house every so often. It’s annoying, we know, but it’s a must to keep your home free from dangerous contaminants and mold.