Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Habits of People with Well-Kept Houses

Keeping a clean house doesn’t need to take all day- or sap all your energy! Check out these habits learned by people that have tidy and well-kept houses. There are a few things you can do every day to keep your house looking ship shape. They won’t take long and once you create a habit, it will get even quicker.

First thing in the morning, we’ll start in the bedroom. Make your bed every day! It only takes a few minutes and makes the whole room look tidy. Hang up your clothes from the night before and keep clutter on dressers and nightstands to a minimum.

Living rooms can be a depository for all sorts of clutter. Stacks of books and magazines, laundry, and mail can really mess up a room and make it look small. First, focus on furniture. People with well-kept houses don’t fill up every blank space with furniture and knick-knacks. Think minimalistic! Less furniture makes the room look larger and fewer items means less dusting. Have a few of your pieces double as storage. A large ottoman or cocktail table with storage can really keep a lot of clutter in check.

Let’s talk about laundry! Many of us don’t have a large laundry room out of the way or in the basement in which to hide laundry. Laundry is not done until it is washed, dried, and PUT away. My husband is famous for announcing laundry is done once it hits the dryer; not so! Always be sure to put all the laundry away to keep a neat house.

Dinner is done and you can’t wait to stream the newest series on Netflix? Not yet! Never leave the kitchen until the dishes are done AND put away. Wipe down all the counters and sweep the floor. I personally do not own a dishwasher! I never wanted one and with only two people in the house, it would take all week to fill. Hand washing, drying, and putting away takes all of 15 minutes and uses less energy too. Wiping down counters and sweeping is just 10 minutes more. In less than a half hour, the kitchen is spic and span. Now you can stream guilt free!

We can have our house presentable at any time if we develop these habits! They take just minutes a day. Keep clutter at a minimum and learn to live minimally.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’ST TEAM CHICAGO