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Cleaning doesn't need to be a chore.
Sure, sometimes scrubbing a floor is, well… scrubbing a floor. But other times, it’s an act of self-care. Happy people know that having a clean and tidy home is about more than impressing guests. It’s about feeling peaceful in your surroundings and balancing the care of your home with the care of yourself. So what are the 10 housekeeping habits of happy people? Keep reading to find out!
Put Away Clothes Daily
It’s easy for clothes to accumulate around the house. That blouse you decided not to wear to Tuesday’s lunch after all. The sweatpants you only wore for about an hour and couldn’t decide if they were clean or dirty. Your comfy robe that doesn’t really have a home because you’re (almost) always wearing it. Happy people put their clothes away every day to reduce clutter and confusion around the house. Every piece of clothing needs to have a home, whether it’s in your closet, dresser, hamper, or on a hook on the back of the bathroom door.
Wipe Down After Each Use
Whether you’re cooking dinner, getting ready for work, or having a play session with the kids, clean up after each task. Wipe down the counters after you cook dinner. Put your skincare products away in the bathroom. Work with kids to pick up toys. Tidying along the way will reduce the amount of work you need to do on cleaning day. This clean-as-you-go policy is a favorite of happy people, as it allows you to declutter and clean a space in just minutes–no heavy-duty scrubbing required!
Related: The 14 Surfaces You Should Be Sanitizing More Often
Take Shoes Off at the Door
Keeping shoes in a designated area by the door works wonders for a few reasons. First, you’re not tracking dirt, germs, or allergens inside from wherever you’ve been. Second, it allows you to immediately put away your shoes without much thought (which also makes it easier to find them when it’s time to leave!). And third, kicking shoes off at the door allows you to really have that “ah, I’m home!” feeling. The result? Less cleaning, less clutter, and more happiness!
Related: 7 Reasons to Be a No-Shoes House
Clean Clutter Daily
Don’t save all the tidying for just one day of the week or one massive hours-long project. Instead, take a few minutes each day to tidy your home. Happy people know that putting things away after each use, keeping up with laundry, and getting rid of things you don’t need are all part of successful housekeeping. It doesn’t have to be 30 minutes or an hour—just take 15 minutes every night and put everything where it belongs. Then, you’ll wake up each morning to a tidy home and a clean slate!
Keep Up With Laundry
Many happy people reject the idea of having a “laundry day.” They prefer to not let things pile up—which can create mess and stress, not to mention unpleasant smells! Instead of only doing laundry once a week, do a load as often as you need to, even if it’s every day. Dividing a mountain of laundry up into smaller tasks can not only be less overwhelming, but help you accomplish your washing every week.
Clean Out the Fridge
The fridge is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to cleaning. And yet, happy people know that where you keep your food needs to be just as clean as where you cook your food. Generally, once a month is recommended for a deep cleaning, where you remove everything and wipe down the entire interior of the fridge (yes, including the drawers!). You’ll be amazed at how much better and fresher your fridge looks.
Make the Bed (Yes, Every Morning!)
Happy people start their day right by making their bed every morning. Not only will this keep your room looking tidy, but it’ll help create a serene feeling when you go to bed at night. If you’re not a morning bedmaker yet, it may take some time to settle into this routine—but when you do, you’ll be amazed at how much better it makes you (and your home) feel.
Clean the Kitchen Nightly
It’s certainly tempting to just throw the dishes in the sink after dinner and think “I’ll just do it tomorrow.” But happy people know better. They clean their kitchen each evening, wiping counters, sweeping floors, making sure every last dish is done. Why? Because then everything is tidy to help get your morning off to a great start. This housekeeping gamechanger will help you start your day feeling fresh and motivated!
Have a Routine
Don’t just do laundry because the hamper is overflowing or the dishes because your dishwasher cannot take anymore. Settle into a daily routine. Happy people have a housekeeping routine that doesn’t feel like housekeeping—it’s just part of their day and it helps them keep their space clear and energized. Let your motivation be a clean space, not a dirty one!
But Don’t Just Have a Cleaning Day
Yes, a day where you do bigger cleaning chores (remember the floor scrubbing?) is important, but don’t make that day so overwhelming that you dread it. One of the best-kept secrets of happy people is that cleaning isn’t just a once-a-week thing—it’s a daily ritual, whether it takes you 30 minutes to clean up the kitchen after dinner or two minutes to put your hairdryer and moisturizer away, these tasks aren’t just about housekeeping, they’re opportunities for self-care that keep your home cleaner so you have less stress and more peace every day.