Keeping a home tidy every day seems like an insurmountable challenge. Clutter inevitably builds up over time, especially if you have young kids. If you struggle with clutter and have tried all the hacks out there with no results, consider these five tips to keep your home tidy.

Use Door Space

We’ve all heard that one of the keys to a tidy home is making sure every item has a place. But what if you don’t have enough storage to make that happen? Turn the insides of your cupboards into additional storage for small items. By installing hangers on the inside of kitchen cupboards and wardrobes, you can create tons of extra storage that remains hidden away. Regular hooks are useful, but you can also hang small jars or narrow shelves for smaller items without hooks.

Buy 1, Donate 2

The ‘one in, one out’ rule is commonly repeated by cleaning experts. This involves getting rid of an item when you bring something new into your home to stop clutter from building up. But, to take it to the next level and slowly declutter your entire home over time, try getting rid of two things instead. Part with items that aren’t used often, donating them to a worthy cause. Eventually, you’ll be left with only your favorite items that get the most use, and a tidy home at the same time.

Speed Clean

The hardest part of cleaning is starting. Whether you’re distracted by other tasks or simply don’t feel like it, overcoming that hurdle can be tricky. But we tend to overestimate the time tidying will take. I’m not talking about scrubbing floors or deep cleaning curtains – just putting the things away that clutter our homes and make them feel untidy. As long as these objects have a place, it shouldn’t take very long to return your space to order. Set a timer for 2 minutes and put away as many items as possible, challenging yourself to get them all before the timer runs out.

Fewer Accessories

Decor is an important part of expressing personal style and interior design. But objects that are purely decorative without any other purpose can make your home look more cluttered, especially if you are choosing trendy objects that will quickly be out of season. Instead of purchasing accessories that are only for decoration, fill your home with sentimental objects that tell a story or decorative pieces that have a purpose. A statement lighting fixture, for example, will have a much greater impact on your design and doesn’t take up unnecessary space.

Don’t Ignore The Dishes

Doing the dishes certainly isn’t a unique cleaning tip. I guess it isn’t really a cleaning tip at all – just a necessary task to add to your list of chores. But if you want to keep your home looking tidy, a pile of dirty dishes in the sink is the first thing that will get in the way. Cleaning one or two dishes immediately after use saves a lot more time than doing an entire load at the end of the day and makes the task seem much more achievable. That way, you can put dishes away at the end of the evening when they are dry, giving you a clean slate for the next day.

Featured image: Alexandra Gorn via Unsplash