Time to come clean
If you don’t consider yourself a “clean” person, it can be easy to feel resigned to the idea that you’re either clean or you’re not. But, fun fact: Cleanliness is not a quality people are born with. Though keeping a house clean might seem borderline magical to some people, it really boils down to serious self-discipline, the desire to keep clean, and a bit of resourcefulness and creativity. Here are 13 tips that will help you, too, become a “clean” person.
They know how to make space
Even if you don’t consider yourself a collector of “stuff,” that “stuff” always seems to pile up in every corner and on every countertop. “Start following the one in, one out rule going forward,” says Nancy Haworth of On Task Organising. “When you buy something new, toss, sell, or donate an older item to create space for the new item.”
For more expert advice from clean freaks, check out these secrets professional organisers won’t tell you for free.
They smooth surfaces
Junk drawers have a habit of spilling out onto what should be an otherwise clean, empty surface. Countertops and tables are practically begging to be littered with stray mail and other odds and ends. People with clean homes tackle that problem immediately. “When you keep large, flat surfaces clear, not only are they more visually appealing, but easier to wipe down as well,” says Carrie Higgins, author of Organisation Hacks and founder of the blog Making Lemonade. “Don’t store appliances on countertops or clutter on your desk.”
Here are some more clever cleaning hacks to help you banish clutter.