“It’s not you…it’s me” I said…..

We had been together for 3 years and my annoyance had grown increasingly worse every single day. I never thought I would find myself in a position of such disgust and overwhelm.

….and that, my friend, is the moment I broke up with a messy house.

You see, before having kids, I was completely OCD about my house being clean. I obsessively cleaned and organized and prided myself on a clean home.

But then…..life happened…..

We had three kids in three short years and let me tell you it was a whirlwind.

I spent my days catching up on housework, my evenings cleaning up from the day, and my weekends just doing one more load of laundry to finally get caught up.

Still, always a day behind and never enjoying my kid’s childhood.

I felt like I was missing some sort of magic potion that everyone else seemed to have under control.

I knew there had to be a better way and I was determined to find it.

As I began to peel back the layers of the underlying issue, I came to realize that there wasn’t any secret to keeping a clutter-free home.

It came down to a simple formula.

Becoming Proactive + Creating The Right Habits + Consistency = A Clear And Clutter-Free Home

It’s as easy and difficult as that.

Don’t forget to get your FREE copy of The Perfect House Cleaning Routine! CLICK HERE!!

12 Habits To Clear The Clutter And Keep A Clean Home

1. Make Your Health A Priority

I know you’re probably thinking that your health has nothing to do with keeping a clutter-free home, but let me explain why it does.

When you are not getting enough sleep and proper hydration it affects every area of your life including the energy and motivation needed to maintain a clean home.

Mom life is no joke and requires A LOT of energy.

If you are not taking care of yourself, chances are you will spend your evenings scrolling Pinterest while binge watching Netflix rather than prepare for the next day because you are too pooped to poop.

Literally.

Keep it simple……

• Drink a gallon of water per day
• Go to bed early (shoot for 8 hours of sleep)
• Make healthy choices
• & Take your dang vitamins

2. Create A Killer Evening Routine

The secret to keeping your home running smoothly is found in being proactive.

Taking the time to create an evening routine will set you up for success for the next day.

• Lay out kids clothes
• Pack lunches
• Put any returnable items or gym bags in the car
• Set out your morning vitamins
• & Lay out your gym clothes

Each task you do in the evening is one less thing you have to worry about in the morning.

3. Create A Killer Morning Routine

By creating a morning routine, it will help you have a smooth start to your day. Which leads to a productive day.

Mine looks something like this….

• Brush teeth
• Drink Water & coffee
• Devotion
• Empty dishwasher
• Clean up after breakfast
• Get kids dressed
• Start laundry
• Make beds

That way when I get home from running errands I’m not walking into a mess and can enjoy my house being in order.

4. Map Out Each Week

Make a habit of planning out your week. This will enable you to see if you’ve overbooked yourself and what tasks/appointments need to be rescheduled.

When you map out your week, it allows you to feel prepared and takes away that frazzled “I’m worried about something but I don’t know what it is” feeling.

5. One Load Per Day Keeps The Mountains Away

This varies from family to family. We are a family of 5 and I do one load per day (during the week). But if you have a smaller family, figure out how many loads you need to do each week and stick to it.

It’s important that you have a plan of attack rather than waiting for mountains of laundry to pile up and overwhelm you.

6. Never Leave Mail Unattended

Paper clutter builds up quickly and can be overwhelming to go through.

Go through the mail right away.

Discard junk mail, save any offers or coupon you may want to use, and put any bills to pay in a designated area.

If you commit do always going through your mail right away, you will save yourself the hassle of going through weeks worth and or losing important items.

7. Delegate

I cannot express the importance of delegating housework to your kids and spouse. Chances are they are more than willing to help, they just don’t know what to do.

If you make a habit of taking the time to delegate and teach your family to follow through on systems and routines, you will lighten your load.

It not only takes the pressure off yourself, but it also allows your family to take ownership and teaches your kids a good work ethic.

By doing it together you will feel less like a victim and more like a teammate.

They are not too little and most toddlers are ready and willing to help.

Patiently take the time to teach your kids how to complete tasks and be willing to release control of it being done your way.

This is much easier said than done but you can do it, mama <3

8. Declutter One Thing Per Week

Just ONE thing per week.

It can be something simple like your purse or countertops, or something more in depth like a messy closet.

If you make a habit of checking one decluttering task off your list each week, it allows you to stay on top of the clutter and not let it overwhelm you.

9. Follow A Daily And Weekly Cleaning Schedule

The funny thing about not following a schedule is that you think you have everything under control until all of a sudden everything is out of control. Does that make sense?

Like the times you waited and waited to get some cleaning done but stuff kept coming up and then you end up spending an entire weekend cleaning and never get a chance to relax?

Me too, and it stinks.

Do yourself a favor and start implementing a daily and weekly cleaning schedule. I promise you it is a game changer!!

And guess what? I created one just for you #becauseiloveyou <3 You can get your FREE copy here.

10. Clean As You Go

Rather than wait until the house is trashed from breakfast and multiple projects, quickly clean up after each task before another one is started.

We clean up after each project or whatever toy the kids are playing with before we move on to the next activity.

This will take a bit of getting used to, but it is so much easier to clean as you go than it is to wait for an epic end of the day disaster.

11. Meal Plan

Create a meal plan and grocery list each week to keep mealtime simple. It saves time and cuts back on waste and mess.

When your meals are planned out, you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and on clean up which means more time playing with the kids in the back yard. Read more about meal palnning here.

12. Everything Must Have A Home

Every item in your home needs a designated space. Even hooks in your closets should be for a specific purpose.

Once you have created a specific place for every item, you will find it so much easier to not only clean but keep things cleaned and organized.

Create a habit of giving every single item a specific place. If you don’t have a place for it either store it or donate it.

At the end of the day, there’s no magic button in keeping a clutter-free home.

It simply comes down to creating routines, implementing them, and choosing to be consistent every single day.

Don’t forget to get your FREE copy of The Perfect House Cleaning Routine! CLICK HERE!!

Now check out House Cleaning Tips For When You Feel Overwhelmed