Keeping a clean, clutter free home doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In fact, once you establish a few easy habits, you’ll be amazed at how effortless it can be to maintain order. Today, I’m sharing 5 simple tips for keeping a tidy home that have truly transformed the way I approach cleaning and organization. These strategies aren’t about perfection; they’re about creating a space that feels calm, welcoming, and manageable even on your busiest days. But most of all, once you get these steps down, it will be simple! Whether you’re juggling kids, work, pets, or all of the above, these tips will help you stay on top of the mess without losing your mind.
My #1 advice to you after reading this post is to print it out and read it over with your family so that everyone can be on the same page!
1. Embrace the “10 Minute Reset”
This is hands down one of my favorite tricks for keeping the house from spiraling out of control. I call it the 10 minute reset—a quick little cleaning session that you can do any time of the day. I usually do one in the morning (before life gets busy) and one in the evening (because I refuse to wake up to chaos).
Here’s the secret: set a timer for 10 minutes and just go! Focus on the spots that collect clutter—like the kitchen counters, coffee table, or entryway. Put things back where they belong, wipe surfaces, straighten pillows, and watch how much you can get done in no time.
And let me just say, I have no idea who originally came up with the 10 minute reset idea, but trust me—it works.
Oh, and if you’re like me and pile stuff at the bottom of the stairs instead of just bringing it up? Yep, I see you. I’m guilty too. During my 10 minute reset, I make a point to grab that pile and just take it upstairs. It’s a small thing, but it makes the whole house look instantly cleaner.
Bonus tip: Get your kids involved! Kids learn by what we teach them, not just what we say. If they see us picking up, putting things away, and caring for our space, they’ll learn to do the same. It’s amazing how much faster the house gets clean when everyone work together.
2. Create Drop Zones
If you have kids, a husband, or let’s be honest, yourself, you know the pain of random piles everywhere—keys on the counter, shoes by the door, mail hiding your dining table. My solution? Drop zones.
Think of them like little homes for your stuff. A basket for shoes by the front door, a tray for mail, hooks for keys. When everyone knows exactly where things go, suddenly your house stops looking like a dumping ground.
But let me be super clear here—I don’t mean collecting things you don’t actually need and just “hiding” them in baskets. Noway! The first step is always to figure out what you actually use and need. Once you’ve decluttered the extras, you can decide how you want to store those items and how many baskets or containers you really need.
And let me just say, I really love baskets. A simple basket in the living room for toys when my kids were little meant when I say “clean up,” it’s basically code for “toss everything in the basket.” Done. It’s not fancy, but it works.
Remember, baskets don’t solve clutter—your choices do. Baskets just make your good choices look cute.
3. Declutter Regularly (Be Ruthless, My Friend)
To be honest with you, if you have too much stuff, your house will always look messy no matter how much you clean (or how many cute baskets you own). So every month or so, I do a quick declutter sweep. I grab a bin, walk through the house, and ask myself: Do I use this? Do I even like this?
If the answer is no, then I sort it between what’s going into the trash or donation bin. I keep a donation bin handy so I can toss stuff in whenever I find it. When it’s full, I donate it. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.
This is one of those simple tips for keeping a tidy home that saves my sanity. Less stuff equals less to clean, less to organize, and more space to breathe. (And who doesn’t want that?)
4. The “One Touch” Rule
This rule might sound dramatic, but I promise, it works. The one touch rule means when you pick something up, you put it where it belongs the first time. No moving it from the table to the counter, then to a chair, and eventually, maybe, back to its home. In our home, it’s the bottom of steps.
I think this habit came naturally to me because I grew up as an only child. My mom probably had more time to focus on me (or maybe we just didn’t have a ton of stuff), but she was always saying, “Just put it away immediately, don’t set it down first.” And guess what? She was right! It’s one of those simple habits that saves you so much time and energy in the long run.
Example: You get the mail. Instead of tossing it on the table to deal with “later” (which we both know means 3 days from now), you go through it right away—trash the junk, file the rest. Or, when you’re done with a dish, rinse it and pop it in the dishwasher instead of letting it hang out in the sink for hours.
At first, this feels like more work, but after a week? You’ll realize your house just… stays clean. Like magic.
5. Clean As You Go
This one’s my secret weapon. The idea is to clean in small, simple bursts instead of letting the mess pile up. Wipe down the counters while your coffee brews, load the dishwasher while your pasta boils, or give the bathroom sink a quick swipe while brushing your teeth.
The goal is to weave cleaning into your day, so it never feels like a giant chore. Plus, if you have kids, make this a family thing. Teach them to clean up toys before moving on to the next activity. I promise, future-you will thank present-you.
Why These 5 Simple Tips for Keeping a Tidy Home Actually Work
The magic of these tips isn’t that they’re fancy or complicated. It’s that they’re doable. You don’t need hours of free time (who has that?), you just need simple daily habits that keep clutter and messes in check.
When you combine a quick 10 minute reset with decluttering and cleaning as you go, your home never gets to that “oh no, where do I even start” stage. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about feeling good in your own space.
Remember this:
A tidy home doesn’t have to be a distant dream. It’s all about creating routines that feel light, easy, and (dare I say) enjoyable. By using these 5 simple tips for keeping a tidy home, you’ll find that staying on top of messes isn’t nearly as overwhelming as it used to be.
Start small. Pick one or two of these tips and make them part of your day. Once you see how much easier life feels, you’ll naturally add the others. And hey, if you’re looking for more easy, real-life tips like these, that’s exactly what Simply With Julia is all about—making life feel simple, cozy, and a little more fun.
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