Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Better Life

10 quick house-cleaning habits you should be doing every day

Make your every day clutter-free and clockwork. - by Diana Moore
  • 15 May 2018
10 quick house-cleaning habits you should be doing every day
Getty Images

Organised people know how it works: not only do they have a place for everything, they also have simple cleaning habits that are performed daily.

Here are 10 things to add to your routine that will save you time in the long run and give you a clean home to boot!

1. Make your bed every day

Set aside just three minutes every morning to make your bed. Regardless of the style or storage situation elsewhere in your bedroom, a freshly made bed makes you feel in control and on top of your day. Everything will follow from here.

2. Always load your dishwasher at the end of the day

Clearing away the dishes after a meal is one thing but loading your dishwasher and handwashing your pots and pans, knives and chopping boards will result in clean and tidy benchtops to return to each morning. Even if the dishwasher is not full, make a habit of loading it up and setting it to run, then wipe down your sink and benches for a clean and clear food prep area. Use a little air freshener or essential-oil-and-water spray to finish.

3. Tidy bathroom vanity after use

Always tidy away your makeup and grooming products after use and wipe down your bathroom or ensuite vanity each morning. Ensure there is a place for everything and pack away items immediately to keep clutter at bay and allow for easy cleaning and wipe down of your benches.

Have your makeup and hair products organised into racks, draws or acrylic holders to encourage simple storage and easy access. If your makeup collection is extensive, it’s worth investing in storage designed to care for and organise it properly. Find stylish containers for storage of other essential items to keep your vanity clutter-free and beautiful.

Wipe out your basin daily and check your handtowel and replace with a clean one a couple of times a week.

2. Use organisers and stackable containers for storage

Invest in a system of containers for your under-sink storage. Use as many as needed to fit the space and organise products by use and type. This also helps to keep your supplies fresh as items are less likely to get lost at the back of a shelf or cupboard.

5. Use baskets and/or drawers in your hallway

Shoes, hats, dog leads and umbrellas all collect in your entrance hall and not all are attractive. With daily use, they tend to look untidy if not given adequate storage. Choose a set of drawers or freestanding baskets to organise your hallway and style it up with decorative hooks and holders to create a stylish welcome to your home.

6. Have a lightweight vacuum cleaner

Easy to carry around your house and kept within easy reach, a portable vacuum cleaner is an answer to your incidental cleaning woes. Rather than lugging the whole unit everywhere, you’re more likely to grab a stick or hand-held dust buster for quick clean-ups and to whip around high traffic areas in no time.

7. Start a system to organise paperwork

A simple filing system for keeping and storing paperwork and receipts will not only save you time looking for papers, it will keep surfaces in your home clear. A cheap file organiser or set of chic drawers kept handy in your kitchen or living area works well for keeping receipts, school notes, invitations and invoices ordered and handy.

8. Empty your bin - often

Rather than letting kitchen and household rubbish bins pile up into a groaning, side-splitting mess, empty your kitchen tidy and recycling bin often. This is a great job for children learning to contribute to housekeeping if you make it fun. A quick wipe down of the inside of your bin and frame each time you do so will keep things clean and hygienic. Place small bins in each room in your home to ensure litter doesn’t collect.

Green tip: To aid in the breakdown of household waste, don’t tie your waste bags when you dispose of them – simply use the tabs to carry them to your wheelie bin and allow for the waste to tumble out into the garbage truck and, in turn, the dump. Better still, don’t use bags at all to line your bin.

9. Keep a cleaning cloth in each room

Having a small sponge or cleaning cloth in each room will make incidental cleanups easier. Tuck a sponge behind your vanity or in the corner cupboard, keep one in your bathroom and laundry for daily wipe-downs and hide dusting cloths at the back of bookshelves or cupboards in your home office or rooms removed from the kitchen or laundry where you store cleaning equipment.

10. Add indoor plants to your home

Not only a beautiful addition visually, indoor plants purify your air and keep you healthy, offsetting chemicals thrown off by plastics and finishes found in your home.

  • Better Life
  • Cleaning
Diana Moore
Diana Moore
Content expert, florist and interior decorator Diana Moore has been passionate about helping others make the perfect home ever since she moved into her own. From styling her local bar to feel like your best friend’s lounge room, to randomly restyling people’s bookshelves, Diana is a firm believer in making the best of what you have in front of you.

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Cleaning vinegar: using vinegar to clean your home

Cleaning vinegar: using vinegar to clean your home

How to clean your kettle in 5 minutes or less

How to clean your kettle in 5 minutes or less

15 ironing hacks that will help you work smarter not harder

15 ironing hacks that will help you work smarter not harder

Your guide to autumn home maintenance

Your guide to autumn home maintenance

{headline}

{headline}

How to fix a burnt iron with paracetamol

How to fix a burnt iron with paracetamol

7 Household hacks that will save you time and effort

7 Household hacks that will save you time and effort

How To Clean Dishwasher: Step By Step Instructions

How To Clean Dishwasher: Step By Step Instructions

{headline}

{headline}

Use the last 10 minutes of your day for these seven things

Use the last 10 minutes of your day for these seven things

This is the hack that will change the way you vacuum

This is the hack that will change the way you vacuum

How to unclog a toilet without a plunger

How to unclog a toilet without a plunger

How to tackle a hard-to-clean cheese grater

How to tackle a hard-to-clean cheese grater

11 of the best mops for tiles, laminate and wooden floors

11 of the best mops for tiles, laminate and wooden floors

Forget vinegar, this is the most natural way to clean your home

Forget vinegar, this is the most natural way to clean your home

The best way to clean an air fryer

The best way to clean an air fryer

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • 7mate
  • 7NEWS
  • 7Sport
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Shop This Offer
Treat yourself to a subscription