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  1. So glad that I am not the only one who likes to have a clean house before getting to bed at night. I love the way waking up to a clean home feels so comforting and inviting each morning.

  2. I always make sure everything is put away before bed. It helps me sleep to know the house is cleaned up!

  3. After moving in with my boyfriend, I’ve come to realize that the best tip I could’ve gotten was if it’s dirty, you see it, just clean it!

  4. I’ve realized that it’s so much easier to clean up dishes and the kitchen area, while the food is baking/cooking/etc. That way you’re not left with a huge mess after eating!

  5. I have to have a clean house it makes me feel so much better! The kids help do chores which helps them learn to keep things picked up and clean too!

  6. I’m in a small house too so with the boys and a dog who’s constantly in and out, it can get dirty quickly. Once a month I try to do a deep clean but other than that, I never let the dishes or clean laundry sit, and I absolutely make the bed everyday. With the dog, I find myself vacuuming at least once a day but the alternative (staring at the dirt and leaves that she’s brought in) stresses me out! Coming home from a long day at work to a clean house is calming and that’s why the few minutes here and there count so much!

  7. My best cleaning tip is to wash the dishes you used for cooking before you eat dinner. It takes less time to clean because food hasn’t hardened and chances are while you’re waiting for something to cook you can use those few extra minutes to get everything cleaned up.

  8. I also live in NYC and know the importance of keeping your small space clean! My tip is to get rid of anything you really don’t utilize every season. That way, the junk doesn’t build up and the place seems more organized!

  9. Yes love this!!! I too have to have our bed made to set the tone for our day 🙂 that and making sure our coffee table is clear…it’s so easy to accumulate things on it!

  10. I have to be honest, hiring a cleaning company has been the BEST thing ever!!! It’s helped me to keep my sanity and my house clean. They come every four weeks and deep clean so in I just keep the house picked up during the rest of the time. It’s been a lifesaver!!!! I never thought I’d get there but motherhood and a busy life got me there and I’m actually so much less stressed!
    Giselle recently posted…Keep your Fitness Fresh with CottonelleMy Profile

  11. I divide up the major chores one or two a night (vacuuming, mopping, dusting, bathroom cleaning). Then I don’t feel like my Saturday/Sunday is entirely consumed with cleaning and the house still stays clean!

  12. I lived in small spaces a lot when I was in DC, so I got used to putting things away IMMEDIATELY after I used them. This goes double in the kitchen, where I used to have one tiny counter for baking. The kitchen is probably the space about which I am most obsessive in keeping clean.

  13. My best cleaning tip is to clean up the kitchen while you are cooking. Wash mixing bowls as you go along; there’s nothing more depressing that doing all that work to prepare a meal, sitting down and enjoy it, and then seeing a stack of dirty dishes or a mess of a stove. I am still working on teaching my boyfriend this….

  14. These are GREAT tips! That’s what I love about moving is getting rid of the things we don’t need but keep on holding on to. I can’t stand having dishes in the think and 10 minute rule is so awesome. Once I did this clean up challenge that required only 15 minutes per day in a designated area (sort out mail, washroom, kitchen drawers) and I loved it because I was tidying up without getting overwhelmed haha! Btw disregard this comment for the giveaway coz I don’t qualify. The downfalls of living in Canada, eh?! LOL!
    Olena @ candies & crunches recently posted…How Running Makes Us Happy, But Happiness Makes Us Better RunnersMy Profile

  15. I also follow the tip about doing a chore immediately if it only takes a minute or two. And I feel you on the roommate wars. I still have nightmares about having to be the maid of the apartment I shared with 3 girls.

  16. As you suggested, I try to stay on top of laundry instead of letting it all pile up. I really hate trying to do 5 loads in one day!

  17. At our house we are big fans of the “10 Minute Tidy” – we clean/pick up for 10 minutes before bed, and it’s amazing what a difference it makes!

  18. I clean up dishes as I’m cooking and baking so I don’t have a huge pile waiting for me after I’m done.

  19. I’m a firm believer in not letting myself “save it till later” that almost always results in me not doing it at all 😉

  20. I agree with the declutter advice. I keep a whole foods bag in my closet, so if I notice I’m not wearing something I will throw it in. When the bag is full I donate it. Also, while folding laundry, I was inspect socks for holes, etc and throw it away when it is worn out.

  21. I also try to clean up as I go, every 10 minutes counts! I also try to vacuum or do more substantial cleaning while I cook. I’m usually hungry and can’t focus on work but I can do something physical like vacuum or swifer while I wait for something delicious to come out of the oven.

  22. I use a tip that I heard from the happiness project podcast to schedule a “productivity hour” where you take one hour to completely dive into cleaning/organizing. I like isolating the little cleaning to-do’s into this one chunk of time and just doing one sprint each week, so it feels consolidated and more satisfying!

  23. Spot cleaning as you go is my biggest tip….like you, we never leave dishes in the sink…if we make a meal we either wash them all or they go right in the dishwasher, and we do a fast wipe of the counter and stove after as well. Other examples might be always wiping the bathroom counter and rinsing out the sink help, too.

  24. I completely agree with not leaving dishes in the sink and making the bed to keep things feeling tidy!

  25. Here are some of my cleaning hacks:
    I use salt and lemons to clean your chopping board without leaving any chemicals!
    I use vinegar and baking soda can be a great combo for cleaning your oven.
    I use lemons to remove stains from faucets.
    I clean stainless steel appliances with cream of tartar. It really works!

  26. I do my dishes before I leave for work and then also before I go to bed. I hate putting it off for the next day.

  27. Doing the dishes right away is something that definitely helps me keep my kitchen cleanliness under control!

  28. My tip is that I always look for items that I don’t need any longer while going about my normal routine. I donate a lot to reduce clutter. I also keep many Clorox wipes and swiffer products throughout the house for quick cleaning touch ups.

  29. Totally not weird to tidy up before bed. I’ve been doing that for years too, and it helps keep the mornings stress free. My tip is to also pack lunch and snacks the night before and have the gym bag ready by the door.

  30. I actually keep a stash of disinfectant wipes under my kitchen and bathroom sinks and after every use of those areas, pull out a wipe and wipe down the counters. Its not perfect and doesn’t take the place of a good cleaning but it makes me feel a whole lot better when the countertops are somewhat clean and don’t have spills and mess all over them!

  31. With two kiddos it is always a struggle to keep things tidy. I always try to make sure to clean up after an activity, whether it be play, laundry or cooking, before moving onto anything else.

  32. Definitely use disinfectant wipes in the bathroom to clean up during the week. I am also constantly cleaning out my closet and donating clothes which helps to minimize “stuff” and clutter.

  33. I have Friday’s off so I always try and clean that day because I’m the only one home and can get it done without anyone bothering me. Growing up we had a chore chart which helped to get everyone involved and then it wasn’t just mom who always ended up cleaning.

  34. I like to clean one room at a time and have a basket handy to put in any objects that belong in a different room. That way I’m not running back and forth putting other things away!

  35. My tip is to clean when you wake up. Take ten extra minutes in the morning to do dishes or start a load of laundry and before you go to bed pick up the toys and such around the house.

  36. I’m in the process of potty training my son, so my cleaning tip is to keep Clorox wipes next to the toilet and wipe up the mess each time. Life is much tidier before it dries 😉

  37. Thanks for this post! In the morning and evening I set a timer for 5-10 minutes and try to clean as much as possible, kind of like a race, haha. It works for me and the time does by quickly.

  38. I make the bed first thing every morning. I also do the fold blankets on couch thing every night before bed. When stuff gets around, sometimes I’ll put it all in a box and then go through it a bit at a time. At least its not in site all over the place and if I don’t look for it, then it will likely get tossed.

  39. I agree with all of these tips and also schedule routine organizing of cupboards, closets, storage areas, etc. which helps clear out unused items and jeeps it easier to stay clean and declutteted if everything has a place and a purpose.

  40. I joined my neighborhood’s buy nothing group on Facebook. You can find yours by just typing in your neighborhood name and “buy nothing” an request to join the group. It’s helped me part with things that I have a sentimental attachment to because I can meet the person and know they’ll enjoy using it. People in the group post the most random things on there, you can get rid of anything from half-used bottles of lotion (if it’s someone you think you could trust) to food that’s expiring today and you haven’t eaten it yet. I just gave someone the leftover pegs pieces from putting ikea furniture together. Better than throwing it away if someone has a use!

  41. I so need to get in the habit of doing one 10 minute sweep of the house before bed. I think it would help me tremendously.. Since I started my full-time job out of college I’m always exhausted in the evenings and just want to go to bed!!

  42. One of my cleaning hacks is to use Clorox disinfecting wipes with micro scrubbers in the kitchen and bathroom, I even keep them in the car.

  43. Always wipe down your kitchen every night! It helps prevent things from becoming really caked on there, especially on the stove!

  44. Those are some great tips! My goal is to do one load of laundry a day – washed , folded and put away. The key is to only do one. If I try to do more than one a day I usually get sidetracked and will forget to put the second load in the dryer or end up not having enough time to put it away. For me – as long as I can get the dishes and one load of laundry done a day I will be okay. If either of those gets backed up it feels like crazy town.

  45. We just settled on our new home last Monday in the Mitten state after moving from Philadelphia. A few tips I learned is if a task takes a minute or less to complete do it right away instead of walking away from it. We also leave our shoes at the front door and keep pet friendly wipes near buy always to wipe our dogs Paws after running outside. I also cannot go to bed unless everything is cleaned up. My husband and daughter think I’m nuts for how much cleaning I do.

  46. I always try to clean as I go. That way I don’t have a huge mess to clean up at one time. I also like to buy storage containers to keep stuff in and I always label things.

  47. I love your tips. I made myself a cleaning schedule. It helps me to know exactly what to clean everyday instead of doing a little in each room and not really accomplishing much.

  48. I try to keep the house organized by keeping a chore chart for myself and my roommates. In my own room, I try to remember to hang up clothes/jackets instead of piling them on the closest chair!

  49. my best tip is to take one room at a time so its not overwhelming and to do small cleanings between the deep cleans

  50. My best tip is to create a calendar detailing specific rooms or tasks to be cleaned/performed each day. I also make it a rule to take something with my (piece of trash for instance) every time I leave a room.

  51. I always try to clean something each day, my house may not look perfectly cleaned but it feels clean to me!
    demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

  52. I find that having less stuff leads to less clutter. And then everything has a home, so it can be put up immediately!

  53. What works the best for me is to lay out a plan and not try to do all or tackle too much at one time. Crank up the tunes and try to enjoy it!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

  54. I do a little each day so that the mess never gets very bad in the first place. Excessive dust, soap scum, etc. really freaks me out, so I avoid the problem by quickly wiping up at a frequent cadence.

  55. Wetting a dish cloth and tossing it into the microwave for 30 seconds. Put on some dish gloves on wipe away all the stuck on foods.

  56. I put all of my makeup/hair care items away as soon as I use them. Our bathroom doubles as the guest bath, so I always keep it tidy for guests.

  57. I love your tip about taking 10 minutes before bed to tidy up. I feel so much better if I go to bed with s somewhat clean house. We live in a 2 story home. Each time I go upstairs I first scan the downstairs to see if there’s anything that needs to go up with me (extra shoes, jackets, laundry, etc) that way no trip upstairs is wasted.

  58. My best tip is to keep after any mess. I straighten up daily and if possible, clean any mess right away.
    Thanks so much.

  59. My best tip is to do what you enjoy and divide the rest. I actually like doing laundry but hate vacuuming, so my hubby does most of the latter. When I do have to take my turn doing a less-fun chore, I listen to books and website pages using an audio app while doing the chore. It makes it much more fun!

  60. I always make the beds in the house every day. That is something I can’t leave the house without doing. I also don’t like seeing shoes at the door so I put them in baskets or closets quickly after removing them. One thing I’m trying to do more is sweeping the kitchen at night before bed. I cook almost every meal at home and there are always so many crumbs on the floor.

  61. When you are done using something out it away right away. I also wipe down the toilets everyday because I live with two boys 🙂

  62. I keep my home organized and clean by doing a bit of house work daily or every other day, and enlist the family if needed.

  63. When my son was younger, I would keep baskets in rooms to put toys and books in. It kept them from being scattered all over the floor.

  64. My tip is clean as you go and don’t let it pile up and try to do a big cleaning at least once a week.

  65. I use them everywhere around the house. works great on keyboards. too. Thanks for hosting the giveaway
    amy [at] utry [dot] it

  66. My best tip is to clean as you go. Get things back to the original place after each use, make it a habit!

  67. I keep basic bathroom cleaning products (including wipes) in each bathroom. It makes clean up faster & more frequent!

  68. I try to make sure I put everything back in its designated “place” for organization and so that clutter doesn’t build up around the house!

  69. I feel like I do a lot of the same things that you do! I try to clean room by room, and do 15-20 minutes every day on one room. I need to start working on decluttering a little bit!

  70. I am not a make the bed person, but I do it anyway (most days!) because it makes such a big difference in the way the room looks. We also take off our shoes at the door, and wipe down doorknobs.

  71. I try to do little things everyday that overall helps keep my house looking and feeling clean!

    demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

  72. Cleaning for 10 mins everyday had been a great habit I implemented a few years ago, I’m no longer stuck cleaning for hours on the weekend! Also doing the dishes as I go while cooking to prevent a sink pile up.

  73. My tip is to clean messes as they are made so you don’t have so much to clean later on.

    Thanks for the chance to win

    allisonrsdswain(at)gmail(dot)com

  74. I like to keep things clean by keeping these microscrubby wipes handy in the kitchen, bathroom and car.

  75. We go thru the house almost on a daily basis but at least weekly to see if there is extra things that we do not need or are clutter and put them in bags for donation/ recycle or plain garbage.

  76. I do laundry almost every other day. It helps to not be overloaded on the weekends and less time putting clothes away.

  77. My best tip is to clean a bit each day and try to have organizational items like storage bins and shelving so things have a place to go and aren’t just thrown around on the floor.

  78. I’m pretty terrible at keeping things clean! but when I do manage some organization, it’s because I clean / organize as I go. Wash things immediately, when I’m done using it. Throw away the junk mail as I look through it, that sort of thing 🙂

  79. My only cleaning hack is to get rid of everything in the house you don’t need or love. With less stuff around there is simply less to clean!

  80. We stay organized by not buying too much stuff, its much easier to store and arrange fewer things! We also have somewhat of a schedule to our cleaning that we follow but will deviate if something needs touched up. Another idea we have is to save marathon cleaning days for when its raining, after cuddling up watching a movie of course!

  81. put things back where they belong as soon as you’re done using them! it makes a big difference in avoiding clutter

  82. I like to do a quick cleanup before bed so that I don’t have too many cleaning jobs to tackle right away in the morning.

  83. I try to clean as I go. But on big cleaning days I make a list and do one room at a time.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  84. Great tips! I do certain chores on certain days so I know they will get done. I also declutter a couple of times a year.

  85. My best tip is just to do a little bit each day and stay on top of the messes and spills when they happen
    JenniferAnne74 @ aol.com

  86. My tip is to do about 30 minutes worth of cleaning daily. By doing this, the house probably won’t look like a disaster all of a sudden, and become completely overwhelming!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  87. Every time I leave a room, I do one small thing to make it better. Little things add up by the end of the day.

  88. I agree with all the tips listed. I especially agree that cleaning the kitchen as you are cooking is so helpful.

  89. My tip would be to keep a cleaning kit in each room so you do not have to run around getting what you need for that room!

  90. When I cook, I fill the sink with soapy water so I can do dishes as they get dirty. It’s so nice to wake up to a clean kitchen every morning.

  91. One thing that has saved my life is a tip my partner came up with: do it a room at a time. I start in one room and do everything in there that I need to do before moving on to the next room. That way, I know that room is DONE!

  92. I have decorative baskets in family areas to collect everything that gets left there that doesn’t belong there. At the end of the day I put everything back where it belongs.

  93. I clean a little every day and make sure to wash dishes immediately after dinner

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  94. I like to clean a little everyday so I am not overwelmed with a huge mess that needs to be cleaned up in one day.

  95. Clean as you go. And purge as you go: I keep a donate box in the front closet and try to take it in at least once a month so I don’t get tempted to keep stuff.

  96. I have used the regular Clorox wipes and they do a good job but I bet these with micro scrubbers are great!

  97. My best tip to keeping my home organized and clean is constant pick up and spraying down phones and switches with a anti-bacterial formula.

  98. My cleaning trick is to put on my favorite show tunes and sing along while I clean. Makes the time go much faster.
    Thanks for the contest.

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