Struggling to keep your home clean? These two daily habits made all the difference for me—and they can for you too.
The Cleaning System That Didn’t Work For Me
I’m a working wife and a mother of two sons, and keeping my house clean has always been a challenge for me. I used to have a dedicated cleaning day on the weekend, when I would spend most of the day putting things away and scrubbing. For a day or two, it felt great—but soon, everything would be out of place again, and I’d have to reset.
I never thought I’d be able to keep my house clean. I used to dream that, after a big cleaning day, I could press a “pause button” and save my progress for a little longer.
Organizing and Decluttering
About two years ago, I began learning how to maintain a clean home consistently. I started watching videos about organizing systems—because I believed organization was the missing piece. Then I learned a powerful truth: you can’t organize clutter.
For about a year, I focused heavily on decluttering and getting rid of the excess. And then I realized that without all the extra stuff, I didn’t need elaborate systems to keep my house tidy. But there were still a couple of things I had to do every day—my Everyday Non-Negotiables.
Do The Dishes Every Day
The first was the dishes.
Since I work full-time and am not home during the day, I had to do the dishes every evening. Before I allowed myself to go to bed, I cleaned the kitchen and started a load in the dishwasher. Sometimes, if there weren’t many dishes and I didn’t want to run it half-full, I would hand-wash everything and use the dishwasher as a drying rack. Either way, the kitchen was clean, and everything was put away.
Dillema: to Wash or Not to Wash?
Over time, I realized it’s better to run a half-empty dishwasher than to leave dirty dishes sitting. Tomorrow is a new day, and you’ll need your dishwasher. If it’s not available, that’s when things get overwhelming and everything starts to get out of hand again.
I like to compare it to garbage day. The waste management company doesn’t care if your bin is full or half-full—they pick it up regardless. If they skipped it because it wasn’t full, they’d be facing an overflow the next week. They understand what procrastination does. You might think running a half-empty dishwasher is wasteful, but consistency is the key to staying on top of things.
Doing the dishes daily, without fail, has been a game-changer.
Involving Family Members to Help
I also got some help—my oldest son helped out in the mornings by washing the breakfast dishes before work. I really appreciated that. It made a big impact, especially because it was consistent and dependable.
My Successful Kitchen System: What Finally Worked For Me
One more piece was essential to make this system work: I unloaded the dishwasher first thing in the morning. It only took about 4–5 minutes, and I preferred to do it myself to ensure it got done. When the dishwasher is empty and available, my family is much more likely to put their dirty dishes straight in. Keeping it ready was my priority.
That was my little kitchen system: I’d kick things off in the morning by unloading the dishwasher, and close the day by cleaning the kitchen. I also leaned on my family’s help during the day.
5-Minute Pickup – The Game Changer
The second non-negotiable task was the 5-minute pickup.
After finishing the kitchen in the evening, I’d spend about five minutes putting things back in place—straightening throw pillows, wiping down the bathroom vanity and toilet with a bit of toilet paper, maybe spot-cleaning the kitchen floor. I followed the “visibility rule”: if I saw it needed doing, I did it. It only took a few minutes, but it made a noticeable difference.
Some days I’m more productive than others. On slower days, I do the bare minimum. But even then, it’s not overwhelming because it’s only one day’s worth of clutter—and since I did it yesterday, things are still relatively clean. Even if it feels like a lot, it rarely is.
To make that 5-minute routine work, I try to put things away right when I’m done with them. That’s not always possible, since others in my house don’t necessarily share my systems or goals. Still, it’s only one day’s mess to manage at the end of the day.
My Two Pillars of Clean House
So the dishes and the 5-minute pickup are my two daily non-negotiables—my Pillars of Order. Even when I’m tired, sick, have a headache or a fever, I always find 15–20 minutes to complete these two tasks. They’ve kept my home under control for over a year, and they remain my top priority when it comes to housework.
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