Seven Habits That Keep a House Cleaner

A clean house is mostly a house where mess doesn't get a head start. None of these habits takes more than a couple of minutes, but together they change how much there is to do on cleaning day.

1. Make the bed when you get up

It takes less than a minute, and a made bed makes the whole bedroom look put together even when nothing else has been touched.

2. Wipe the counters after you cook

Spills and crumbs come up easily while they're fresh and fight back once they've dried. A quick pass with a damp cloth after each meal keeps the kitchen ahead.

3. Carry something with you

Every time you leave a room, take one thing that belongs somewhere else — the mug, the shoes, the charger. Clutter stops collecting when it never gets left behind.

4. Squeegee the shower glass

Half a minute after each shower keeps soap film and water spots from building into the kind of haze that takes real scrubbing.

5. Keep the dishwasher empty

Run it at night and unload it in the morning. When there's always room inside, dishes go straight in instead of piling up in the sink.

6. Sort the mail right away

Paper is the clutter that grows fastest. Recycle, file, or deal with each piece the day it comes in, and the counter pile never gets started.

7. Reset for ten minutes before bed

Straighten the cushions, clear the surfaces, put things back in their rooms. It means every morning — and every cleaning visit — starts from a better place.