| Habit #1. Don't put it down, put it away. | | | | shelves for mail and a trash can. A simple area can be |
| So much time is spent just putting things awayor | | | | created inexpensively. This keeps everything |
| where they belong, that it makes sense to remind | | | | together in one place so the clutter doesn't go all |
| yourself to put things away, don't put them down. | | | | over the house, and you can find your purse and |
| Repeat the "don't put it down, put it away" mantra | | | | keys when you're ready to leave. |
| every time you or one of your family members have | | | | Habit #7. Everyone helps. |
| something in your hands that you're tempted to put | | | | Assign duties to everyone in the house. Or, assign |
| down, rather than put away. | | | | rooms to everyone in the house, in addition to their |
| Habit #2. Clean as needed. | | | | bedrooms. If the children play in the living room with |
| Why wait four more days to clean the toilet if it | | | | toys, then assign them the living room to keep clean. |
| needs to be cleaned now? By cleaning on an | | | | Everyone lives in the house, so everyone can help. |
| as-needed basis, the house will stay cleaner longer, | | | | Too often, household chores and tasks fall on one |
| and this will help you reduce those marathon cleaning | | | | person. Make it everyone's job and everything stays |
| sessions. | | | | cleaner. |
| Habit #3. Pick up as you go. | | | | Habit #8. Leave shoes at the door. |
| Walking from downstairs to upstairs? Take that | | | | One of the quickest ways to prolong the life of your |
| basket of laundry that's been waiting to go to the | | | | carpets and keep carpets and floors cleaner longer, is |
| bedrooms upstairs. Make every trip through the | | | | to adopt a no-shoes policy in your household. From |
| house worth something by bringing items from one | | | | Russia to China to Hawaii and back to Japan, the |
| room to the next. Leaving the living room for the | | | | custom of not wearing shoes in the house is |
| evening? Straighten up. A lot of cleaning can be done | | | | common in most homes throughout the world - and |
| in just 60 seconds. On the phone? Get rid of the | | | | for good reason. Keeping your shoes confined to the |
| crumbs in the silverware drawer or wipe down the | | | | entry doors will also help keep unwanted chemicals, |
| microwave while you chat. | | | | bacteria (from pet waste, public restrooms), dust and |
| Habit #4. Clean when you see it. | | | | dirt out of the house. |
| Don't keep walking by those finger smudges on the | | | | Habit #9. Create a schedule. |
| door trim or the cake splatters on the kitchen | | | | Cleaning the bathrooms, changing the sheets, clearing |
| cabinets. Clean as you soon as you see the smudges | | | | out cobwebs, dusting baseboards, getting carpets |
| and spots and you'll be amazed at how clean your | | | | steam cleaned, all these household activities are ones |
| wall paint stays and how long your wood work looks | | | | that should be on a regular schedule. Keep a schedule |
| good. | | | | of all the activities you need to do and by sticking to |
| Habit #5. Buy good cleaning products. | | | | the schedule, your house will stay cleaner easier and |
| Most people use an old t-shirt for a dust rag and | | | | longer. |
| hang on to bath towels for odd jobs around the | | | | Habit #10. Declutter. |
| house. Dusting with an old, dirty undershirt wouldn't | | | | Yes, every home has junk and it's got to go. Spend |
| make anyone feel like cleaning. But, quality cleaning | | | | 5-15 minutes every day getting rid of junk and clutter |
| products and tools, such as microfiber towels will help | | | | and you'll find that over time your house gets cleaner |
| keep you motivated to clean. Stock your home with | | | | and cleaner and easier to keep. Be sure to clear off |
| microfiber towels and a good multi-purpose cleaning | | | | the tops of surfaces (counters, islands, dressers) |
| product, and you'll clean more often. | | | | every chance you get. |
| Habit #6. Designate an entry area. | | | | You may find that these simple, easy steps keep |
| Establish a point of entry for the family, where | | | | your house cleaner for a longer period of time and |
| everyone leaves dirty shoes, books, and purses. Set | | | | you spend less time on your home. |
| up this area with hooks for keys, purses, jackets, | | | | |