Let’s be real: maintaining a clutter-free home is like trying to keep a perfectly straight line in a toddler’s drawing. It’s an admirable goal, but sometimes things just spiral into chaos.
But for those organized warriors out there—the tidy homeowners—the battle against clutter is real, and it’s waged every week with strategy, precision, and a hint of magical thinking.
If you’ve ever wondered how they do it, here are 5 things tidy homeowners do once a week to maintain their pristine domains.
1. The “10-Minute Sweep”
Tidy homeowners don’t wait until things get out of control. Every week, they spend 10 minutes doing a lightning-fast sweep of the house, picking up stray items that have mysteriously appeared (why does my laundry always end up in the living room?!).
This isn’t deep cleaning. No, no—this is a tactical maneuver, grabbing rogue socks, misplaced mugs, and errant cat toys as if they’re enemy combatants.
The goal? To make sure that clutter doesn’t even have a chance to settle in. Pro tip: If it takes more than 10 minutes, you’ve already slipped into “I’ll deal with it later” mode. Abort mission!
2. Closet Purge: The Emotional Detach
Every week, tidy homeowners make a pact with themselves: they will go through their closets and face the truth.
Do they really need that shirt from 2005 with the ironic slogan? Is it time to part ways with that sweater that “someday” will fit again (but let’s be real, it won’t)?
This is where the emotional detachment comes in—clothes that haven’t been worn in six months are suddenly given the “thanks but no thanks” talk.
Into the donation bin they go, ready to give someone else the joy of discovering them in their local thrift store.
It’s a ruthless process that always ends in a decluttered space… until next week when we repeat the cycle.
3. The Kitchen Tidy: The Endless Battle
Tidy homeowners approach the kitchen with a battle cry: “Not today, dishes!”
Once a week, they perform the magical kitchen reset, clearing every surface, wiping down counters, and making sure the fridge doesn’t look like a science experiment gone wrong.
Everything has a place, even that weird garlic press you never use. But it’s not just about cleaning—it’s about the delicate art of keeping the clutter away.
That pile of mail that mysteriously accumulates on the kitchen counter? Gone. That stack of random takeout menus? Recycled.
The goal is simple: make it look like the kitchen of a professional chef who doesn’t eat pizza rolls at 2 a.m. every Friday night.
4. “It’s All About the Baskets”
Tidy homeowners know the secret weapon: baskets. You can throw anything into a basket, and suddenly it looks like you’ve got your life together.
Toys? In a basket. Shoes by the door? In a basket. Paperwork that you swear you’ll deal with but never do? You guessed it: in a basket.
Every week, they take a few minutes to go around the house and put miscellaneous items into their designated baskets.
Sure, the baskets may never be “organized” in the strictest sense, but at least you can pretend like everything is in its proper place. Bonus points if the baskets are stylish and match the décor.
5. The Weekly “Everything in Its Place” Dance
This is the weekly ritual where tidy homeowners enter a state of zen-like focus and make sure everything is in its rightful spot.
Books? Neatly arranged. Mail? Sorted into piles that are totally under control. Shoes? Placed lovingly back into their proper cubby.
The goal here is to give every item a home before it becomes an uninvited guest on your couch. The catch is that no matter how well this is done, within a few hours, someone will inevitably leave their keys on the kitchen counter.
But, for that brief, beautiful moment when everything is in place, you feel like you’re living in a Pinterest board. And it’s glorious.