I always have people mention how clean and organized my house is and ask me how I am able to keep it so clean when I work as well as stay home with my toddler son! It's a compliment I really take to heart because I am a textbook neat freak. Both of my parents are as well so it was bound to happen! And since spring is right around the corner, I want to share with you my tips on how I keep my house tidy. And I realize that it is harder to do these everyday when you have a little one or more running rampant in your home, so try not to stress if you can’t get to them all each day. I myself have had to reevaluate what “clean” means to me since becoming a mother! But these are actually pretty simple tips to get your house just clean enough that when you have unplanned guests, you'll gladly invite them in!

1. Make The Bed. Everyday.

This is a simple habit to get into that I think makes a big difference. I know that when I leave for work in the morning and my bed is made and my bedroom is tidied, I feel like I have less to worry about when I get home. It gives me a sense of accomplishment early on in my day and that is exactly how I like to start my mornings!

2. Keep Things Off The Floor.

This includes shoes, dirty (or clean) laundry, toys, etc. By keeping things off the floor, it'll be easier to clean the floors, prevent people from tripping over things, and give the overall appearance of a cleaner home. For example we keep all of Ryder and Harley's toys in a baskets in the family room. By keeping their toys in the basket (when not in use obviously!), it keeps the space feeling more organized. Another great use for baskets in our home include storing blankets, remotes, magazines, and anything else we don't want laying around.

3. Everything Has A Place.

This is something I say all the time. Everything has a place in our home. Whether it's the keys on our key holder by the back door, the basket in our entryway for Harley's leash, mail, and other miscellaneous items, or the tray in our family room that holds our remotes. Everything has it's own place and this makes it much easier to find things. By delegating spaces for your items, there leaves no question as to where those items might be! This is great for getting little ones organized early on as well.

4. Keep The Island Cleared.

This one is crucial if you have a home like ours that does not have a mud room. I've noticed that our island has become one giant catchall in our home and it's a big pet peeve of mine. Since we don't have a mud room, it ends up being where everyone throws their items upon entering our house. That's why I started using baskets and other storage solutions to ensure that this doesn't become a habit in our home. It sounds silly but it really stresses me out when I walk into my kitchen and there is junk all over the island. So by keeping this space cleared as best as I can, it helps keep stress to a minimum.

5. Keep Counters Clean.

This is another simple habit to get into. By keeping your counters sparkling, you'll have a greater feeling of a cleaner house. I am a big fan of Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes and I have them in the kitchen as well as some upstairs for cleaning the bathroom vanities. Sparkly counters are perfect for giving an appearance of a tidy home, because when your granite is sparkling, no one will notice the crumbs on the floor...at least that's what I like to think. lol

6. Tidy The First Floor Every Morning.

So this is my main secret on how I keep my house looking neat. Every day I take about 20-30 minutes to straighten up my house, specifically the first floor. You never know when someone might drop by unannounced so I always try to keep the first floor neat. Granted there are days when I don't have a chance, but for the most part I am very consistent. I like to fluff the pillows on the couch, clean any dishes left in the sink, put shoes or laundry away. Basically just simple fixes that will give the appearance of a clean house. The more often you do short bursts of cleaning, the less you'll have to do when you take the time to deep clean as well!

7. Don't Keep Dishes In The Sink.

This one is easier said than done in our house. Brian and I hate doing the dishes, it's easily our most hated chore and we have a tendency to leave them and let them pile up on occasion but usually we try and always do the dishes right after we use them. I know that when we let them pile up it stresses us both out and ends up in an argument over who has to tackle them....so we try and avoid this as much as possible by taking care of them immedietly after using them! You'll thank yourself later!

What about you? Do you clean a little every day or are you more of a once a week clean sweep kinda gal? I'd love to hear if you have any suggestions that I didn't mention! Feel free to leave your own tips in the comments and happy cleaning!

7 Daily Habits To Keep Your House Clean