If you’re like most mums, you probably wish you could keep your house clean for longer.

Have you ever hired a (good) cleaner? If so, your thoughts after they’ve worked their magic might be something along the lines of “I wish my house looked like this all the time!”

I know the feeling. While I can’t promise that your house will look like the maid has just been by every day, I can give you some tips for keeping your house clean for longer so you won’t want to cry every time you walk in the front door!

1. Don’t wear shoes inside

If I had to name just one factor that can make the biggest impact on your home’s cleanliness, it’s not wearing shoes in the house. Since banning shoes (6 years ago) inside my house, I’ve found it infinitely easier to keep messes under control.

Just think of all the mud, dirt, dust, germs and bacteria that won’t be tracked through your house if everyone enters barefoot, and you’ll see what I mean!

A lot of you might have already implemented this in light of all the covid-19 drama. If not, this is one more reason to.

2. Follow the “one-minute rule”

I use the one-minute rule to keep cleaning from growing into in insurmountable task. Any time something can be done in less than a minute, I make a point of going ahead and doing it straight away.

Rather than leaving a food container in the sink after emptying it from the fridge (I batch cook a lot – container use is strong in our household), I rinse and dry it and put it away. When I change into more comfortable clothes after going out, I hang them back up immediately rather than leaving them on the bed to deal with later that night, when I’ll probably have lots of other things to do as well, like cleaning up after dinner.

3. Make every trip within your house count

Every time I leave a room, I look around to see if there’s something that needs to go wherever I’m headed.

Going from the kitchen to the bathroom? Why not grab that dirty dish towel and put it in the hamper while you’re there? Going to your daughter’s room from the living room? Be sure to bring that book she left on the sofa with you!

4. Be smart in the kitchen

I like to keep a bag on my kitchen counter while I’m cooking so I can throw away various scraps quickly. I often repurpose an empty food bag, like a frozen veggie bag, for this. It cuts down on trips to the dustbin and keeps all your mess in one place.

I also highly recommend that you cover the pan with a splatter screen when you’re frying. Cleaning up oil droplets all over the countertop and floor is no fun whatsoever, and this can be a great time-saver.

5. Reset on the regular

Facing a house full of messes can be so daunting that you may never get started, so the trick is to avoid letting things pile up in the first place!

Any time you’ve got five minutes of downtime, whether you’re waiting for that chicken on the stove to finish browning or your son is trying to track down a missing sock before you head out the door, start putting whatever clutter is in your immediate area in its place.

6. Master storage

By the same token, setting up a great storage system for the items in your home is another excellent way to keep messes from growing out of control.

When everything has a place, it’s far easier to keep a clear house – and with it, a clear mind!

7. Enlist some help

Teach your children from an early age to clean up their own messes and spills. They may not be able to stick to this 100 percent, but over time, it will add up. Get everyone to pitch in with something age-appropriate, even if it’s just wiping the table off after dinner.

And speaking of help, I highly recommend investing in a robot to keep your floors clean. It’s a great, hands-off way to keep dust and dirt from collecting and circulating throughout the house effortlessly!

When it comes to keeping your house clean for longer, having the right plan of action can go a long way toward maintaining an organised and relaxing environment – no matter how often a cleaning service does or doesn’t come!

If you love these tips, do check out my book! It’s literally jam-packed with life hacks and tricks so lighten your load!