Daily Cleaning Checklist: 8 Simple Habits to Keep Your Home Clean and Tidy

The idea of living in or coming home to a messy space can be overwhelming. If you're not doing tasks on a daily basis, mess builds up over the week, leaving you spending your whole Sunday trying to clean up for the week ahead.

If you have a busy schedule, a daily cleaning routine of small tasks will help you stay on top of things and alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed – not to mention keep you organised and feeling more put together. And the best part is you just need about 15 minutes of your day dedicated to it.

If you like the idea of having a consistently clean home but haven't yet mastered the art, consider adding these daily home cleaning habits into your daily schedule.

1. Make your bed each morning

Starting off your day by making your bed won't only make your bedroom look more put together, but it will help mentally set you up for the day. By creating a tidy and organised environment from the get-go you can give yourself a sense of accomplishment and motivation to tackle other tasks throughout the day.

2. Use a squeegee

At the end of your shower each morning/night use a squeegee to wipe down your screen (and walls too if you can). This will help remove any soap scum that can build up over time as well as water stain spots.

3. Put things away after you've used them

One of the quickest ways to make your home messy is by not putting things away once you've finished using them. Getting into the habit of returning items to their designated spot can reduce clutter and help you easily find things – this is particularly beneficial when you're in a hurry. By making a habit of putting things away after use, you are taking responsibility for your belongings.

4. Consider a 'no shoes' policy

Wearing outside shoes in the house can track dirt from room to room. Pop a shoe rack at the front door so you don't need to vacuum or wash your floors as often.

5. Load your dishwasher at the end of the day

Getting into the habit of loading your dishwasher at the end of each day will ensure you wake up to a clean kitchen in the morning. If there are only a few items in there by the evening you don't need to switch it on, but switch it on when it's full and unload in the morning for the day ahead.

6. Use a hand-held vacuum

One way to encourage you to clean is to have technology that just makes it easier to do so. A lightweight, hand-held vacuum like a Dyson will take some of the slog out of vacuuming and you can quickly hoover up any mess as you see it.

7. Always have a good supply of cleaning products at the ready

Another great way to make things easier for yourself is to actually have all your cleaning products on hand and easily accessible. If you know you've got things to help you you're less likely to put things off. Dirty environments can harbor bacteria so it is essential that cleanliness is maintained.

8. Wipe down surfaces

This is particularly important for your kitchen countertops which can get messy very quickly. Address spills and messes as soon as they happen to prevent them from becoming more difficult to clean later.