Coming home to a tidy house immediately reduces my stress level — and I believe I’m not alone in this. I’ve discovered that doing little tasks every day to keep my house in order leaves me feeling tidy and less emotionally cramped. Here are some of the things I want to do on a regular or weekly basis to make my home an enjoyable place to be.
Every morning, make your bed.
And the slightest details will have a significant impact. Your bedroom floor may look like a tornado just went through, but with a tucked-and-tidy bed, the space looks that much more put together. Spend two minutes in the morning making sure you have a clean bed to climb into every night. What person doesn’t like that? (No one, according to the answer.)
Small luxuries can be appreciated.
And if your house isn’t necessarily a Pinterest dream, make do with what you have. To make your room feel more personal, light a candle, put on a simmer pot, or buy a very good hand soap or tea towel.
Simply wash the dished.
Do it now is my latest, all-encompassing daily motto. It’s one of personal commandments, which I embraced after reading The Happiness Project. The philosophy is simple: rather than putting off boring projects, complete them as soon as possible so they don’t loom over your head. It’s successful! Furthermore, the sensation of simply doing tasks is much less stressful than the frustration I would encounter if I procrastinated.
Simply throw away trash as you go.
I’m not a great fan of clutter. Get into the habit of letting things go. When I find a duplicate utensil while sorting through my kitchen cabinets, I put it in a donation or trash bin. The same applies for tea mugs, past bills, and other random things that I collect but never use. Why trawl through a big pile of garbage when you can only pick what you’re looking for?
Set aside one day a week for housework.
Your house should be a spot you love coming home to, not a place where you live in different states of clean-up. Try setting out one day for major tasks like vacuuming, cooking, and dusting. Plus, when you’re tidying up bit by little, the big clean would feel less overwhelming.
Bring in as much fresh air as possible.
Bringing in fresh air from outside helps prevent spores from collecting within your house.
If it is safe to do so, open doors and Traditional Timber Sash Windows as soon as possible and get in new, outdoor air. Although it is preferable to open them completely, even a partially broken window will help.
If possible, open several doors and windows to allow more fresh air to enter.