27 One-Minute Habits For Cleaning & Decluttering Your Home

I am excited to share some of the most simple one-minute habits that will help you stay on top of your clutter. Maintaining a tidy home is easy when you break the work into small manageable habits. Making these habits a regular practice will help you prevent clutter from building.

1. Make a list

Make a list of small tasks you can implement during free moments that will help get things in order. Use the few extra minutes you have here and there throughout the day to conquer small tasks that will help you get your home in order.

2. Let the light shine in

Open your blinds and let the sunlight into your home. You will be able to see where there is clutter and what needs to be done.

3. Keep your shoes by the door

This will prevent you from wearing your shoes tracking dirt inside. It also allows you to keep your shoes in a place that is easy to find and easy to access.

4. Clipboard method

Use the clipboard method for important mail, or mail that you will deal with soon. Separate your important mail from your junk mail as soon as you take it out of the mailbox. Dump the junk mail immediately and keep the important stuff on your clipboard to deal with as soon as possible.

5. Use what you already have

Don’t get tempted by cleverly designed novelty items that will meet the same needs that are already met by simpler things you already own.

6. Make your bed

Your bed takes up most of the floor space of your room. Leaving your bed unmade can make the entire room look messy.

7. Contain clothes

If it’s clean, put it in the closet. If it’s dirty, put it in the laundry. People get stuck on those clothes that have been worn once or twice but don’t need to be washed yet. Instead of leaving those clothes out, designate a place for them. It could be a hook on the back of the bathroom door or a small basket in your closet.

8. Declutter clothing

Declutter your clothing as you dress. If there’s an item that isn’t fitting you right, get rid of it right away. Don’t wait for a major decluttering project.

9. Be mindful of books

Avoid leaving books lying around. Taking books out of the library, instead of purchasing them, is a great way to avoid clutter.

10. Rearrange furniture

Our rooms can get stagnant and we don’t even see the clutter we have. By moving things around, new life is given to the space and we can resolve clutter issues.

11. Say “no”

Practice saying “no” to things you don’t want in your home.

12. One minute pick-up

Teach your family to get into the habit of constantly straightening up after themselves. Pair it with mealtimes and have everyone spend a minute or two just tidying up after themselves.

13. Blanket basket

Keep a blanket basket near the couch. This way you will always have a blanket nearby and the couch will remain nice and tidy.

14. Push in the chairs

We often overlook the small things that can affect visual clutter. This is such a simple way to straighten up a room.

15. Decant pantry items

Put your pantry items into uniformly sized clear containers. The clutter that gets packed away is easier to ignore, but it still affects us.

16. Use containers

Organize the clutter that gets packed away using containers to break down items in a more organized fashion.

17. Keep a donation bin in your car

Decluttering should become a part of your everyday routine. Keep donation items in the car so you can easily get rid of them whenever.

18. Get your kids involved

Help your kids develop regular decluttering habits. It will teach them to donate to people in need. It will also help them stay organized in general.

19. Wash your shower curtain

Taking down your shower curtain and throwing it in the wash only takes a minute and keeps your bathroom looking clean.

20. Don’t buy in bulk

Buying in bulk can save you money but it will also likely lead you to buy more than you need, and make it more difficult to keep track of what you have.

21. Do a nightly sweep or vacuum

Dedicating one minute to a room to clear that floor will go a long way to helping your space feel clutter-free and organized.

22. Bring dirty dishes to the sink

Get in the habit of bringing your dirty dishes to the sink as soon as you finish using them. Give them a little rinse. That way when you’re ready to deal with them it’ll be easy to clean them off.

23. Group electronics

It helps to keep all your chords and chargers in one area. This way you always know where they are, and the clutter is contained to one space.

24. Wipe down your counters

Wipe down your counters after each use. This will also help you get in the habit of putting away any items you were using.

25. Reset the couch

Fluff up the pillows. Straighten any blankets and clean off any crumbs. It’s similar to making your bed. The couch sets the stage for the entire room.

26. Centralize products

Keep common products in a central location. Categories of items like outerwear, bandages, and pens, should all be categorized and put in places that are easy for people to access.

27. One-minute declutter

Make a habit of doing a one-minute declutter once a week. Have everyone in the home go through their personal items and see what can be decluttered.

One-minute habits

These one-minute habits will make a huge difference when it comes to getting clutter under control. These manageable minute-long tasks will save you hours. Leave me a comment and let me know which one-minute habits work best for you.