A very popular resolution for many households at the beginning of the year is keeping a clean home. With mail, backpacks full of homework, shoes, and everyday living, it is very hard for people to keep up with clutter, much less clean your de-cluttered house. I am always looking for tips, tricks, and ideas for my own household. While there are no magic pills or solutions, the Minimal Mom shares her secrets for keeping a clean home throughout the year.
Tips for Keeping a House Clean
Wouldn’t be nice to have a home that would not send you into panic if someone texts and says they’ll be over in ten minutes? Has more ever been accomplished in those ten minutes? If you are like me, I can clean a house. Keeping it clean is the challenge. So hopefully we can all learn a little something from the Minimal Mom today.
Enjoy the Process
The secret to keeping a house clean is enjoying cleaning. While you might be rolling your eyes here, she argues that since cleaning is so repetitive one must find satisfaction in the process. I would argue, who doesn’t enjoy a clean house? So perhaps it is more about the process than the end result. For example, I find pressure washing deeply satisfying. You instantly can see the difference each swipe of the pressurized water makes. Therefore, with the right mindset, I could find the same satisfaction in scrubbing a shower or making my bed.
She adds that a key to enjoying cleaning comes from a “hyper-low inventory.” In other words, major de-cluttering is a must for you to enjoy the cleaning process. Think about it—when have you been motivated to clean and then get bogged down in clutter? For me, I have to admit it happens often. The Minimal Mom has many videos on her channel addressing de-cluttering. Here is one called, “Top Decluttering Tips for 2025.”
Set the Mood
One way to help you enjoy cleaning is to set the mood. Now she gives several examples of how to do this from lighting a candle, opening a window, and/or playing upbeat music. The candle can add a clean scent to your home. The open window can bring in fresh air. The upbeat music can make cleaning an in-house dance party. While these things might not inspire you, do whatever motivates you.
Quick Wins
The Minimal Mom suggests to start cleaning the floor. This is the opposite of what I traditionally do. Typically it is the last thing I do. However, I will give it a try as a dirty floor is my biggest pet peeve in my home. Then she recommends attacking the flat surfaces—table tops, countertops, etc. She also gives a tip to group items together to create a quick mental difference. Starting with these two steps will make a huge difference in the cleanliness feel of your home. These quick wins will motivate you to continue cleaning other areas.
5-Minute Clean
You can do anything for five minutes, except for holding your breath. So set a timer and challenge yourself to see how much you can accomplish in just five minutes. If you involve the rest in your household, then your cleaning impact multiplies quickly, too. Depending on how much you have to do you can do five minutes per room, five minutes in total, or five minutes, and then reward yourself with something small and repeat. You might be amazed at the difference this short cleaning time can make for your home.
While her video includes a few more tips, I chose the main ones that will help you keep a clean house this year. Implement them all or one at a time. Decluttering is key to making this process both enjoyable but also easier to accomplish. Make 2025 the year that people wonder how you keep such a clean house. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it earlier.