Back to school is in full swing, so now is a good time to start establishing good home habits that may not be part of your current standard routine.

1. Keep your dining table clear. It’s easy to overwhelm a space and throw off healthy routines, like eating together as a family. Small efforts, like ensuring your dining table is a clutter-free zone, will guarantee a dedicated location for families to meet in the evenings to reconnect. We recommend creating a “drop zone” elsewhere in the house for the clutter that might otherwise land on the table.
2. Make your bed every morning. A good habit to create, making your bed daily sets the stage for a tidy room and may also keep additional clutter from accumulating.
3. Have an incoming paperwork basket. It’s easy to lose these items if you lack a dedicated space in which to place them. Creating a system for bills, letters, magazines, school paperwork, etc., will help ensure you’re keeping track of all the items in your busy life. Then set a time daily or weekly to go through the basket and recycle unnecessary papers, shred those with personal information, pay bills, and file what’s necessary.
4. Squeegee daily. It only takes a few minutes to give the walls, door, and floor of your shower a quick going over, but it can make a world of difference in lessening water spots, mineral deposits, and soap scum. While we recommend regular cleaning of your bathroom and shower, this small task can extend the time between those cleanings.
5. Do a nightly five-minute cleanup. Most people can carve out at least five minutes to do a brief tidying up before settling in for the night. While you won’t get to everything, five minutes each night can help keep clutter at bay, and you will feel good about your home when you get up the next morning.
6. Drop your shoes at the door. Wearing shoes throughout your home is a great way to spread dirt, debris, bacteria, and more. Instead, corral shoes into bins to hide the clutter and offer guests clean socks or slippers for cold feet. Not only will your home look tidy, but you’ll also reduce the risk of pesticides and harmful bacteria, like E-coli, being spread throughout the house. You’ll also be less likely to grind dirt and debris into the floor and damage the finish. It’s also a sign of respect in several cultures, so all in all, shoes at the door are a big win!