Maintaining a spotless and organised home can feel like an overwhelming challenge. Mess accumulates and if you’re juggling work commitments, maintaining your wellbeing and keeping up with your social calendar, it’s all too easy for household upkeep to fall by the wayside.
Nigel Bearman, professional cleaner at Daily Poppins, revealed some of his expert strategies for maintaining a pristine home – and they don’t require lengthy sessions of cleaning and decluttering. Nigel’s advice centres on developing small routines gradually so that ultimately, they become second nature – whilst your home reaps the rewards. He explained: “The difference lies in the little things. Small, consistent habits that build up over time, and completely transform the way your home feels.”
His first recommendation is to always take something with you when leaving a room. It’s straightforward, and it works: if you’re heading to the kitchen to brew some tea and spot something in the sitting room that’s out of place, such as a used dish, a stray garment or some footwear, collect it and bring it along.
Whilst the kettle heats up, return the object to its proper location. Nigel explained: “This habit requires little thought as after a while it will become second nature, meaning you’re tidying up constantly without adding any extra time onto your day.”
In a similar vein, Nigel recommends people try and live by what he calls “the one minute rule”. It’s easy to get stuck in the “I’ll do that later” pattern, which can lead to tasks piling up and before you know it, you need to set aside several hours to complete all the tasks you’ve put off over the week.
Shifting your mindset to ‘if it takes less than a minute, do it now’ prevents clutter from accumulating. He said: “It’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency. Homes are built on quick wins that add up.”
If you frequently cook at home, but dread washing up afterwards and would rather leave dishes to soak for days at a time, Nigel urges cleaning as you go. He said: “Wipe down surfaces in between steps, load the dishwasher as things cook, and get in the habit of putting ingredients away the moment you’ve used them. These small changes can feel effortless once you’re used to them.”
Another way you can easily prevent your clutter from becoming overwhelming is to purge that secret shame drawer we all have – you know the one. Nigel calls it the ‘just in case’ drawer.
It’s full of random cables, old screwdrivers, loyalty cards you’ve never used and whatever other items you just can’t find a place for. If it hasn’t been used in the last year, it’s time to let it go.
Nigel said: “We often keep things out of guilt or habit, but that’s how clutter builds up secretly. Be honest with yourself and clear out anything that’s not serving a purpose.”
It’s also crucial to perform a daily and weekly “reset”. Each night before you retire, take ten minutes to return blankets to their rightful place, clear and wipe down the kitchen surfaces, empty any overflowing bins and put away the dishes.
If you’re concerned about this taking too much time, set a timer and do as much as you can within that period – a little often is the key to a clean home.
Similarly, a weekly deeper reset is a good idea. Set aside some time on Sunday (or whatever day suits you) to prepare for the week ahead by vacuuming and dusting.
Make it a routine, and if it’s done frequently, it won’t take long at all. Nigel stated: “Not only does it help you stay on top of things, but it also puts you in the tidy person mindset. You’ll naturally start noticing and taking on the small tasks throughout the week.”
