Maintaining a clutter-free home is a simple way of keeping your living spaces as stress-free as possible. After all, if you do the hard work of downsizing and organizing the stuff that you have, you’ll need to actively keep up that cleanliness otherwise all that work would be for not. By creating a few new habits, your home can continue to be an oasis from the often stressful world outside.

Create a system that works for you

Organization has become a trend. There are entire stores dedicated to creating organization systems for your home. But just because something looks good in the store or in a video online doesn’t mean that it will work for you or your home. Everyone and every home is different, so it’s important that you find a method that works for you. If washing and refilling small milk jugs with drinks for the week stresses you out, opt to do something different. Organization is about helping you stay as stress-free as possible.

Everything has a home

Everything in your home should have a place to live. Your keys, wallet, shoes, bags of chips, and more all need somewhere to go instead of being placed haphazardly throughout your house. Make a habit of immediately putting your belongings in their designated spots instead of planning to move them later. It’s a small step that can really help reduce the clutter on your counters, dining table, or wherever else you tend to drop stuff.

Less is more

While you don’t have to be a minimalist to have a clutter-free home, there’s something to be said for having less things in your living spaces. Having less means being intentional with what you have. Before buying something new, consider how much you’ll use it. Do you already have something similar, or will it serve a new purpose? If you’re replacing or upgrading an item, remember to quickly donate or sell the old one so you don’t end up with more stuff in your home.

Clean as you go

Cleaning your home throughout the day is one of the easiest ways to maintain a clutter- and stress-free living space. Instead of waiting to do the dishes, do them right after you have dinner. When you actively work to maintain your home, you’ll find that it takes less time than a big weekly clean often takes. And this is something that you can help your kids learn too! You could have them practice putting one toy away before going for another. It’s a good habit that people of all ages can create.

Watch your habits

It’s important to pay attention to your own habits when it comes to keeping your home clutter-free. Do you leave your bed unmade in the mornings? Do you let your laundry sit in the dryer for a few days? Do you dig for something in your closet and say you’ll put it all back later? Whatever it may be, you can learn how to best maintain your home by watching what you do. It’s a learning process, so take the time to pay attention to your own tendencies.

Maintaining a clutter-free home doesn’t have to be a hardship or require a lot of time. When you actively work to keep your spaces organized, you’ll find your rooms to be more relaxing than they would otherwise.