If you want to keep your house clean and organized, it won’t happen by accident!  But it’s easier to do than you think. For example, you don’t have to be a total neat freak whatsoever, but you will need to drop a few messy habits. Nope, can’t leave the clothes on the floor anymore. After that, comes making your house more functional and a dash of organization. And just like, you have the recipe to a drool worthy house that actually stays clean.

So if you’ve been busting your butt trying to keep your house clean but it still seems to fall apart like wet tissue paper, pay attention.  The items I listed below will help you eliminate unsightly messes, clutter & chaos once and for all! Whether you have a full-time job, a troop of small children or you’re a bonafide lazy girl – let me hear you say owwww because this list is for you!  (Yes, I know that was cheesy!)

Five Drool-Worthy Things You Need To Keep Your House Clean & Organized. All The Time.

1 | Baskets Are Bonafide Magic // A Must-Have To Keep Your House Clean

You don’t want to use them for junk or clutter BUT…the brilliant thing about baskets is you can use them to temporarily hide your messes. Emphasis on temporarily.  It’s one of the secret hacks to always having a house that looks clean and organized – especially if you’re always on the go!   Just be sure to go back later to declutter that basket!  

But aside from the obvious functional perks, baskets give your house that oomph, that pop, that thing that brings all the boys to the yard! Baskets have a magical way of making you fall in love with your house. Be prepared because you’re gonna see basket all throughout this post!

INSPO | WHEN YOU’RE SHORT ON SPACE, GRAB A BIG BASKET

Photo cred + tip

Especially if your bathroom lacks cabinet space, finding a spot to store clean towels and other extras is a must. Enter, the basket. Roll your towels for a casual feel (and to help them fit in a round basket). If you like that basket, I found a gorgeous one similar to it that I think I’m going to buy soon. Check it out below.

FIND THIS ITEM ON AMAZON // Large Dark Basket

INSPO | KITCHEN ORGANIZATION GLORY

Phot cred + tips

Baskets are the perfect tool to organize your pantry. You can use larger wicker baskets to organize cookbooks, cereal boxes, bags of chips, and even small appliances. Smaller baskets work well for tea bags, seasonings, snack bars, etc.

Once you get the pantry organized, grab some cute chalkboard labels to keep everything organized.  The labels are actually the most important part in my opinion.  

FIND THESE ITEMS ON AMAZON // Small Square Baskets + Hanging Chalkboard Labels + Clear Food Storage Containers

INSPO | GRAB-N-GO ON THE FLY WITH LARGE BASKETS

Photo cred

I love this entryway designed by Rooms For Tuesday! Those baskets under the table are adorable.  Hmmm…I’m thinking jackets, book bags & purses fit in those baskets! And if I may add, that is one sexy basket!

FIND THIS ITEM ON AMAZON // Entryway Basket

KIDS PLAYROOM STORAGE W/BASKETS

WHERE TO FIND THESE BASKETS / You can get cloth or woven baskets from Amazon, Hobby Lobby, Target & the list goes on. Personally, I prefer the woven baskets over the cloth ones because they seem to hold up better. The cloth ones I’ve gotten in the past get fuzzy & weird looking after a while. Maybe they were just cheap or something…meh.

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Smart Girls Guide To A Clean And Organized Houe | 10 Actionable Tips for more ideas on how to create and keep your house clean and organized!

2 | A Scanner + Shredder + Filing System // Kiss Paper Clutter Goodbye

Paper clutter…what do you do with it all?  Well, in the 21st century, you scan it, file it or shred it!  Or just say no by opting for the paperless option whenever possible. Paper clutter is one of those things that makes your house look messy so it’s something you HAVE to stay on top of.  

The simplest thing you can do to keep paper clutter under control is create a drop zone for all paper coming into the house. ALL of it. Mail, school stuff, work crap, etc. It all goes in one area whether it be a basket, a box a mail sorter, etc. Then the second piece of the puzzle is to actually go through and destroy everything that’s not needed OFTEN. The more paper you have coming in, the more you probably want to seek & destroy.

Let’s talk about children’s artwork for a second. They’re always bringing home adorable pictures right? But your counters can only hold but so much adorableness right? So what should you do with these keepsakes? Put em’ in the trash. Seriously. Instead of trying to hold on to everything, try to select a piece that’s actually special. Maybe there’s a story behind it like this is the first photo Lauren brought home when she started Kindergarten. Now that’s special. So frame it. Put it up where you can see it. Where other’s can enjoy it. And toss the rest. You’ll thank yourself later.

INSPO | PUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO HANDLE PAPER CLUTTER IN ONE PLACE & BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Keep everything you need close by to easily handle paper before it turns into clutter! Remember you simply need to shred it, scan it or file it to keep things under control! Having a set-aside time to handle your paper clutter, is crucial to keeping your house clean and organized all the time.

HIDE YOUR SCANNER OR PRINTER IF POSSIBLE

Let’s face it, printers and scanners are big, bulky & don’t quite add much in terms of deor value but thankfully there’s a workaround for that. Instead of placing on your desk or counter, you can hide – or camouflage – your printer or scanner in a large drawer, inside of a bookshelf or on a cute cart.

FIND THESE ITEMS ON AMAZON // Cart +  Scanner + Shredder + Paper Trays + Accordion File System + Wall Paper Organizer 

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO READ // The Marie Kondo Way Not Your Style? Try The Pragmatic Declutter Method For Practical People to easily banish your clutter issues!

3 | A Bench + Shoe Storage // Hello Very Organized + Tidy Entryway

A mountain of shoes at the front door is an absolute no-go if you want to keep your home flawless.   It’s unsightly but the good news is that it’s a completely avoidable mess. Set up your entryway so that you can kick off your shoes, purse, bags, etc, but can do so in a way that doesn’t look messy.   Don’t be afraid to experiment. A mixture of shoe storage solutions, baskets & creative thinking can really glam this area up!  

INSPO | A LESS IS MORE ENTRYWAY SOLUTION

This fabulousy simple entryway solution is definitely drool-worthy & perfect for small spaces!   It’s the perfect mix of style & functionality. Key hooks at the top & shoes at the bottom – throw a large basket on the side and I think we’ve got perfection! 

INSPO | FARMHOUSE MEETS FAB FUNCTIONALITY AT THE ENTRYWAY

This entryway is warm, inviting & oozes functionality which is just what we are looking for. Notice the subtle things like a welcome mat that helps keep dirt & debris at the door and chalkboard labels on the baskets that add even more order to an area that is usually chaotic!

SHOP THESE ITEMS ON AMAZON // Entryway + Welcome Mat + Wall Hooks + Storage Bench + Chalkboard Labels + Floating Shelves + Espresso Square Baskets

4 | Closet + Drawer Organization // Now That Looks Good

Oh boy – bet you didn’t expect this. If you don’t want anyone to open your closets, today we are going to change that! A seriously clean and organized house requires you to get the messes that are in sight and out of sight! Not just our closets but drawers too. Luckily, once you put a few things in place, as long as you stay on top of clutter, they will easily stay in order.

But one word of advice – declutter these areas first and then you can get to the gloriously fun task of organizing!

As beautifully illustrated here, it seriously doesn’t matter whether we are talking about a big closet, a small closet, a linen closet or your closet, you can easily turn your closets from a hot mess into total drool-worthiness with a few simple things. And no, your clothes do not need to be color-coded!

Just keep in mind that to win this game, a certain level of uniformity is the key. Jackets with jackets, hangers should be the same, storage solutions should be complimentary – basically no janky, mix-matchy stuff in the closet! Easy right?

ITEMS YOU NEED TO TAME YOUR CLOSETS + DRAWERS

• Hangers | You want to make sure all of your hangers are the same or at least from the same family, not to mention durable. Get rid of the ones you get from the dry cleaners ASAP!
• Baskets | You can use them in any way you see fit. In addition to small baskets, I keep a big, pretty basket on the floor in my closet to toss clean clothes that I tried on while searching for something to wear.
• Unstuff It | This isn’t a thing, but if your closet or drawers are stuffed, you’ve gotta unstuff em’. Or, declutter them
• Hooks | Over the door hooks are great for accessories like scarves and belts as well as clothing.
• Drawer Organizers | You can set your drawers straight with anything from labeled ziplock bags to actual drawer dividers. You have plenty of room to get creative here.

FIND THESE ITEMS ON AMAZON // Hangers + Large Floor Basket + Copper Over The Door Hooks + Drawer Organizers For Clothing + Drawer Organizers For Stuff

5 | Buzzworthy Cleaning Products + Tools That’ll Help You Keep Your House Clean

You ever heard the saying we can do this the easy way or the hard way? Well, when it comes to cleaning, that couldn’t be truer! If your aim is to keep your house clean and organized, you need cleaning products and tools that are easy for you to use, will help you clean easily & quickly, and more importantly, excite you!

So let’s toss the dingy rags and busted vacuums & opt for a few things that’ll have you running home just to clean!

INSPO | CLEANING PRODUCTS THAT DO MORE… A LOT MORE

I recently moved and my new home has beautiful satin gloss dark hardwood floors – and they are unforgiving, to put it mildly! You can literally see every little microscopic speck of nothing on the floor!

Combined with the fact that my three little ones are now toddlers – there are plenty of crumbs to go around. Moral of the story, if you have dark floors, you can probably relate – get one of these ASAP!

VIEW THE VACUUM ROBOT IN MY AMAZON WISHLIST // iRobot

Natural Cleaning Products That You’ll Feel Good About Using

• Blueland | Previously on Shark Tank & will become a household brand soon! DROOL-WORTHY AWARD!
• Jaws | Just add water to non-toxic water
• Method | 9 times out 10, this is what I’m using to clean at home!

FIND THESE BRANDS ONLINE // Blueland + Jaws + Method

🤩 Cleaning Tools That’ll Make You Look Like A Pro

• Microfiber Glass Towels | If you struggle to clean glass, these are a must! They make you look like a real pro. I buy these for my staff!
• DocaPole High-Dusting Tools | No more Swiffer dusters! Invest in durable, sleek high-dusters that you can wash. Save some money & look high-end with these tools!
• Shark Vacuum Cleaner | All vacuums are not created equal! If you want a vacuum that pulls you along on a magical ride, while sucking up everything in sight, this is the way to go. On a side note, I recommend Shark if you have carpet & hardwood floors. Dyson if you have mostly hardwoods!
• Super Wide Microfiber Floor Mop | This super-wide floor mop will save you soo much time because it can cover an insane amount of floor in one swipe! You will literally fly when it’s time to clean the floor!

SHOP THE CLEANING PRODUCTS & TOOLS THAT’LL MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A PRO // Microfiber Glass Towels + DocaPole High Dusting Tools + Shark Vacuum Cleaner + Dyson Vacuum Cleaner + Microfiber Cleaning Set + Wide Microfiber Floor Mop

👉 You May Also Want To Read //

• The Ultimate Fail Proof Cleaning Schedule For Working Moms
• How To Keep Your House Clean With Kids
• The Giant List of Ways To Keep Your House Clean

🥳 Best Selling Items This Week From The Blog //

• Dye Catchers Cut down how long it takes to do laundry with these! Toss everything into the washing machine and get on to all the other things. Without worrying about those whites turning pink.
• Scotch Brite Non-Scratch Scrubbers If I have to choose between these & my husband, I’m definitely taking the scrubbers. They seriously do allllllll the work when it’s time to clean. Unlike him.
• Window/Glass Cleaning Cloths Ok, if you believe it’s impossible to have streak-free mirrors or glass, prepare to be impressed. You don’t even need window cleaner with these things. Just a little water & shizam. All clear.
• The Roboroc Robot Vacuum It sweeps, mops and is soo smart, it avoids both cat puke & dog terds 🤯. If you have pets, you know that’s huge. It’s also $30 off right now.

Summary // Five Drool-Worthy Things You Need To Keep Your House Clean & Organized

1 | Baskets have no limits! Use them in every single nook and cranny of your house!

2 | A scanner, shredder and discreet ways to file your paperwork will banish paper clutter for good!

3 | Entryway shoe storage is a must-have to tame the front of the house

4 | Closet and drawers organizers will are heaven sent!

5 | The right cleaning products keep everything sparkling!

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