How to Get Your Home So Clean, Even Your Mom Would Approve

Making your bed first thing only takes a couple of minutes yet makes a big difference in how put-together a room looks. It's quick and easy to do, plus, the physical action of making your bed can help set a standard for how you approach tidying up throughout the rest of your day. Once this simple task is done, you'll feel more inclined and motivated to keep your space neat.

To make things easier, try simplifying your bedding as much as possible. Maybe get rid of a top sheet or do away with a decorative pillow or two in order to streamline the process.

Nothing says "mess" more than multiple piles of clothes lying around. And while doing laundry may seem like a daunting task, when done regularly, it doesn't require much effort beyond throwing clothes in a machine and pressing "start."

For whitening and sanitizing, add Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX® to your load of whites. This will help keep your clothes whiter longer while killing 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria. Just make sure to build in time for putting away the laundry as well. Piles of clothes still look unsightly even if they're clean!

Fact: if your supplies are within arm's reach, you're more likely to use them. With supplies at the ready, you'll quickly be able to clean up as you see fit.

For example, in each bathroom, you'll want to keep a toilet scrub brush and Clorox® Clinging Bleach Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaner on hand in order to easily maintain a sparkling, germ-free toilet.

Try your best to keep busy areas of your home clean on a daily basis. This will go a long way in helping to prevent the spread of dirt, dust, and crumbs throughout the rest of your house. These areas most likely include the main entrance, a mud room, and the kitchen (especially counters and tabletops).

One way to stop dirt in its tracks is to have a dedicated spot for shoes at all entrances of your house. This will remind everyone to take off their footwear, confining dirt to one spot. Rugs or mats will also help trap incoming muck. For countertops, do a quick scan after every meal, making sure to wipe up any lingering food particles.

Maintaining a clean home requires more than the obvious sweeping floors, wiping down countertops, and scrubbing the toilet. Especially when it comes to preventing germs from spreading, make sure you're cleaning doorknobs and handles regularly with disinfectant. Clorox® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach spray cleans a variety of surfaces and removes dirt all while killing 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses.

Other unexpected areas not to miss include shower heads and faucets, room corners, furniture crevices, picture frames, and baseboards.

Tidying up your actual belongings will make cleaning a whole lot easier in the long run. And while home organization doesn't happen overnight, you can start by focusing on one room at a time, making sure everything has a designated place.

When putting things away, aim for spots that are easily accessible, which will help ensure the space stays neat. In the end, fewer items out and about cuts down on dusting and makes cleaning quicker and more effective.

This one may seem obvious, but it's worth reminding yourself to try to do simple tasks like wiping the toilet and scrubbing toothpaste off the sink as you see the need. This also includes hanging clothes back up or putting them directly in the laundry, loading dishes directly into the dishwasher, and putting your shoes and coat away as you enter the house.

Most of these cleanups only take a minute or two, and they will significantly reduce how often you need to do a top-to-bottom cleanse.

Although small cleanups here and there are extremely helpful and effective, there's no way to get around needing a full-blown deep clean every so often. Schedule one of these bad boys every other week or so, and set aside a few hours to tackle everything. We're talking an intense toilet cleanse, scrubbing the shower until it sparkles, vacuuming every room, dusting the furniture and the blinds, and essentially taking care of all the other chores you typically try to avoid. Put on some music or listen to your favorite podcast, and the time will go by quickly!

In an effort to control messes, designate about 15 minutes every night to a small cleanup. This is your chance to clear the sink by taking care of the day's dishes, folding the blanket you just used on the couch, or putting away toys that were left on the floor. Make it a nightly routine, set a timer, and get it done. Waking up to a cleaner home will leave you feeling refreshed and in control of your space.