10 Things Tidy People Always Do

Do you ever walk into a home with kids and it is tidy and you wonder how? Did they know you were coming and cleaned it before you got there?

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Maybe, but chances are it’s because a tidy mom runs the house. What does it mean to be a tidy mom? How is the house always clean? I am going to discuss 10 things tidy people always do. This may answer some of those burning questions you have.

1. They Never Go to Bed Without First Tidying Up

Once the kids are down, the first thing they do is tidy up the house. They pick up the toys, make sure all of the counters are clear, the sink is empty and the laundry is folded and blankets put away. Tidy people will never go to bed until their home has been straightened up. They need to wake up to a clean house. That is just one of the 10 things tidy people always do.

2. Everything Has a Designated Place

Everything has a home. There is a playroom in my home and the room can get flipped upside down but it takes no time to clean, because I successfully categorized all of the toys. This may sound type A, and I am not denying that I am type A, but it is not as crazy as it sounds. I just mean there is a general space for everything. I keep a big container for all stuffed animals, dolls etc. All the kitchen utensils go by the play kitchen, all the tools go by the tool set. The coloring books and notepads go in organizers by the kids table. Trains go on the train table, small dolls and furniture go by the playhouse. All other miscellaneous toys get put into this big toy organizer.

You get the point. Not genius at all. Or so you may think. Setting it up this way is not only super easy to clean yourself, but it makes it very easy for the kids as well. This is the doll bin; this is where the dolls go. Here is the tool bench, this is where the tools go. The kitchen is where the kitchen stuff goes. Sounds easy right? It is.

3. They Put Dishes in the Dishwasher Right After Use

There are never dishes in the sink. If the dishes can’t go in the sink, there is no putting them on a drying mat to dry. Tidy people hand wash the dishes and immediately towel dry them and put them away so they are not sitting on the counters all day. It is part of their daily routine that after each meal, all dishes are put away or in the dishwasher for cleaning. You will never see dirty dishes in a tidy person’s sink.

4. They Make the Beds Every Day

Upon waking making the beds is one of the first things tidy people always do. They make it part of their daily routine. The beds might not be perfectly made, but the covers and pillows are all in place. When the beds are made, the rooms always look clean. They also like turning the beds down at night before they go to sleep.

5. They Never Walk Up the Stairs Without Taking Things Up

Put it this way, if they are walking anywhere, it’s usually with something in hand. They are never really empty handed. It’s something tidy people don’t even really think about. If they are walking up the stairs, they are almost always carrying something up. They are really picking things up all day. Tidy people are happier when the areas are clear and organized. It is second nature for them to see something, pick it up and put it away.

6. They Put the Laundry Away Right After Folding

The clothes do not end up sitting on the table or in a basket on the floor. They fold the laundry and in the same motion, they immediately put the laundry back in the drawers and/or hung in the closet. Tidy people like finishing the job and do not feel complete or whole when something is not completely finished. It is part of their makeup.

7. They Wipe Down the Bathroom Sinks After Using Them

Keeping bathrooms clean is almost as important as keeping the kitchen clean. Whenever someone uses the bathroom, there is almost always water droplets, soap spots, toothpaste spills and towels not folded back how they were. A tidy person is always looking to wipe the counters, refold the towels and organize the soap and counter décor. A tidy bathroom is a must for tidy people.

8. They Have Empty Counters in The Kitchen

This should really be number one. I have never walked into a tidy home that had stuff on the counters. It’s another characteristic and attribute that tidy people always do. They clear their counters. It is so easy to use counter space to store things but tidy people don’t think this way. They need empty counter space. They find storage for just about anything and choose to minimize if things do not fit in the cabinets. You will almost always find empty counters in a tidy person’s home. If there are things that need to be put on the counters, they are placed in closed storage containers or kept to a minimal. For example, only things that are used everyday are on the counters.

9. Open Shelving is Orderly

Tidy people typically do not like open shelving. There is too much room for disorder on the shelves. Any time something is out in the open and used for a purpose, it is difficult to keep things orderly. If there are shelves in a tidy person’s home, it is typically only used for static décor and not for anything else. When shelves are out in the open and messy it doesn’t sit right with tidy people.

10. They Have Organization Systems for Shoes and Coats

If there is no room in the closets or there is not a closet right by a door, then there is an organization system that houses all of the seasonal coats, shoes, hats, mittens, scarves, umbrellas, boots etc. In the Midwest, there is a change of seasons often so there is always a lot of outdoor accessories. Tidy people have an organization system in place so that everything is orderly and not strewn all over the place.

Tidy people often do not look at themselves as being OCD because it is more about being orderly and not necessarily super clean. They just like things to be clean, clear and empty. It makes them happier. They feel more organized in their head and they operate better and feel better when they are in a tidy home. It is not something they really stress about because it is more of a passive behavior for them. The next time you walk into a home, or maybe it’s your own, look around and see what is “tidy” in their home. Most of the time you will notice these areas and how tidy they are, no matter if they expect to see you or not.

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