We run in and out, tossing things haphazardly as we go. Our homes don't always get the treatment they deserve. But even if you're short on time, you can still have a home that helps alleviate stress rather than cause it. I am so excited to share 5 of my best tips for tidying your home quickly. You can do any of these tasks in 5 minutes or less. Doing them regularly will make a huge difference in the overall feel and aesthetic of your home. So, let's get to tidying!

5 QUICK WAYS TO TIDY YOUR HOME

1. Return items as you go

Each time you leave a room, take something with you that doesn't belong there and put it where it does belong. Easy, right? It takes very little effort and will save you so much time tidying in the long run. If you're leaving the living room, take your dirty dishes to the kitchen. If you're leaving the kitchen, take your coat to the coat closet. If you're leaving the bedroom, take the donation box out to the car so it is ready to drop off when you're running errands.

2. 5-Minute Family Clean-Up

Start a 5-minute clean-up routine. If you have a spouse or children, you can make it a family activity. Everyone should work hard tidying up the house for 5 minutes. Let your family know that if they work really hard for 5 minutes they can stop when the timer goes off. I recently started doing this in my home, and my kids get so excited to see how much they can get done in 5 minutes. It has made a world of difference in how well the kids tidy up, and it is much easier to maintain order in our home.

3. Toss Trash Immediately

Even if it's just one paper towel on the counter, one tissue on the desk, or one plastic bottle on the couch, it's still clutter. Clutter really does attract clutter. If you leave one piece of trash lying around, it's easier to leave a second piece and a third. That's just the way it goes. I find it very helpful to throw away trash immediately. Throw away packaging as you're cooking. Throw away or recycle anything that you don't need in your home. Don't allow it to pile up. It literally takes one second to throw it away. So, do it. Toss that trash!

4. Deal with Incoming Papers Immediately

Stacks of papers used to be the bane of my existence. I would quickly thumb through incoming mail, pull out anything that needed to be paid or signed and throw the rest into a pile. Bad idea! This made it difficult to find any papers I wanted kept for reference and coupons were lost until past expiration. Some important things ended up there as well. Don't do it! About a year ago, I got completely caught up on all filing, shredding, etc. I started going through every incoming item and fully dealing with it that day. It has been awesome!

I bring the mail in the kitchen door and lay it on the counter. As I open each piece, I put it into one of four piles: trash, shred, file, action. As soon as everything is sorted, I immediately throw away the trash, shred papers that need to be shredded, file anything I want to keep, and take care of any items that need action (paying a bill, signing a form, putting coupons directly into my purse). It usually takes around 1-2 minutes to complete, and I have never looked back! Life is so much easier when you don't have stacks and stacks of papers to deal with. It's too overwhelming. You deserve the peace of mind that comes with a clutterfree home. So if you're tempted to toss the incoming mail into a pile today? Take my advice. Don't. Determine your sorting categories, sort items, and deal with it now. As Adrian Monk says, "You'll thank me later." :)

Note: If you're already behind on dealing with past mail, go ahead and start fresh today. You can go through the piles later when you have time. Chances are you're going to look at the mail whether or not you actually "deal" with it now. So save yourself some heartache, and just do it all at once.

5. 1-2 Minute Rule

If a task only takes around 1-2 minutes to complete, go ahead and do it now. If you can deal with something only once, do it. Don't leave it to deal with later. If you have one or two dishes in the sink, go ahead and wash them or put them in the dishwasher. If you need to put away your coat and shoes, go ahead and do that. If you need to take the trash outside, do it as soon as you notice it. Completing these small tasks adds up over time to create a more peaceful and manageable home. If you take care of duties as they arise, you won't have to write them on a to-do list or keep them in mind.

My mantra: Do it now, and it is done.

These tips can really be summed up into one main concept:

Take care of short or easy tasks immediately. Don't let things pile up until it becomes overwhelming. Each task you do helps keep your home more manageable.

WANT MORE TIPS?

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MY FREE GUIDE: "30 Days to a Simpler Home."

Thanks for reading!

<3 Sierra