Sometimes a home gets messy. Not just mine — it happens to everyone. Whether it’s a busy day, a busy week, or a busy month, clutter and disorder show up. Stuff accumulates, motivation wanes, meals are made, kids or pets leave their mark, and before you know it, rooms feel unruly. The reasons vary, but the result is the same: mess happens.
Often the cause is simple: too many things and not enough places to put them. Sometimes it’s just that no one feels like tidying up. Other times the family’s daily life—eating, playing, working—creates a steady stream of small messes. No matter the cause, a practical approach keeps the situation under control.
I’ve shared my four daily routines for years because they work. They aren’t complicated or time-consuming; they’re straightforward habits that keep our home “clean enough.” Not perfect, but comfortable and manageable. We do the essentials and move on with life.
One of my favorite habits is what we call a cleaning frenzy.
When the house starts to feel chaotic, we pause, put on some upbeat music, and spend a short, focused burst of time tidying. It’s simple to start, and once one person jumps in, the energy spreads. Seeing someone else begin makes it easy to join in.
In a cleaning frenzy people wash dishes, clear counters, gather stray items from tables and floors, and put things back where they belong. Fifteen minutes can transform a room. You step back and feel surprised at how much cleaner everything looks—and how easy it was to get there. The hardest part is simply starting.
If you’re looking at a messy room right now, try a cleaning frenzy. Make it a quick group project if others are home: pick a room, play some music, set a 15-minute timer, and go. Small, consistent efforts add up to a noticeably tidier space and less stress for everyone.
Here’s the mission: step away from the screen, put on a favorite upbeat playlist, set a timer for 15 minutes, choose a room, and GO. You’ve got this.
When you finish, come back and share how it went. Ready, set, go!
Check out the author’s book page for titles including the New York Times bestseller Love the Home You Have and Make Room for What You Love.