Years ago I struggled to keep my house clean. I loved decorating and cared deeply about my home, but no matter how much I wanted a tidy space, I couldn’t figure out how to maintain it. I was overwhelmed by everything that needed attention.
Eventually I discovered that the key wasn’t trying to do everything at once. The trick was finding the one simple action that would inspire the next. Once I understood the domino principle—how one small step sets the next in motion—keeping up with the house became far more manageable.
In my book, I explain that my new routine began with one deliberate habit: making my bed every morning. If I missed it in the morning, I made it that afternoon. If I still hadn’t made it by bedtime, I made the bed before getting into it. That might seem odd, but the point wasn’t the bed itself. Making the bed became non-negotiable, a small but powerful signal that one accomplished task makes the next one easier.
That single act turned into momentum. Once the bed was made, other tasks—like wiping a counter, washing a few dishes, or tidying a drawer—felt more doable. Skipping that first step often led to a cascade of missed tasks, so starting the day with a simple, intentional action helped the rest of the day follow a better pattern.
My friend and author Jennifer Dukes Lee recently tried this bed-making ritual and described the effect perfectly. After a few small tasks, she felt more capable and energized, as if she had pulled herself out of household chaos. She noticed that accomplishing one small thing changed how she approached the next tasks, creating a chain of positive habits.
“I felt like a grown-up — a happy, legit grown-up with a made bed, a clean sink, one decluttered cupboard, and a pig on the counter. I felt like a woman who had miraculously pulled herself up from the energy-sucking Bermuda Triangle of Household Chaos.”
via Jennifer Dukes Lee, read the rest of her story at Want to Change the World? Start by Making Your Bed.
Adopting domino habits doesn’t require dramatic changes or large chunks of time. It’s about identifying small, repeatable actions that naturally lead to the next helpful step. For many people, making the bed is exactly that—a brief, intentional practice that signals the start of a productive day.
If you’re trying to make your home feel more orderly, pick one tiny, automatic habit to anchor your routine. It could be making the bed, clearing the sink after breakfast, or putting away one item each time you walk through a room. The consistency matters more than the size of the task. Over time, these little actions compound and make maintaining a home far less overwhelming.