Discover 10 tried-and-true home rules to live by that will help you create a clean and stress-free home you actually enjoy living in. These easy daily habits and home organization tips will help you keep your space tidy, calm, and comfortable (even when life gets busy!)
Wondering what home rules to live by that can actually help you keep your home clean, calm, and stress-free?
Over the past seven years of owning our home, my husband and I have slowly developed ten simple home rules that truly work for us.
These “rules” didn’t appear overnight. They evolved as we figured out our routines, and learned the little things that made our daily lives easier.
While these home rules have worked for us, every household is different. So, think of them as inspiration rather than rigid instructions you have to follow suit.
My hope is that they inspire you to look at your own home and lifestyle, and form habits that truly support you and your family.
Keep reading to learn the 10 tried-and-true home rules to live by that have helped my husband and me create a home that feels clutter-free yet lived-in, and easy to maintain.
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Table of Contents
10 Home Rules We Live By For A Peaceful & Stress-Free Home
- Make the bed every morning
- Keep the living room tidy every night before bed
- Get a robot vacuum for daily cleaning + hire a housekeeper once a month to deep clean
- Do the dishes right away after meals
- No outside clothes on the bed
- Make sure everything within our home has a home
- Display things we love
- Set the table whenever we host
- Decorate with intention
- Have two kitchen sinks
Make the bed every morning
If I’m being completely honest, I never used to make my bed every morning until I met my husband (then boyfriend!)
He told me that making the bed every morning can make a big difference in how a home feels.
And you know what? He’s absolutely right!
When the bed is made, the whole room instantly looks tidier.
It also feels like a small win first thing in the morning, which for some reason, makes me feel like I’m going to be just as productive for the rest of the day.
And at the end of a long day, I can honestly say nothing feels more relaxing than climbing into a neatly made bed.
So if you’ve ever wondered whether those five minutes in the morning are really worth it, it’s a wholehearted yes from me.
You might not even notice it at first, but a smooth, tidy bed reduces visual clutter.
And, that small sense of order can quietly lower your stress and make for a peaceful home.
Keep the living room tidy every night before bed
Now, I know it’s not always realistic to deep clean the entire apartment or house every day, especially if you have kids or pets running around.
But one habit that’s truly changed things for me is resetting the living room every night before bed.
Why? Well, simply because the living room is the FIRST thing I see when I step out of my bedroom in the morning. And, starting my day with a tidy, clean view instantly puts me in a better headspace.
Waking up to a clean living room makes me feel like I’m starting fresh – no matter how bad the day before was.
It’s my way of making sure the living room reflects my state of mind every morning – fresh, calm, and peaceful!
Since it’s just my husband and me in our apartment (for now…), keeping the living room tidy doesn’t take much time at all.
Every night, I…
- Fold the throw blanket and fluff the throw pillows
- Clear and wipe down the coffee table
- Toss any trash
- Switch off all of the electronics
That’s it – just a quick reset that makes the space feel calm again!
I’m sure this routine will change once we have kids, so I’ll be sure to update these steps when that happens!
Get a robot vacuum for daily cleaning + hire a housekeeper once a month to deep clean
I think many of you will relate to this – I love a clean home, but I don’t actually love cleaning.
But, over time, my husband and I have created a simple home cleaning routine that keeps our place looking tidy without constant cleaning.
Instead of doing everything ourselves, we focus on systems that work in the background and habits that make daily upkeep easier.
One of the biggest game-changers for us was investing in a robot vacuum that vacuums and mops.
We run it daily on a timer while we’re at work, so when we come home at the end of the day, the floors are already taken care of.
If there’s one thing I’d genuinely recommend splurging on for your home, it’s a robot vacuum.
It saves time, effort, and mental load. And I promise, once you have one, there’s no going back!!!
The second decision we made was to hire a housekeeper once a month for a deep clean.
I know this is a privilege, and it’s something we had to budget intentionally for.
We spend less in other areas so we can protect our time and energy here. Instead of spending entire weekends cleaning bathrooms and scrubbing floors, we get to rest and actually enjoy our home.
Our housekeeper follows our full deep-clean checklist, which keeps our home maintenance manageable in between visits.
Knowing a full reset is coming every month makes everyday tidying feel far less overwhelming for me too.
If you want to keep a clean home without constant cleaning, focusing on the right tools and routines can make all the difference.
I have the older version of this Ecovacs robot vacuum, but this new model is such an upgrade and has amazing reviews! It works on multiple floor types (hardwood, carpet, tile), has surprisingly strong suction while still staying quiet, and the setup is incredibly quick. It also has a self-clean cycle and a long-lasting battery, so it’s really easy to maintain.
Do the dishes right away after meals
I know doing the dishes isn’t exactly anyone’s favorite chore, but I can’t stress enough how much easier it is to wash them right after meals instead of putting it off.
Trust me, future you will thank you!
When you clean up immediately, everything rinses off so much faster.
But once food dries onto plates, bowls, and pots, it becomes stubborn, sticky, and frankly…. pretty gross.
If you use a dishwasher, you’ll probably end up scrubbing everything anyway just to get the dried bits off (and that’s double the work you were trying to avoid in the first place!)
Also, let’s be honest: nothing disrupts the feeling of a clean home more than the lingering smell of dirty dishes left in the sink!
Look, I won’t pretend this was easy in the beginning. The last thing I want to do after cooking (especially when I’ve used half the kitchen) is clean up!
But the more I committed to washing things right away, the more it felt like second nature to me.
At the end of the day, I’m all about convenience and not creating extra chores for myself.
A quick rinse now is so much better than a full-on scrubbing session later!
No outside clothes on the bed
Now, this is an Asian household, so you already know one of the home rules to live by is our strict “no outdoor shoes inside” rule.
I know people have mixed opinions about this, but honestly… if your shoes have been everywhere, the last place they should be is inside your home.
Otherwise, you’ll end up cleaning far more often than you need to. Just imagine all the dirt and grime you’re tracking in!
If you’re not used to being barefoot indoors, I highly recommend getting a pair of soft indoor slippers. I have a pair I love – they’re cozy, warm, and snug (better than any outdoor shoes imho!)
Similarly, we also follow a “no outside clothes on the bed” policy.
That means showering and changing into our home clothes (which we only wear at home – think sweats, cute lounge clothes, and pjs) before getting into bed.
For me, our bed is a little sanctuary, and I want to keep it as clean as possible.
You never know what your clothes have brushed up against outdoors (public seating, dusty corners, and crowded spaces!) – so I try not to bring any of that into the one place I want to feel completely clean and calm!
I know it might sound like a lot, and I might sound like a borderline neat freak, but these small habits truly improve my day.
Slipping into a clean bed, wearing fresh clothes, and knowing your space is clean and peaceful actually helps me sleep better!
Make sure everything within our home has a home
When everything in your home has a home, you’ll naturally end up with fewer cluttered surfaces. And, that is amazing because it means you’ll have fewer things to clean up!
In our home, keys always go in the entryway console drawer, linens stay in the linen cupboard, and books live in the bookcase.
If I start struggling to find space for something, that’s usually my cue that I have too much stuff and it’s time for me to declutter.
Creating designated homes for your belongings means once you’re done using something, you can put it right back where it belongs.
No random piles on the floor, no “temporary” spots that become permanent, and no more surfaces disappearing under clutter!
It’s a small mindset shift, but believe me, this will keep your home calm, organized, and easier to maintain.
Have a lot of stuff but only one storage space? No worries! In the photo above, you can see that I organized my hall closet by section, using different containers and baskets to separate items. This way, everything has its own spot, and it’s so much easier to find what I need without creating a mess.
Display things we love
Now, I’ve talked a lot about keeping my home clean and clutter-free, but that doesn’t mean your space should feel cold or sterile.
A home should look lived in and reflect the things that bring you joy.
One of my favourite home rules to live by is this: display what you truly love.
For me, that’s ceramics and pretty tableware, so I style my floating shelves with pieces that make me smile every time I walk past.
I also keep my bag collection in my Ikea Billy case – partly for storage, but mostly because seeing them all lined up beautifully just makes me happy!
The key is to give these special items a designated home.
When they’re displayed with intention (grouped thoughtfully, given breathing room, and arranged neatly), they add personality without creating visual clutter.
But when they’re scattered randomly around the house, even the prettiest things can look messy and chaotic.
So choose a few categories of items you love, decide exactly where they’ll live, and let them shine.
Set the table whenever we host
Similarly, a house truly becomes a home when it’s filled with memories, especially the kind we create with family and friends.
For me, that often happens around the dining table. I genuinely love setting the table whenever we host!
I know it might seem like “extra work,” but the joy on my friends’ faces when they sit down to a beautiful tablescape makes every minute worth it.
Setting the table feels like my small way of showing love and making people feel special.
But here’s the thing: tablescapes don’t need to be fancy, complicated, or expensive.
Most of my everyday tablescapes are incredibly simple.
I reuse pieces I already own, mix and match what I have, and create relaxed setups that are perfect for casual meals where there are zero rules.
Decorate with intention
Another one of my favourite home rules to live by is to decorate with intention.
While I love keeping up with home decor trends, I don’t want my home to feel like a carbon copy of whatever is popular on Instagram that week.
That’s why I try to decorate with pieces that carry meaning or tell a story.
When you choose decor intentionally, your home feels more you.
Take my little gallery wall in my home office.
At first glance, it looks like a collection of simple art pieces, but every single item has a memory attached to it.
Many of them are postcards from friends over the years. I even framed a poem my best friend wrote for me when we were sixteen.
And that star map? It shows the exact constellation on the night and in the place my husband and I first met.
If you’re trying to make your home feel more personal, fill it with things that make you smile every time you walk past them.
Frame a meaningful note, display a souvenir from a trip, or choose decor that reflects your hobbies or history.
Have two kitchen sinks
This might not be an option for everyone, but if you’re planning a kitchen renovation, please consider building two kitchen sinks!
We have two, and it makes life so much easier, especially when hosting.
One sink can be full of dishes or food prep, while the other is free for guests to use.
Even just for the two of us at home, having two sinks is a huge convenience.
One of us can tackle the dishes while the other washes fruits, vegetables, or even just rinses something by hand.
It keeps the kitchen workflow seamless and prevents cross-contamination when prepping food.
If you ever have the chance to add a second sink, it’s one of those investments that pays off in everyday convenience.
Which home rules to live by do you think will make the biggest difference in your home?
