A little effort each day will be worth it

A home as beautiful as one in an interior design magazine spread can be achieved in one simple way: clean it up!

Treat your space consciously and intentionally so that your home looks like the after shots of a house reno in an episode on HGTV.

Some tips to turn into habits for an organized, cozy abode include keeping clothes off the floor and keeping piles off nightstands. In fact, avoid cluttering up all those surfaces. Clear floors, tables, and smoothly made beds let everything just flow.

If you’re like most people, shoes, coats, dirty clothes, clean clothes and everything else that gets worn can get a little lost when it’s not…being worn. Keep your laundry area neat and the whole process of doing it routine to avoid the “was-there-a-tornado-in-here” décor. Otherwise your house will very much resemble a teenager’s bedroom.

Southern Living suggests to make your entryway more efficient. This means, maximize what it’s used for – arrival and departure. Just keep there what you need there, and remember it’s the first thing visitors will see.

Another key idea is to have a “command center.” This is where each family member’s little belongings sprinkled all over the house can be divvied up and piled. It’s also a place to organize all the things we have to do, dates we have to remember, and bills we have to get to when we aren’t kicking back on the couch.