Building a home that feels calm, peaceful, and inviting is the best gift you can give yourself. And perhaps you have already done that – cleaned your home, cleared the clutter, and tidied your space – only for it to go back, a week or two later, to the cluttered mess it was before. Maintaining a streamlined home can sound like a difficult task, especially if you are working or an exhausted parent. But it doesn’t need to be this way – all it takes is putting a doable reset routine in place. And sticking to it.  

A reset routine can not only calmyour physical space, but your mental space as well. It can be the cue that your brain needs to unwind and feel ready for a fresh start. Having a daily reset routine of about 15-20 minutes throughout the day can help you stay on top of things and give you a sense of control over your life and home. Build a routine that is simple and easy to follow, something you can do on autopilot, and before you know it, it becomes a way for you to slow down and ground yourself in the present moment.  

Here are a few suggestions for setting up a daily reset routine:  

• Find a time that works for you – you are the best judge of the demands on your time and your energy levels. Depending on what your day looks like, schedule a 15-20 minute session and commit to it. Feel free to break this up into smaller slots throughout the day. Allow yourself to be flexible so that you don’t feel discouraged or defeated.   

• Do just the basics – make the bed, put clothes in the laundry basket or back in the closet, take a quick tour of the house and return items to their homes, wash the dishes, wipe down open surfaces and take out the trash. Being intentional with your space can go a long way. Pay attention to your little habits – if the keys always end up on the kitchen counter, then perhaps that’s where the key holder should be. This way, you are not forcing order but setting up systems that work for you.  

• Putting off all the big chores for the weekend can make us dread the process and give up even before we begin. Instead, try setting aside a day of the week for longer tasks like laundry or vacuuming – a timer, perhaps, to remind you to run the dishwasher or the washing machine. Then make yourself a cup of tea and gently tackle your laundry or dishes before they pile up.  

• Create a feeling of freshness and a sense of calm. Open the windows, light a candle, play some music – anything that makes your home feel like the ultimate comfort zone.  

Once your daily reset becomes part of your rhythm, you’ll notice there’s less need for big weekend clean-ups or marathon declutters. With your basics always done, you can then devote a small window to deep clean a room, change sheets, or restock and rearrange things during the weekend or a holiday.  

Creating a routine takes consistent effort. But consistency is never about perfection. Choose what matters to you most right now, maybe it’s the pile of random stuff on your dining table or a sprawling pile of shoes in the entrance. Give yourself time to find out what works for you and your space. And remember, it’s not about having a picture-perfect home. It’s about creating a space that feels like your safest haven -and every small effort takes you close!