10. Maintenance - this may be the most important step of all - keeping it up! Set a day once a week for regular straightening and picking up, even if it's just for 10 minutes. Then commit to a date once a month for a deeper clean. By taking small amounts of time to tackle small messes, you'll avoid a big chore later.{relatedarticles}

By following these easy guidelines, your home will be back in order in no time. Remember that it didn't take a day to create the mess, so it will take more than a day to remedy. But sticking to a plan will yield results the whole family can enjoy.