Dilly Carter, a professional organiser with 25 years of experience and a star of Stacey Solomon's BBC show Sort Your Life Out, has shared a simple daily habit to stop mess building up at home. On a recent episode of the How to Home podcast (9 July), she was asked whether her advice could be distilled into a single task to help people build "healthy" cleaning habits for the long term.
The key mantra for a tidy home
Dilly said: "I think routine is so important; I love routine. So I think once you've got that structure, then you can create that routine. It's putting it away, not putting it down, is key, okay.
"So everything that you're doing every day, instead of just putting it down and thinking, 'I'll deal with that later', put it away. That saying is so important; 'Don't put it down, put it away'.
Everyday examples
She gave everyday examples, saying it can be tempting to leave your shoes by the front door or drape your jacket over a chair, but she stressed that you should put them back where they belong straight away. "So put everything away rather than putting it down. If you can try and live by that rule every day, then it's more likely that things aren't gonna build up all the time."
Related cleaning advice
It comes after a member of the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group asked for advice on yellow staining on a white toilet seat, with people warning her against using bleach. One said: "Don't use bleach, it will make it worse." Another said: "Brand new toilet and wiped with bleach, now it goes yellow all the time". But others offered a simple solution.
One said: "White vinegar, leave it overnight. Maybe do [it a] couple [of] times until it comes [up] clean." A second said: "Loads [of] people do not understand that white vinegar, baking soda and lemon are all natural cleaning products for the toilet, sink, bath, kitchen, floors, etc. Superb. Toothpaste cleans taps too with a toothbrush." Another said: "Bicarbonate of soda and distilled white vinegar. Make I.T. into a paste, leave it for a bit, then wipe off."
Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon airs on BBC One tonight (August 24), from 8pm to 9pm.
