If you aren't already familiar, TikTok is full of satisfying cleaning videos, like this one that shows you how to make dirty grout lines look brand new again, and this other trick for making your stainless steel appliances sparkle. The latest TikTok video I came across is maybe the most simple and brilliant cleaning hack yet. Basically, it's a mantra to live by for a tidier, clutter-free house: "Don't put it down; put it away".
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The video by Ames @timeandseason—who says the mantra was inspired by other #CleanTok accounts @littlehomeorganised and @allieshaworganizer—has racked up 3.2 million views and counting—and for good reason. It's a really smart and simple strategy for cutting down on clutter. And it takes just seconds to complete. Whenever you use something, whether it's a water bottle, your purse or a piece of mail, rather than putting it down somewhere random (like on the kitchen counter, where everything seems to end up), instead put it away where it belongs.
In the video you hear Ames saying this mantra to herself over and over again as she puts her dirty face mask in the laundry bin, her water bottle in a kitchen drawer and a board game back on the shelf.
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I definitely have a hard time concentrating when my house is a mess. I'm at my happiest when my countertops are clear of random objects, and my stairs are no longer home to things that need to be put away. I feel like I'm constantly moving from room to room with handfuls of obscure items in an attempt to keep the house somewhat tidy, but it's feels like an endless battle! Yet, after watching this video, I feel like using this mantra (and asking my husband to use it, too) could seriously help keep the house cleaner.
It would mean actually walking upstairs to put that headband back in my bathroom drawer or the rogue pair of socks in the hamper, but the five seconds it takes to do that in the moment is much better than the 50 minutes it takes to clean up all the clutter come the end of the week.
If you're looking for an easy way to cut down on clutter, give this mantra a try!