10 Clean and Tidy Homes That Will Inspire You to Start Cleaning

The nice weather is here! That means it’s mega-sorting-and-scrubbing time – or at the very least, time to collect tips on how to keep your home in an orderly fashion. Here are some inspirational rooms to get you started on your journey to Tidy Town.

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Fully Exposed

In this shipshape kitchen, the bowls, glasses and even the cutting boards have been displayed like they’re in a shop. Reconsider those mismatched mugs and chinaware clogging up your cupboards. Sort through your cabinets. Donate the non-essentials. And don’t forget to dust and wipe down those nooks regularly.

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Nursery Neatness

Nurseries get messy real quick. Not just with clutter that comes from grabbing any object within reach that the frazzled parent will wave in front of baby’s face to pleaseohpleasestopcrying, but also the unhygienic mess from poopie diapers. Best to keep this room spic and span with all-natural cleaners. Oh and parent pro tip: as baby grows, keep some toys stashed instead of introducing them all at once. Less toys, less clutter.

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Farmhouse Kitchen Serenity

If you’re obsessed with a clean and tidy space, a monochromatic colour palette might be for you. Quieter tones often equates to less visual clutter somehow – creams and whites are instantly calming.

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Laundry Room Nirvana

Everyone loves open shelving – until it becomes a dumping ground for miscellaneous items. That’s often the fate of the laundry room. One laundry room organization tip: use boxes to corral everything, putting like items with like items. Affix labels to the front of the bins indicating what’s inside.

Stacey Cohen Design

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Hot Cooking Zone

This impeccable kitchen by Toronto’s Stacey Cohen Design doesn’t need a glut of accessories taking away the spotlight from the design. If you’re after a clean aesthetic, streamline your surfaces. Let the gleaming backsplash and counters and polished nickel faucets shine unencumbered. Another tip: always wipe down the counters post-splatter.

Tracey Ayton

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Bookshelf Bonanza

Modern-meets-traditional in this character-filled living room in Vancouver, revamped by Oliver Simon Design. The designers removed the central TV cabinet that was there before, adding more shelves to fill out the space. Inspired by the look? Leave white spaces between your objects, so the shelves don’t look messy.

HGTV Canada

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Make a Good First Impression

You wouldn’t go to a job interview in a dishevelled state. It would make a bad first impression. That’s why your hallway should always be as tidy as can be – as it’s the first space in your home and sets the mood, after all. So tidy up with built-ins – it’s worth the investment. Add pillows for a plush feel and artwork to warm up the space.

HGTV Canada

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Make Your Bed

Follow your mother’s advice: make your bed! It’s a good habit to get into if you’re after a clean and tidy space, which is masterfully illustrated in this bedroom, designed by Sarah Richardson.

HGTV Canada

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Simple Solution

This living room, designed by Scott McGillivray, is so satisfying to the eye. From the waterfall coffee table to the Windsor chairs around the dining table to the kick-up-your-feet couch, every piece has a purpose. The major tip here? Divide your living room into zones, making sure each piece of furniture has a distinct purpose.

Lauren Kolyn

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Loo La La!

This bathroom, showcasing an IKEA vanity and mirror, is small but mighty – mighty clean that is. To keep yours in similar condition, make sure to keep the moisture out. Recaulk periodically and make sure the shower seams are tight. Wipe them down frequently so they’re grime-free. As far as clutter goes, stock only the essentials in the cabinets. No room? Maybe you don’t need that third bottle of hand lotion, after all.