There are very few things that I love more than a clean house. I’ve even been (jokingly… I hope) accused of being obsessive about it. Having a clean house just makes me feel good, more energized, healthier, and happier.

Have you ever noticed that one of your favorite ways to procrastinate is to clean your desk or apartment? Have you noticed that you work more productively and think more clearly when you’re in a clean environment? I certainly have. I don’t have any hard scientific proof, nor do I know if science has even looked into this phenomenon, but my hypothesis is that our outer space is a reflection of our inner space. When our work and living spaces are orderly, so are our minds. We are less distracted and we can work and live better, with increased clarity.

When I clean, it’s an active meditation. Not only am I cleaning my surroundings, I am cleaning and clearing my mind. It’s an utterly empowering, rejuvenating, and fun process. I actually get excited about cleaning!

One of my favorite television shows is How Clean is Your House? In this program, the Cleaning Queens of Britain, Kim Woodburn and Aggie MacKenzie, scrub and declutter some of the filthiest abodes you could ever imagine. I’m not even kidding. Piles and piles of junk in every corner, the floors are nowhere to be seen, bugs are breeding in the kitchen, and the occupants are so entrapped in their situation that they don’t even know how to begin reversing it. A good number of these people suffer from asthma and allergies (with all the mold and bacteria in these houses, it is not at all surprising). Nearly each of these houses harbors large colonies of klebsiella, e. coli, and staphyllococcus. Gross!

Once the house is cleaned, Kim and Aggie give the occupants two weeks to acclimate to their new surroundings and lifestyles. It warms me to see how these peoples’ lives have changed for the better: more romance, families getting along better, reduced or alleviated symptoms of allergies and asthma, greater senses of pride, confidence, self love, and happiness. All this from a clean house!

I know that the examples in How Clean is Your House are extreme cases and that most of us don’t have these problems. However, we can all benefit from living and working in a clean atmosphere.

Here are some of my tips for cleaning your house and keeping it that way:

1. Create and stick with a cleaning schedule: Every Friday I go through my house and clean every room. I vacuum, sweep, do laundry, dust, and put displaced things where they belong. I have a systematic approach where I move from the patio, to the living room, dining room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and then the bedroom. Each room getting cleaned top to bottom. Then, I sweep and vacuum, as I don’t want to track things from room to room or knock crumbs and dust onto a clean floor while dusting or cleaning kitchen and bathroom counter tops. Finally, I burn some incense, candles, and essential oils to add a nice little cherry to the top of my calm and clean atmosphere sundae. I find this systematic approach optimal for me, but others may want to try something different. The important thing is to have a regular schedule and stick to it.

It’s not even necessary to clean the entire house at once. Perhaps you only have time to clean one room a day. If so, assign yourself (or your kids or roommates) certain days to clean each room. Have a plan and stick to it.

2.Get rid of clutter: Clutter is a clean house’s nemesis. If you don’t use something, get rid of it. Put it on craigslist.org, give it to a friend, or give it to charity. Above all, don’t keep it. Get it out of the house and forget about it. (This is a topic deserves an article itself. I’ll hit on this next time!).

3.Enjoy the process: Many people despise cleaning and find it boring. My suggestion is to find joy in it by focusing on how good it feels to be in a clean room. Put your attention on how great your house looks when it’s tidy. Concentrating your energy on the end result will propel you to spotless bliss.

4.Use cleaning items that you love: Find cleaning products that you enjoy smelling and using. Don’t buy a cleaning product if you can’t stand its smell or it doesn’t work well. You won’t want the smell of your house to be an assault on your nose, nor do you want to use twice the elbow grease because of a crappy product. You’ll be less likely to use it and less likely to clean. There are countless environmentally friendly products available now that leave your house smelling fresh without killing your olfactory senses. Two of my favorites brands are Method and Seventh Generation.

5.Keep up with the little things: It doesn’t take long to go from immaculate to garbage heap. Throughout the week, keep up with little things like dishes, vacuuming, and putting things away as you use them. It will only take 5-10 minutes a day and will streamline your cleaning routine, making your weekly clean up faster and easier to maintain.

Once you get into a habit of keeping a clean house, you’ll find that it’s almost effortless, even enjoyable. Notice how much more comfortable, clearer, happier, and confident it makes you. Create your own routines and practices, play with the process, and bask in the joy of chilling out in a sparkling, clear abode. Happy cleaning!