The Psychology Behind Building Home Habits & Making Them Stick

With all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, good habits in your home can sometimes be difficult to stick to. We get busy and things like keeping your house clean, staying organized, and creating a space you can thrive in can often fall by the wayside, piling up until you feel overwhelmed.

It could be that the secret to keeping a home you love to live in is first understanding the psychology behind forming habits and using them to create a consistent schedule that you will stick to once and for all. What follows are some of these simple tips and tricks that will help you form fruitful home habits. Let’s get you thriving.

1. Baby Steps

You can’t change everything at once, so take a deep breath, exhale, and look at what small thing you can do to better your home. Most successful habit creators start small, then slowly snowball their success. For instance, if your goal is a spotless home, start with a single chore, something as simple as making your bed every morning or wiping down the kitchen counters after dinner.

Tiny, manageable tasks like these are less overwhelming than trying to conquer everything at once. Plus, every time you check something off, you feel accomplished, giving you the momentum and encouragement to keep going!

2. Right on Cue

A cue is a little something that can help trigger you to get started on your new habit, as if you were setting an alarm for your cleaning routine. And cues don’t even have to be something new, it can be as easy as pairing your new habit with something you already do!

For example:

After breakfast: Wash your dishes, dry them, and put them away.

Before bed: Take five minutes to straighten up the living room.

Every time you watch a rerun of your favorite show: Vacuum the floor (yes, really!).

Soon enough, you’ll be performing your new habit without even realizing it, right on cue.

3. Try to Have Fun

Let’s face it: cleaning isn’t at the top of the fun list, but why not kick it up a notch on the enjoyment scale? The more you enjoy your new habits, the more likely you are to stick with them. Here are some simple ways to make your cleaning routine a rewarding experience rather than a tedious chore.

Jam out to your favorite playlist. Live out your own cleaning montage.

Treat yourself! An ice cream cone tastes sweeter, going out to a movie’s more entertaining, or unwinding in your newly cleaned space is even more relaxing after a job well done.

Turn cleaning into a game. Take home the top prize from the debut season of So You Think You Can Clean? by setting a timer and seeing how fast you can vacuum an area in your home. And remember, you’re getting your steps in all the while!

4. Remember Your “Why”

A large reason people give up on habits is that they forget why they’re doing them in the first place. Give yourself a friendly reminder of why you want to keep your home clean, whether it’s stress reduction, a sense of peace, or simply to feel more productive.

For example:

Put up a post it that reads, “A Clean Home is a Stress-Free Home.”

Remind yourself on the way out the door, “I love the feeling of walking into a tidy space.”

Every time you water a plant or put a couch cushion back in its place, remember that “A clean home helps me focus on the things I care about.”

5. Consistency Over Perfection

As much as we strive for it, perfect home habits may never come to fruition, but we can aim for something consistent. It’s better to tidy a smidge every day rather than attempting to take on everything once a week and get burned out. Small actions add up over time!

And most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself. Some days will be messier than others, and that’s okay. Just keep going! The goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency.

6. The Power of “Micro-Cleaning”

Don’t feel compelled to spend hours cleaning every time you pick up the vacuum. In fact, micro-cleaning is a game-changer. Set a timer for five quick minutes to give small areas like your kitchen sink or the hallway a once-over. Short bursts of cleaning feel manageable, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can get done in just five easy minutes.

7. Take It One Habit at a Time

Focus on one habit initially and once it's firmly in place and like second nature, move on to the next. Trying to change everything at once is another recipe for burnout.

For example:

Week 1: Make your bed every morning.

Week 2: Wipe down kitchen counters every evening.

Week 3: Vacuum the floors once a week.

Pro tip: Use a checklist or habit log to keep track of your progress. It’ll help you see your improvements and keep you motivated!

8. The Secret Sauce

Did you know that on average it takes around 66 days to form a new habit? That’s nine weeks for those keeping track. In the end, it’s all about showing up every day, even when you don’t feel like it. And the more you do something, the more automatic it will become over time.

The key takeaway: Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for consistency. The more you make your new habits a regular part of your routine, the more they’ll become part of your life without you even thinking about it.

9. Celebrate All Your Wins

Finally, make sure to relish each victory, no matter how large or small. When you finish a task, take a moment to celebrate your clean space and give yourself a mental high-five. Or an actual one, we won’t judge. That sense of internal satisfaction and accomplishment will help keep you positively motivated and on track with your new habit. Go you!

Conclusion: Just Keep Cleaning (and Have Fun With It!)

When all’s said and done, forming home habits isn’t about perfection, huge burnout-causing cleans, or even a spotless home—it’s about creating a routine that makes you feel content. By starting small, staying consistent, and making cleaning feel rewarding, you’ll have a home you love without the stress.

So next time you’re wanting to start a new good habit, remember it’s not about doing everything at once—it’s about showing up, having fun, and sticking with it. Happy cleaning!