Note: we do not currently have kids. Keeping a tidy home is probably a little simpler for us, but hopefully this guide is still helpful for larger families. 🤍

When I moved into my first apartment, I found myself completely overwhelmed with how often everything needed to be cleaned. Each piece of furniture accumulated dust on the daily. The sinks, shower, and toilet got gross fast. And dishes and laundry seemingly never end. More than once I wondered how my mother kept our home spic and span while having a full-time job.

Of course, it wasn’t her sole responsibility, but we often joked about how vacuuming was the first thing she did when she got home in the evening. I’m not kidding! Every. Single. Day.

Nowadays, I think it’s quite impressive.

My dad cleaned as well, and us kids had our chores, but it still leaves me questioning how a family can possibly maintain a pristine home. Ultimately, I believe the answer is that few homes are pristine and I have to abandon the perfectionist mentality that has haunted me for the last 10-15 years. The goal, as I’ve discovered, is to have a home that is “clean enough.”

Define “Clean Enough”

But what does that mean exactly? Well, truth be told, it’s up to the individual. Define the things that are important to you and they will guide you throughout this article.

Personally I prefer for things to be in their place, the bathrooms to be cleaned in just about every aspect, and the bed to be made in the morning. My husband on the other hand is particularly focused on having a clean kitchen. For him, wiping down the countertops and having no dishes in the sink is most important.

Take a look around and ask yourself what brings you the most peace when it’s done. That is what “clean enough” is for you.

The Art of Habit Stacking

As an adult, we each have many daily rhythms we keep without even thinking about them. We are creatures of habit, after all. We brush our teeth twice a day, make a caffeinated drink in the morning, and even get sleepy at a certain time each night. Your schedule might look different from mine, but we each have something we do without fail almost every day.

The trick I use to keep my home clean enough is to tack on an action to the task I’m already going to be doing. I’ve gathered a number of suggestions based on my own habit-stacking to inspire your routine:

• Make the bed first thing in the morning. I love the sight of my beautiful bed all done up for the day. Then I open the windows for some sunlight and fresh air too. My perfect start to the day!

• Wipe the bathroom counter while brushing your teeth. I use an electric toothbrush which requires less movement in the hand holding it, which frees me up to do something productive with my other hand.

• Unload the dishwasher while your morning tea brews. In the one minute it takes for my Keurig to heat up my water for loose leaf tea, I’m usually able to unload the dishwasher we ran overnight.

• Tackle odd tasks during your lunch break. I write down my list of cleaning tasks I’d like to get done on a dry erase to-do list. Then I use some of my spare lunch time to get something done, and my husband will tackle other tasks throughout the day when he needs a break from work.

  • Examples include: cleaning our wood cutting boards weekly, cleaning the washing machine or dishwasher, disinfecting door handles and light switches, or vacuuming & mopping the floors.

• Do the dishes and wipe the counter tops immediately following dinner. The kitchen is the heart of many homes and it feels so nice to have a clean space by the end of the night. Plus, delaying your dishes is only going to make it even harder to tackle when they’ve built up!

• Tidy up before you head off to bed. I love to wake up to a tidy living room in the morning. It brings so much peace and calm into my day, and who doesn’t love to start out that way!? Before I migrate to the room for my bedtime routines, I spend about 2 minutes putting things back where they belong.

• Designate one day for laundry. Maybe not habit stacking in this case but we’ve selected Fridays for doing all our laundry. That way, it doesn’t creep up on us and once it’s done, it’s about time for happy hour!

Will this capture everything that needs to get done around your home for all of time? No, probably not. There will be things that come up a few times a year and you’ll groan about not wanting to do it. Life is best lived with a few inconveniences though. Write down the items as they pop into your head and save them for a day you’re feeling especially motivated — don’t fret now, your home is clean enough.

The Art of Delegation

If you live with other people, don’t forget that the responsibility to keep your home clean is a shared one. Even the littles can have age-appropriate chores. Teach noticing skills early (this can include spouses and roommates if it’s not a skill they currently possess). Not only does involving others ease the mental load on you, but for children, it will show them that cleaning is a part of daily life so one day it might feel natural to them. Or perhaps they will be as oblivious as I was and must learn again when they’re in their own place someday.

Chore charts or a centrally located to-do list is also encouraged if “noticing” isn’t doing a whole lot.

The Art of Procrastination

Some things are best left until the last minute. Having people over is an excellent way to kickstart the cleaning frenzy hibernating inside you. We have guests stay with us about once a month, and the day before or morning of is always when we get the most done.

This is the opportunity to convince yourself the baseboards need wiping down or the windows need to be cleaned. Make your home the tidiest, cleanest space they ever walked into and feel the pride radiate from your smiling cheeks as they compliment how lovely your home is. And if you didn’t get around to those nitpicky tasks? They’re not going to notice anyway. Your home is clean enough.

Letting Go of Perfectionism

Many of us have jobs nowadays, and they take up a lot of our time. Add on pets, children, social activities, and other obligations, and we’re working with the bare minimum. We’re doing all we can!

I worried myself for far too long about getting it all done. If you’re anything like me, you need to let go of the perfectionism. Having a rigid cleaning schedule will ensure burnout quick. Cleanliness is important, don’t get me wrong. That’s exactly why I implemented these rhythms into my daily life. But chasing the perfect home will pull you away from what really matters.

So don’t forget to shake it off and allow the dust to accumulate a little bit. Repeat after me: my home is clean enough!

Thanks for reading!

Subscribe now

Leesburg, VA was an unexpected surprise, truly. My husband and I didn’t even realize we were staying in Leesburg when we first arrived (complete oversight that’s not typical for a Type A planner!).

We were there for an event in nearby Bluemont and as we were only there for one full day, we didn’t make any plans for our downtime.

But when we popped in for dinner before checking into our hotel on Friday night, we discovered a lively and beautiful town waiting to be explored! Naturally, we spent our Saturday morning hitting the highlights before attending our event in the evening.

This mini itinerary (or mini-tinerary as I’m choosing to call my weekend guides) was designed based on our weekend exploring Leesburg but built in a way that makes up for the time that we spent at our event since that wouldn’t be applicable to most people coming to this quaint town for vacation.

Day 1:

If you’re flying in for the trip, you’ll want to select Dulles (IAD) as your destination airport. It’s a quick 30-minute drive from the airport to the heart of Leesburg.

We stayed at the Best Western only 5 minutes from historic downtown Leesburg, and there are a lot of other typical hotel brands in the area. If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale for your stay, Hotel Burg is a 4.5🌟 luxury boutique hotel that looks like a great choice.

With logistics out of the way, you can dive right into an evening out on Leesburg’s “Restaurant Row”. With pleasant weather comes the light hustle and bustle of fellow patrons dining outside.

Start at Lightfoot for your main meal (my recommended appetizer is the Seared Sea Scallops which are set on sweet potato pancakes — delish!). Indulge in a glass of wine, a Lightfoot draft beer (my husband was a big fan of this one), and a hearty dinner. Finish off the night at Rebellion next door for bourbon or a craft cocktail before calling it a night.

Day 2:

Start your morning at Second Nature Coffee, a popular and charming coffee shop on King Street. I wasn’t in the mood for coffee so I opted for an unsweetened strawberry oolong iced tea. The honey cinnamon cappuccino stuck out to me however, and I would’ve like to try that in addition to one of their tasty looking pastries!

Next up, I hope you brought your walking shoes because there’s a lovely park and trail system at Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Regional Park. Learn all about the Civil War battle that occurred here while wandering through nature, all for no cost of admission. Spend 30 minutes to an hour here before moving on to your next stop.

Before you pop into a restaurant for lunch, make a stop at Loudoun Museum a block away from King Street. This free admission museum is situated in an old house and shares lots of interesting history about the area. I particularly enjoyed their keen focus on African American history and Women’s history in Loudoun (the county Leesburg sits in).

For lunch, head over to Sidebar and enjoy the great service and comfortable patio seating! I had the crab cake platter with fries and would order it again. At this point, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our evening event but I did further research for you on other activities & restaurants to enjoy this evening.

In the afternoon, head out to Oatlands Historic House & Gardens for an opportunity to walk through centuries of history that define this historic mansion and surrounding land. For dinner afterwards, try King St. Oyster Bar, which came highly recommended online.

Day 3:

On the morning of your departure, carve out some time to stop by bkd Bagels. We had the honey bee oat cold brew (can you tell I have a penchant for honey drinks?) and a spicy everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. This combo was worth the trip to Leesburg in itself — so freaking good!

Since we had an evening flight home, we had time to check out the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an aviation museum well-worth visiting if you have the time. This museum is filled with all kinds of old planes and space shuttles from various points in history. Even if you don’t enjoy all the reading at museums, there is so much to see here!

Our last stop before returning the rental car and starting the journey back home was Cooper’s Hawk, a chain restaurant with delicious appetizers and an extensive wine list.

Final Thoughts

Leesburg was the kind of unexpected weekend away we needed in our life. So many of our trips are planned to the brim, but here we spontaneously created a weekend itinerary that felt comfortably mixed of activity and relaxation. Not to mention, it’s picturesque with nature dotted throughout and history seeping through every corner.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing weekend away or a chance to learn and explore a historic area, you need to have Leesburg on your list!

Travel Links

Here, I’m linking travel items that I love (and personally use) for a quick weekend trip:

• Crossbody bag: My favorite crossbody bag. I bought it for the sheer space it provides as a travel purse but I use it regularly when running errands back home too. Easily fits my Kindle, passport, wallet, and all the little doodads I like carrying with me.

• Vera Bradley backpack: This backpack has so many pockets and is great for a weekend bag. I have never had a problem packing for a 2-night stay at a warm weather destination in this backpack!

• Foldie: Another great bag for weekend travel and my husband’s choice for any trip. There is a zipper at the bottom to expand the bag if you need more space!

• Steamer: I love traveling with a steamer, and this one works so well. Not super compact but I usually have my husband throw it in his bag since he packs so minimally.

• Toiletry containers: these or these are good options. I own and use both for different products.

For anything else you’d like to see in future itineraries, please leave me a comment below!