Summer is synonymous with beaches, barbecues and quality time with friends and family. Most of us, though, tend to forget that summertime also means a messier house. The kids are at home on holiday, sand accumulates on the floor after a day at the beach, dust finds its way easily into the house because of the open windows, and your dog's fur can be found everywhere around the house.

If you wish to keep your house clean with minimal effort, follow our guide below. 

Clear up the floor

If you are the type of person who leaves the beach bag lying around by the door after a day at the beach, get rid of that habit. Toys should be packed away after playing and shoes placed in a cabinet. A clear floor will allow you to easily swipe and clean whenever you want, without finding obstacles in your way.

Wipe off that dust

Dust is one of our worst enemies when it comes to keeping the house clean, as it gets everywhere and can be quite time-consuming to clean. First things first, you want to make sure to have only the essentials on your TV units, bedside tables, shelves and any other surfaces. Decluttered units will help speed up the process of wiping. So find a place where to leave the car keys, sunglasses and other knick-knacks.

Everything has a place

As we mentioned in the two points above, objects lying around can be quite annoying. Besides taking unnecessary space and slowing down the cleaning process, they also result in misplacing things. Allocate a place to everything, and make sure that everyone in the family knows where everything is meant to be. You can easily avoid misplacing your house keys by putting a key holder near the door entrance. Fold those beach towels after dusting them off or washing them, and put them back in the basket where they belong.

Every room has a purpose

Are you the type of person to use the bed as a wardrobe and an all-purpose area? Do you struggle to go to sleep because you can't find a free spot on your bed? If that is the case, stop it. A bed was made to sleep on, and not to store the laundry, handbags, books and whatnot. Using your bed as storage is just one of the main examples of misuse. Eating on the sofa, as comfortable as it may be, increases the risk of dirtying or staining it. Honestly, how many of you like sitting on a sofa full of crumbs? Once you have set the frame of mind that each room has a purpose, it will be easier for you to keep your house clean and clear.

Don't underestimate your pet's fur

If you have a pet, you might have noticed that with the high humidity and heat it started shedding more. If that is not the case, lucky you! For the unfortunate like us, pet shedding can be a real hassle. Fear not - there are ways for you to decrease all that fur. First things first, make sure that your four-legged friend is brushed regularly, along with being washed. What you can do is brush all the excess hair away. That should do part of the trick. On top of that, it's important that while you are gone you allocate just one area of the house to your pet. This will allow you to gather all the fur in just one room, which will be easier to clean, and also avoid any unwanted surprises at your return.

Wipe your feet, change the shoes

We tend to bring a lot of dirt at home after a day spent outside, especially after the beach or trekking outside. This is why it's important to always wipe your feet and keep a pair of shoes to change into at the entrance of your house. This will avoid unwelcoming footprints and sand. It also helps to shake beach bags and towels before leaving the beach - may the sand stay where it belongs!

You don't need to turn into a clean-freak in order to keep your house spotless. Just a little of organisation and determination. Share with us your tips. Let us know how you keep your house clean all year round in the comments below!