Your home is never quite in the condition you’d like it to be, is it?

Constant messes from the kids. Budget setbacks to keep you from getting that next piece of furniture. The list goes on and on, doesn’t it?

Even so, mothers shouldn’t feel embarrassed about hosting company or throwing a party due to the state of their home or decor. While making your house more presentable seems like an uphill battle, especially as a mother on a budget, it’s far from impossible.

Rather than let your decorating or cleaning goals fall to the wayside, strive to take action. A combination of planning, smart spending and forming good habits can transform the feel of your family’s space in no time.

So, where do you start to make your house look marvelous?

Focus on the Rooms That Matter

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to figuring out which areas of your house to take on first, but it is essential that you look at your home room by room. What areas need the most attention? Which could just need some quick tidying up to be presentable?

For example, most families focus solely on “public” areas of the house for the sake of company while ignoring clutter in their bedrooms or offices. While this isn’t the only way to approach a major clean up, it is something to keep in the back of your mind.

The takeaway? Don’t just clean haphazardly without coming up with some sort of big-picture plan.

Spend on Smart Upgrades

Let’s not mince words: home decor can get crazy expensive.

That doesn’t mean that it has to be, though.

For example, there are a number of cost-effective means of decorating a home that make a significant difference despite being subtle on the surface.

Some examples of this include lighting and blinds. Installing roman shades or dark curtains allow you to experiment with natural light in your room while also representing some sophisticated decor. Even something as simple as new lightbulbs can make a huge difference if you’ve been literally living in the dark.

You can apply the same principle to buying throws and rugs at your local big box stores versus trying to invest in all new furniture.

Decor isn’t necessarily about cutting corners, but rather thinking about the changes you can make now.

Figure Out What You Don’t Need (and Don’t Look Back)

Cleaning up your home doesn’t mean stuffing items in drawers and hoping that they simply go away. Especially if in you’re in need of a major clean-up, consider decluttering techniques such as the Konmari method to help you assess your wants and needs.

And hey, decluttering is also a prime opportunity to score a bit of side cash by selling old clothes, appliances and other high-ticket items either locally or online.

Getting rid of clutter requires you to objectively examine whether or not an item is meaningful to your day-to-day life. You may be shocked at how much you pitch when you realize what items you actually use on a daily basis. The process also helps you establish good cleaning habits that keep you from having to do these sorts of “deep cleans” regularly.

Establish a Daily Cleaning Routine

And on that note, don’t neglect the importance of establishing daily cleaning habits.

Whether it’s fifteen minutes a day dealing with dishes, putting clothes in the hamper or running the vacuum cleaner, you must make time. You’ll thank yourself later, especially once your house is clean and stays that way.

Speaking of habits, make sure you’re not the only one pulling their weight around the house. Even young children should be expected to pick up after themselves and pitch in on the occasional chore.

If you haven’t already, setting up a reward system or small allowance for keeping things clean is a smart move. It’s also a great way to teach responsibility and bond with your child.

Get Thrifty With Your Cleaning Supplies

Finally, don’t be tempted to blow out your budget on cleaning supplies when there’s a good chance you already have everything you need around the house. There are a number of simple DIY cleaning products which use vinegar and baking soda to do just as good of a job as a name-brand cleaner.

Just because you don’t have much money in your pocket doesn’t mean you can’t make your house look like a million bucks. All you need is to understand ways to cut costs when it comes to cleaning and how establishing good habits can keep you from constantly having to worry about big clean-ups.

Not only does a thriftier, thoughtful approach to cleaning keep your home tidy, but can also be adopted sooner rather than later.