Aiming for a cleaner, calmer home this year? You're not alone—and you're still right on track. But let's be honest: keeping a home tidy on the North Shore comes with its own challenges. Between tracking in sand from Plum Island all summer, road salt from Route 1A all winter, and mud season turning your mudroom into an actual mud room, Essex County homeowners need strategies that actually work for life here.
Before the February school vacation chaos hits and spring cleaning feels overwhelming, here are seven small but impactful habits you can start now—and actually stick with through nor'easters, beach season, and everything in between.
Aiming for a cleaner, calmer home this year? You're not alone—and you're still right on track. But let's be honest: keeping a home tidy on the North Shore comes with its own challenges. Between tracking in sand from Plum Island all summer, road salt from Route 1A all winter, and mud season turning your mudroom into an actual mud room, Essex County homeowners need strategies that actually work for life here.
Before the February school vacation chaos hits and spring cleaning feels overwhelming, here are seven small but impactful habits you can start now—and actually stick with through nor'easters, beach season, and everything in between.
2. Create a Year-Round Entryway System
This is non-negotiable for North Shore living. Between sandy flip-flops from Salisbury Beach, muddy boots from hiking Old Town Hill in Newbury, and salt-crusted shoes from navigating icy sidewalks on State Street, your entryway is ground zero for the mess that threatens to spread through your entire home.
Set up a simple seasonal rotation system:
• Winter (November–March): Boot tray for slushy shoes, hooks for heavy coats, basket for hats/gloves/scarves, and a spot for the ice scraper you'll inevitably bring inside
• Mud Season (March–April): Extra boot tray, old towels for dog paws, and patience—lots of patience
• Summer (May–September): Bin for flip-flops and sandals, hooks for beach bags, towel rack for damp items coming back from Crane Beach or kayaking on the Merrimack
• Fall (September–November): Transition setup with room for apple-picking jackets and soccer cleats
A good doormat—or better yet, two (one outside, one inside)—catches the worst of the sand, salt, and Maudslay State Park trail dirt before it travels to your hardwoods
3. Tackle Laundry Before It Piles Up
With active families shuttling between youth soccer at Fuller Field, sailing lessons at the Newburyport Yacht Club, beach days on Plum Island, and everything in between, laundry multiplies fast. Add in sweaty commuter clothes from the Newburyport MBTA line and muddy dog towels from walks along the Clipper City Rail Trail, and you've got a recipe for weekend laundry overwhelm.
Instead of letting it consume your Saturday, throw in one load daily and fold immediately. It sounds too simple, but consistency beats marathon sessions every time.
Pro tip for beach season: Keep a separate mesh bag in your car or garage just for sandy, damp items from the beach. Shake everything out thoroughly before it hits the washer—your appliances (and your plumber) will thank you. Sand is brutal on washing machine pumps.
4. Stock a Cleaning Caddy
You're more likely to clean when supplies are within reach. Stock a portable caddy with multipurpose cleaner, microfiber cloths, glass cleaner, and a scrub brush. Carry it room to room as you tackle quick clean-ups.
For supplies, Ace Hardware in Amesbury has a great selection and helpful staff, Market Basket stocks the basics at good prices, Target in Danvers covers everything else, and if you're into eco-friendly products, check out Locopops on Pleasant Street—they carry refillable cleaning supplies alongside the ice cream.
Coastal home tip: Keep a separate caddy with vinegar-based cleaners for tackling the hard water spots and salt residue that's part of life near the ocean. Our humid summers also mean staying on top of mildew in bathrooms and basements.
5. Practice the One-In-One-Out Rule
Holiday gifts, antique finds from Todd Farm Flea Market on Sundays, that irresistible vintage piece from Oldies Marketplace, impulse buys while browsing the shops on State Street, treasures from the Tannery Marketplace—it all accumulates. The one-in-one-out rule keeps your home from slowly drowning in stuff: when something new comes in, something goes out.
This is especially helpful for kids' toys (they multiply like rabbits after every birthday party at Nickelodeon Universe or Canobie Lake), seasonal decor, and clothing. Before buying that new sweater at Metzy's Boutique or snagging a coastal print from Lepore Fine Arts, ask yourself what you're willing to let go of in its place.
Living in older New England homes—colonials in Newburyport's historic district, antique farmhouses in West Newbury, charming capes in Rowley—often means smaller closets than modern construction. The one-in-one-out rule isn't just tidy; it's practical for the storage realities of our housing stock
6. Squeegee the Shower (Yes, Really)
This feels excessive until you've lived with hard water—and if you're on well water in West Newbury, Georgetown, Rowley, or rural Newbury, you know the mineral buildup struggle all too well. That white film on your glass shower doors? That's calcium and magnesium deposits from our local groundwater, and once it builds up, it's a nightmare to remove.
A quick squeegee after every shower takes 30 seconds and prevents soap scum, hard water stains, and mold. In our humid coastal climate—especially during those muggy July and August weeks—moisture control in bathrooms is essential. Mold loves a damp North Shore bathroom.
Bonus: this habit will save you hours of scrubbing later and help preserve your bathroom finishes longer. In homes where the average value is over $800,000, protecting surfaces matters.
7. Do a 10-Minute Nightly Reset
End each day with a quick reset of your most-used spaces. This habit pays dividends when you're rushing to catch the 7:15 train to North Station or getting kids to Newburyport Elementary, River Valley Charter School, or Triton Middle School on time.
Living room reset:
• Clear coffee table and flat surfaces
• Fluff pillows and fold throw blankets
• Return stray items to their homes
• Quick floor sweep or let the robot vacuum run overnight
Kitchen reset:
• Wipe down counters
• Load and run the dishwasher
• Put away leftovers from dinner (or that takeout from Brine or Mission Oak Grill)
• Take out trash—especially seafood scraps from that lobster dinner; nothing smells worse by morning
If you're exhausted after a long day—maybe you just got home from dinner at Ceia or caught a show at the Firehouse Center—keep a "deal with it tomorrow" basket for stray items. Just don't let it become permanent storage.
