Routines

I've found that the secret to a clean house is routines. You can have routines for everything, the key is to do them on a regular basis, then your house stays in good shape and never gets out of control.
I like to keep my house no more than 15 minutes dirty. This means that hopefully if I get a call from a home teacher or a friend that is coming over then I can pick up the toys and things that are sitting around and have the house looking respectable by the time they arrive.
I have to admit this isn't always the case, but I try to do it and when I realize I'm out of the habit, I start again.