Can’t seem to keep your house clean? You may have messy habits. Here are simple tips to break those bad practices, plus free printable cleaning checklists.
Is your house always messy but you just can’t figure out how it got that way?
I’m going to be totally honest and tell you something you may not want to hear.
You probably have some bad habits, my friend—ones that are causing clutter and mess in your home.
The thing about habits is we do them without even noticing. The tough part is to recognize the root of the problem and take small steps to change it.
Maybe, you’ve already picked up on some of the things that you do to cause a mess. In any case, let’s talk about the top bad habits you may have that are making your house untidy and what you can do to keep your house clean.
Keep Your House Clean And Drop These Bad Habits
1. You Never Make the Bed
The first thing you do every morning is wake up, get out of bed and start your day.
Before you rush out of the room, do you take time to make your bed?
It may seem like such a small silly thing but taking just a couple minutes to make your bed automatically makes your room look much neater. Plus, it feels so good slipping into a cozy made up bed at night instead of a tangled mass of sheets.
Making your bed does not need to be some complicated process. If you have a ton of decorative pillows, get rid of them to simplify the routine. Quickly straighten the fitted sheet, top sheet or comforter and pillows. This literally takes me just a few seconds in the morning.
2. You Throw Clothes On The Floor
Are you guiltily looking down at the floor right now after you read that?
I see you!
Whenever you change your clothes, take the time to put them back on a hanger in your closet or place the dirty ones in the hamper. Don’t throw them on the ground, on one side of the bed or on the back of a chair you never use.
Furthermore, if the chair is tempting you, get rid of it altogether. It’s just acting as a clutter hotspot and you’re obviously not using it for its intended purpose if it’s covered in clothing.
Make it as easy as possible to place dirty clothes in the hamper by positioning one near the spaces you usually undress even if you need more than one. Put one in the bathroom and one in your bedroom or closet.
If one of your excuses is that it’s difficult to get stuff back into your closet or drawers, pare down your wardrobe to make room.
3. You Don’t Fold and Put Away Clean Laundry
Piles of crumpled laundry on top of your washer and dryer, sitting in a basket somewhere or maybe in piles all over your couch indicate that you don’t put clothes away.
Or maybe, you take them back to your bedroom but they get mixed up with the clothes strewn all over the floor, chair and bed. So, now how do you know what’s dirty and what’s clean?
It’s a vicious cycle that could easily be avoided. Set a reminder in your phone to put away the laundry as soon as it’s dried. Fold the clothing or hang it and put it where it should be.
If your kids are old enough, let them put away their own stuff. That makes it less of a chore for you and teaches your child responsibility.
4. You Neglect to Clean the Bathroom Daily
The bathroom is a pretty gross room when you think about what happens there. And, it’s one of the most frequently-used areas of the house. As a result, it gets messy pretty quickly.
If your bathroom sink and floor is covered in hair, makeup, toothpaste and I-don’t-want-to-think-about-what-else, you need to follow a daily cleaning routine. This simple bathroom cleaning checklist will do the trick.
A quick wipe down of surfaces and a spritz of daily shower cleaner is all it takes. You’ll be done in 5 minutes and your bathroom will look and smell great.
5. You Forget to Clean The Kitchen
You cook and eat meals in your kitchen so it should be clean.
Would you eat food from a dirty kitchen restaurant?
Don’t leave crumbs all over the kitchen counters, table and floor after you cook or eat. Wipe off the countertops, stovetop, table and quickly sweep or vacuum the floor. This daily kitchen cleaning routine is a lifesaver.
Eating outside of designated areas also makes it harder to keep your home clean. You’ll just have crumbs everywhere.
6. You Never Wash Dishes Unless You Have To
If you regularly run out of clean plates and forks before you wash the dishes, it’s time for a change.
Don’t leave dishes piled up in the sink. If you’re going to be washing dishes by hand, I suggest doing it as you go. So, while cooking, wash pots and utensils along the way and after eating meals, clean the plate etc. Leaving a big stack of dishes in the sink can be overwhelming and you’ll be more likely to keep avoiding cleaning them.
Also, if you eat other than at the kitchen or dining room table, bring the plate or glass back to the kitchen immediately after and wash them. Don’t leave dirty dishes scattered throughout your home.
If using a dishwasher, run it at the end of each day and set a reminder to take them out and put everything away once it’s done.
7. You Don’t Wipe Up Spills Immediately
Life happens and sometimes you spill stuff or your kids do. But, if you don’t clean them up straight away, they set in and become harder to clean.
So, lose the “I’ll get to it later” attitude and wipe up the mess right away.
8. You Never Put Stuff Back Where It Belongs
Are surfaces of your home cluttered because you never take the time to put items back after use? It’s time to get rid of this particular habit.
After you complete any task, put all of the items you used back where you got them. This prevents stuff from piling up and causing unsightly clutter. Plus, you’ll know where to find things the next time you need them.
9. You Wear Shoes Indoors
When you walk outside, you pick up all sorts of nasty grime on your shoes.
Take you shoes off at the door so you don’t track all the germs and dirt inside your house. This will go a long way to keep your floors clean.
10. You Leave Junk At the Entrance
If you’re constantly tripping over shoes, bags and sports gear every time you enter your house, it’s probably because you leave things there as you come in.
I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to leave regularly used items close to the front door. But, you need to have some order to the items left there. Your entryway should not be a dumping ground for whatever happens to be in your hand as you walk through the door.
Only store things you definitely need when you go out—keys, purse, umbrella, sunglasses etc. Some hooks or a storage unit can be used to corral these things. Find a different storage area for stinky sports gear or anything else that shouldn’t be there.
Here are more tips to declutter and organize the entryway.
11. You Buy Stuff You Don’t Need
I get it—shopping is fun!
But, don’t do it just because. Remember, when you bring items into your home, you need to find a place to put them.
Create shopping lists and stick to them. Avoid sales if you don’t actually need anything.
Your wallet will also thank you.
12. You Refuse To Purge
Overflowing closets, cabinets, drawers and shelves is a pretty obvious sign that you need to declutter.
Your storage areas shouldn’t be bursting at the seams.
It’s tough to get rid of stuff, especially sentimental items. We all have attachments to our possessions. But, if you want to keep your house clean, purging is the best way to start.
It’s much easier to clean when you don’t have to move stuff off of surfaces first. Imagine if you would vacuum your bedroom floor without having to pick up clothes first! Think what it would be like if you could just wipe down your bathroom counter without shifting around makeup, hair products and tons of tiny decor pieces.
If you’re having a hard time getting started on this task, here’s a list of 50 things to get rid of plus questions to ask when decluttering.
Bad habits lead to a messy house but you can change them into good ones with a bit of effort. It’s necessary if you want to keep your house clean.
Did you enjoy this post? If so, don’t forget to share it on Pinterest!