Do you have a cluttered house and you can’t figure out why it’s always messy? Here are five reasons why junk piles up in your home.
Have you caught yourself looking around your home and saying, “My house is always a mess”?
If your home is usually cluttered, it will look untidy no matter how much dusting and vacuuming you do. And, you can’t do those properly when surfaces are covered in stuff anyway.
There are some common reasons why you have a cluttered home. Knowing what they are can be very helpful if you’re trying to clean it up.
Below is a list of simple tips and tricks to combat your constantly messy home.
5 Reasons You Have A Cluttered House
1. “I’ll Do It Later”
Procrastination is a very common cause of clutter build-up.
Instead of dealing with something right away, you put it off until later.
You can see many examples of this throughout the house — dishes piled high in the sink and stacks of clean laundry just waiting to be put away.
There are some instances where you genuinely may not be able to deal with something right away. In those cases, it’s important to set a date to do so.
For example, many people have paper clutter on their kitchen counters because they bring bills, junk mail, school documents etc. into the home and just leave them there, promising to get to them later.
If you ignore paperwork for a long time, it will pile up because it never stops coming in. Then, you may lose or forget things.
In the event that you can’t handle the mail right away, have a specific place to put it and address it weekly.
2. Not Enough Storage Space
Some homes have a serious lack of storage. It may be that they’re tiny and don’t have a lot of space for storing stuff or it could be that there just wasn’t enough built in.
If you suffer from this particular problem, add storage wherever you can. Position shelves on top of closet rods, use over-the-door organizers and under-the-bed containers etc.
Here’s a list of storage ideas for small homes.
3. You Buy Too Much Stuff
Shopping is a pastime for some people. Are you one of them?
If you find it challenging to pass up a sale and you love buying in bulk because you think it’s cheaper, then your home might be overflowing with stuff you don’t need.
When it comes to groceries, are you able to use everything before they expire? If it’s clothing, do you really need the item(s)?
If you have more than you need or could possibly use, donate to someone who will get good use out of those things.
Here are some simple ways to stop buying stuff you don’t need.
4. You Never Declutter
I always say that decluttering is not a one-time-and-done kind of thing. You need to do it repeatedly because you’re constantly bringing things into the house.
Your children grow and need new clothes and shoes. Styles change and clothing or decor that was once on trend, are no longer fashionable. Your personal needs may change and items you once loved, you no longer use.
Whatever the reason, you can usually find something in your home that you could get rid of. Make sure you purge and donate or discard anything you don’t need.
You can intentionally do this a few times annually or you could do it on a daily basis. As you go about your usual routines and you come across items you don’t use anymore, simply toss it into a box. When the box is full, get rid of the items.
5. You Don’t Have A Daily Cleaning Routine
A daily cleaning schedule is a great way to keep clutter at bay. At the end of each night, spend a few minutes tidying the house. This includes returning items to their rightful homes and completing a quick clean-up.
These are the top five reasons why you might have a cluttered house. If you’ve been wondering how to clean a messy house, start with changing these things.