13 Bad Habits That Make Any Apartment Look Messy

Some people organize their clothes by color, while other people’s clothes continue to fall out of an overpacked closet constantly. Spices in some homes are sorted into jars and labeled, while attempts to find a second sock might become a meaningless activity (because it’s impossible to do) in other homes. Oftentimes, it’s all because of our habits, many of which we don’t notice and consider harmless, that turn our homes into complete and eternal lodges of mess.

Bright Side is sure that keeping things around you in order will help you keep your thoughts in order too. That’s why we have compiled a list of actions that many people do automatically, which in turn negate all of their attempts to keep their homes neat and orderly.

1. Storing outerwear at the entrance to the apartment

The first thing that attracts attention at the entrance to the apartment is the collection of outerwear hanging on hooks in the hallway. All because one day, we might wear a coat outside, the next day we change it for a jacket, and on the third day we decide to wear a down jacket. All this results in the storage of all types of outerwear (winter, summer, demi-season) in one place, which draws attention and looks messy.

Make it a rule to put outerwear into a closet right after coming in from outside. Leave only those clothes that are appropriate for the current season; pack the rest into bags and put them on an upper shelf.

2. Keeping a convertible couch unfolded after sleeping on it

Owners of small apartments often use couches instead of beds but forget about the fact that this item of furniture is one of the key elements in the room. This massive thing takes up free space when unfolded and gives the room a messy look. Don’t be too lazy to fold it back into a couch after sleeping on it and make sure to turn this routine into a daily habit.

3. Placing all small appliances on the countertop

The abundance of home appliances lined up in a row on the countertop creates the effect of visual noise. Any congestion of small objects looks chaotic and creates a mess. Don’t clutter up valuable kitchen space, it is better to allocate space for your helpful assistants, aka small home appliances, in the cabinet or on kitchen shelves.

4. Not removing sports equipment after workouts at home

Those who like to do some physical activity at home are oftentimes unable to put away the sports equipment they used after a workout. As a result, dumbbells get schlepped from one corner to another, waiting for the next workout or just collecting dust and lying in one corner, forgotten by their owner. Make sure to keep sports equipment out of sight so you don’t contaminate the overall look of the room.

5. Keeping pots inside other pots, hoping to save some space

With a lack of free space in the kitchen, owners desperately fight for every extra inch. As a result, they get piles of pots, frying pans, and saucepans on the stove that couldn’t find a place in the kitchen cabinet. These multi-layered ’cakes’ made from utensils only create a feeling of disorder in the kitchen.

6. Placing a lot of souvenirs on open shelves

The abundance of small items like souvenirs, candles, figurines, and other stuff won’t make your shelves look more beautiful, but instead will create a visual disorder. There are several simple rules that can help you prevent these shelves from looking overwhelming and make them look stylish and nice.

For example, wicker baskets and decorative boxes can hide wires, DVDs, and other small items from sight. While the popular method among designers that states: “heavy objects should be stored in the bottom, light and sophisticated things should be stored in the upper part” can help you solve 2 tasks at once: functional and aesthetic.

7. Storing various small objects in the kitchen haphazardly

Aromatic sauces and seasonings inspire people to create culinary masterpieces, but keeping them in the kitchen is actually quite difficult. The plethora of jars and bottles of spices, which are randomly placed on all of the kitchen surfaces, have never made any dining area look neat.

8. Leaving shoes on the floor in the hallway instead of placing them in a closet

The hallway is the business card of any home that either boosts the owner’s mood after a hard workday or conversely brings sorrow and sadness. The accumulation of shoes that are chaotically lying on the floor creates a total mess in the hallway. The main reason for this is the lack of storage places. This is why it’s important to make sure that you have enough shoe storage places (shelves, shoe closets, etc).

9. Cleaning the apartment on a certain day

If you are the one who cleans your home on a strict schedule: like once a week on a certain day, it’s high time you reconsidered your approach to cleaning. It’s better to clean your home at least 2 times a week because dust and dirt settle on your things minute by minute. Nowadays the method of 15-20-minute everyday cleaning, which helps to keep home clean and neat on a regular basis, is extremely popular. Perhaps it’s worth making this method a new habit?

10. Not setting aside a special place for handbags and accessories

It turns out that choosing a bag for an outfit is much easier than finding a worthy place for it somewhere in your closet. It’s important to think about storage systems that will help keep all your accessories and won’t leave any chance for messiness. After all, the haphazard storage of bags, belts, hats, and other attributes creates an impression of clutter. Alas, places that are abundant with many objects always look messy and unkempt.

11. Storing clothes on open shelves

Open shelves have both advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, they visually broaden the space and add ’air’ to the interior. On the other hand, they obligate you to keep everything thoroughly organized. Alas, we don’t always have the desire to place our belongings neatly after a tiring workday. Are you ready to do this on a regular basis? If not, you’d better get a convenient and spacious closet.

12. Leaving dishes to dry on a special carpet or towels and not putting them back in the cabinet, even after they’re dry

This is a situation that is familiar to so many of us: wash the dishes, put them on a mat to dry, and forget about them for a little while, which can actually be several days. A kitchen with a pile of dishes near the sink looks sloppy, so make sure to get rid of this clutter right away.

13. Not getting rid of old slippers. Not only are they scattered all around the apartment, but they look bad.

Oftentimes new slippers are bought only after the old ones have stopped functioning properly. Even though they serve us for years and often look so comfortable, they can still accumulate a huge amount of bacteria. Moreover, having worn-out home slippers scattered all around the apartment won’t make any home look nice. Keep in mind that it’s recommended that you wash them once a month and change them around every year.

How often do you clean your home? Do you have to force yourself to do it or is it an easy task for you?