We all know that a clean house is essential in maintaining our family’s physical and mental health, so we’re all always looking for easy and fast ways to clean our homes. However, some of the cleaning habits we develop may actually be making housekeeping harder and may even be doing more harm than good to our homes.
Read the list below and see if you have any of these lousy housekeeping practices so you can get rid of them immediately. We’ve also included a few tips on how to organize and clean your home efficiently.
Hoarding Paper
Despite all the online transactions we can do nowadays, magazines, newspapers, school papers, and projects still tend to pile up in our homes. To avoid paper clutter, assign a place near the entryway for all mail, periodicals, and paper forms, with a shredder or recycling bin close by. Sort through the papers once a week to see which ones to keep or toss.
Photograph your children’s artwork, or frame them for display, and read articles from your favorite publication online to minimize accumulation of paper.
Having a good work-life balance offers several positive effects, including less stress, a lower risk of burnout, and a greater sense of wellbeing. It’s beneficial for both the employee and the employer.
Employers who provide environments that support work-life balance for their employees can save on costs, experience fewer cases of absenteeism, and enjoy a more loyal and productive workforce.
Achieving a work-life balance is not so much about dividing the hours in your day evenly between work and personal life. It is more about having the flexibility to get things done in your professional life while still having time and energy to enjoy your personal life. You might need to work longer hours on some days to have more time later in the week to enjoy activities that are not related to work.
Here are eight ways to create a balance between your work and other life roles:
Leaving Behind Bunched-up Shower Curtains and Wet Towels
Using Too Much Cleaning Product
Using Dirty Cleaning Tools
You can’t expect your home to be clean if you are using dirty cleaning tools. A dirty rag or duster cannot trap dust particles.
Give special attention to the maintenance of your washing machine and vacuum cleaners as they are the most used machines in your home. Give your washing machine a thorough wash when your clothes start to stink even after being washed. Regularly change and empty your vacuum bag to keep it working correctly.
Cleaning the Bathroom with One Wipe

Piling Dirty Dishes in the Sink
Wearing Shoes Inside the House
Storing Cleaning Products the Wrong Way
Not Keeping Track of the Food in your Refrigerator
Leaving Your Bed Unmade
Dusting Last When Cleaning
Leaving the Kitchen Dirty After You Cook
If you like cooking, you must also learn how to keep your kitchen clean. Wash all the dirty pans and pots as soon as you are done cooking, and remember to observe proper washing of cooking tools like the cutting board, knives, spoons, and bowls. While meal prep can be hectic, making it a habit to clean as you go will ensure that you’re not left with a big mess that you’ll still have to deal with later.
Do the same for stains. If you spilled something while cooking, use a damp cloth to clean it immediately, so it doesn’t dry up and become harder to remove. Make sure to keep a multi-purpose cleaner in your kitchen to help you deal with stubborn stains, particularly those on your stovetop that make your kitchen look filthy.
Getting Distracted While Cleaning
Delaying Minor Cleaning and Repair Tasks

Putting off minor home maintenance chores can lead to overwhelming tasks and bills. Overlooking minor repairs that need to be done can be hard to manage later on. The same goes for decluttering. Keeping up with your bad cleaning habits can lead to the accumulation of clutter that can ruin your house decor. To avoid overwhelming cleaning and repair tasks, try to do a bit of cleaning each day, like loading and emptying the dishwasher, completing a load of laundry, or vacuuming one or two rooms.
If you want a cleaner home faster, it’s time to drop these bad habits. For starters, choose one or two bad cleaning habits to change each week. Soon enough, you’ll have a cleaner home without the extra work and frustration.
For more housekeeping tips, get a one-year subscription of Good Housekeeping magazine at Discount Press! This monthly magazine covers everything from food, nutrition, fashion, beauty, relationships, home decorating and home care, health and child care, and consumer and social issues.