7 Reasons You're Failing at Housekeeping

Is your home a mess because you’ve been falling behind on your housekeeping tasks? Let’s find out why today with this list of 7 reasons you’re failing at housekeeping. Once you know the reasons why you’re not doing a good job at keeping your home clean, it will be easier to find a solution and get back on track.

Although most people who know me would say I’m great at keeping my home clean, there have been times in my life when it wasn’t so easy for me. I have been known to let the laundry pile up, the dishes stack up in the sink, and maybe I’ve even forgotten to vacuum for an entire week at some point in my life. Maybe you’ve been there before, or maybe you’re there right now. If so, check out these 7 reasons why you could be failing at housekeeping and learn some tips to help you start improving today.

#1 – You absolutely despise housekeeping.

OK, I get it. Nobody really enjoys cleaning toilets and scrubbing bathtubs. So when you despise something, procrastination often becomes your best friend. It’s easy to keep putting something off when you don’t want to do it. Mark Twain once said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” Could cleaning your home be the frog you need to eat today? Create an action plan to get it done first thing in the morning. Once you get it over with, it will be smooth sailing the rest of day, and you’ll feel much better with the dreaded task behind you.

#2 – You don’t have the motivation to clean your home.

When you’re not motivated to get to work, nothing gets done. So you need to think about the reasons why you lack motivation to clean your home. Could it be that you’re not happy with your home décor? Making a few changes to make your home a happier place for you could be what you need to get inspired. Or maybe it’s because you’re tired and don’t have the energy to get started. Make time to get some rest then plan to clean your home during the time of day when you are most productive.

Perhaps you’re not sure why you’re unmotivated to clean. If that’s the case, just find a way to get yourself inspired. Maybe you need to turn on some music, buy some new cleaning supplies, glance through a home décor magazine, or watch an episode of Hoarders on television. For me, I remind myself that I’m blessed to have a home to clean since there are many people out there without one. Putting things into perspective and feeling grateful for my home motivates me to take care of it. Figure out what works for you and stick with it!

#3 – You are not cleaning your home consistently.

When you don’t clean your home consistently, chances are your tasks will get harder. Instead of simply mopping the kitchen floor, you may have to get on your knees and scrub it to clean the built up grime from weeks of not doing it. To keep this from happening to you, you must be intentional about scheduling your cleaning tasks. Creating a weekly cleaning schedule has helped me tremendously by keeping me on task and making sure I’m getting everything done. You can learn more about creating a weekly cleaning schedule here.

#4 – You are not putting things away after use.

You’ve heard the phrase “A place for everything and everything in its place” haven’t you? Don’t be tempted to leave items sitting around on coffee tables or counters after you use them. Instead, putting them back where they belong will prevent having to go back and do it later. It takes a lot longer to put a pile of 20 items away at once than it does to put something back in its proper place after using it.

#5 – Your home lacks organization.

What can I say? It’s hard to put something back into place if you don’t have a place for it. If your home lacks organization, make a plan to get it organized. It’s easier than you think! Tackle your home one room at a time, getting rid of the clutter and establishing an organized system to keep items in place. Not only will your home be neater and appear cleaner, but the next time you need something you’ll know exactly where to find it!

#6 – You have too much clutter in your home.

I already touched on this a little previously, but keeping clutter around your home is a surefire way fail at housekeeping. It’s time to purge your home of unnecessary items and put those stray items away. Your home will feel so much larger without all the extra stuff piled up, and you’ll be left with less stuff to clean. It’s a win-win situation!

#7 – You don’t have any help.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you have a lot of tasks to do and no one to help you with them. It’s time to recruit some help! Call a family meeting and let your family members know that you need their help. Make a plan to divide and conquer the housekeeping tasks…it could be a great team building exercise. If you’re single, ask a friend to lend you a hand in return for a dinner and movie night, or ask a kid in the neighborhood to help you out for a few bucks.

Now that you know the reasons why you’re failing at housekeeping, it will be easier for you to make a plan of action to improve today.

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