Conquer Your Messy Home with These 8 Easy Habits

Housekeeping doesn't have to be a chore if you don't allow it to be!

Go ahead and roll your eyes. That's precisely what I did when one of my best friends lovingly shared that thought with me. I remember how tired and frustrated I was because I could never get my housekeeping act together. She replied, "And you never will with that attitude!"

I'd been looking for someone to share my housekeeping misery ... because after all, misery loves company! Instead, my friend kindly suggested I change my way of thinking. That simple shift in mindset helped change my outlook on housekeeping. It reminds me of a quote:

Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.

Wayne Dyer

That quote became my mantra when it came to mundane home duties. I realized my friend was right. Our family was fortunate to have a nice home with a beautiful yard. How I cared for it was up to me, so why not make it a pleasant experience?

These eight tips have streamlined my busy home's upkeep and helped me spend less time frustrated with a messy house and more time enjoying my family.

1. Start the day off on a positive note by making your bed

The Problem

I used to poo-poo the bed-making concept because I thought it was a waste of time. I was only going to crawl back into it (exhausted!) at the end of the day. No one sees my bedroom except for me, so who would know or care if I left my bed unmade? It was easier to shut the bedroom door and forget about my disheveled quarters than to spend the time to make it look tidy. 

The Smart Habit

It turns out there are dozens of good reasons to start your day on the right foot by making your bed. U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven believes so strongly in the power of making your bed that he even wrote a New York Times bestselling book about it: Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life... And Maybe the World.

The book is based on an inspiring graduation speech Admiral McRaven gave that encouraged graduates to change the world ... starting with making their beds. Why does making your bed matter? The admiral says, "[Making your bed] will give you a small sense of pride and encourage you to do another task and another until you've completed many tasks throughout the day. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter." 

The reality is that although making your bed each morning may seem like a menial task. But once youv'e accomplished it, you'll build on this success throughout the rest of your day. When you walk in and out of your room, you'll have a sense...

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