Do you feel like your home is in a constant state of chaos? No matter how hard you try, does maintaining a clean home feel impossible?
According to the design experts at Martha Stewart, the reason your home looks messy may have nothing to do with cleanliness. Consider these other culprits that may be at the root of your disheveled home environment:
Too many prints and patterns. While they can certainly add personality and style to your interior design, having too many prints and patterns vying for attention within your home can give your environment a disorganized and cluttered appearance. Choose your prints carefully and make sure they complement as opposed to compete with each other. For smaller spaces, intersperse just one or two prints among your solid colors, and opt for muted colors.
Exposed wires and cords. In today’s tech-driven world, wires, cords and blinking lights have become a necessary evil in most homes. That’s why making the effort to streamline and hide as many wires as possible is essential to maintaining a clean look. Designers recommend installing floor outlets under desks or looking for plug-in ready furniture with integrated outlets. In a pinch, strategically placed plants and knick knacks can help camouflage unseemly wires.
Busy shelves. A built-in bookcase or shelving unit is a great feature in just about any room of the home—as long as you’re discerning about what and how much you keep there. Too many mementos, framed pictures, mismatched books and other paraphernalia can quickly turn what should be an attractive and interesting home feature into a messy and unappealing eyesore. Designers say to carefully curate shelves with an array of meaningful objects, but make sure to give each one sufficient breathing room so it has an opportunity to shine.
Plentiful pillows. A great throw pillow can instantly make a room feel refreshed and on trend. But when it comes to pillows, too much of a good thing definitely applies—overdo it, and you’ve gone from stylish to sloppy. Choose just a few pillows that complement your furniture and overall home design, and keep them nicely arranged and fluffed.
Chaotic entryways. As they say, first impressions count, especially when it comes to your home. If you step through the front door and are instantly greeted by a mishmash of shoes, mail, keys and pocket change, it’s hard to have a first impression that says anything other than “mess.” With the addition of just a few simple organizational items, your entryway can become a clean and calm space, so consider investing in a shoe rack or coat rack and adding decorative catch-all trays and baskets to collect miscellaneous items.
