Menu

Want a Nicer Home? Follow These Steps

Credit: Getty Images

Time to go on a cleaning crusade.

When you own a home for long enough, no matter how neat you keep everything, chances are you’re going to accumulate a collection of crud. It’s human nature; we’ve all got that little hoarding instinct in us. But when old, unpleasant stuff starts piling up, it can make your house feel a lot less welcoming, both to you and any potential visitors. Before your house turns into that creepy place at the end of the block that kids dare each other to go into, do a little pre-spring cleaning.

Throw Away Broken Things

It’s a tragedy when your favorite mug breaks, but even if it has sentimental value, keeping it around isn’t going to do you any favors. You can’t use it for its intended purpose, and instead of whatever pleasant memory it’s supposed to invoke in you, it’s just going to remind you of how you broke it. The same goes for glassware, art pieces, or knick-knacks; unless being broken and glued back together incomprehensibly makes it look better, just bin it.

Clean the Kitchen

Credit: Carpet Cleaning

Dirty dishes piled up in the sink make me genuinely irritated, especially if you have a dishwasher. It takes two seconds to rinse off a plate and put it in the dishwasher, just do it. As for pots and pans, it’s not fun to scrub, I get it, but it still needs to get done. What would you rather do: spend three minutes to clean one pan, or spend thirty minutes cleaning a week’s worth of pans?

Lose Unsettling Artwork

Credit: Munch Museum

Now, this a bit of a taste thing, but assuming creepy, unsettling artwork doesn’t give you the warm fuzzies, it’s probably best not to hang it on your walls. Artwork depicting scary stuff or violent historical events, while very impressive, can be a bit of a bummer. Hang up something that makes you happy.