KEEP YOUR PHONE OUT OF THE BEDROOM.
If you’re like 71% of Americans, you probably tuck your smart phone in bed with you. But if you resist and leave it outside of the bedroom, you’ll have an easier time falling asleep, wake up feeling more rested, and more.
PUT CLOTHES AWAY AS SOON AS THEY’RE FOLDED.
Everyone’s guilty of leaving a stack of clean clothes out, then pulling from it throughout the week. But all this does is create clutter where it’s not needed, which is why we want to break this bad habit once and for all.
MAKE YOUR BED EVERY MORNING.
It’s so easy to abandon this task when you’re running five minutes late, but when you force yourself to make your bed you’ll start your day off on the right foot, sleep better at night, and return to a much happier home at the end of the day.
CLEAN YOUR COFFEEMAKER DAILY.
Even though this might feel excessive, it’s actually one of the germiest spots in your kitchen. So to ensure your cup isn’t contaminated in the morning, wash removable parts after every use and wipe down spills on the outside as needed.
REPLACE BED SHEETS EVERY WEEK.
Sigh, there’s nothing like crawling into a bed with fresh sheets — so why don’t we do it more often? Not only is this better from a health perspective (see you, germs), but this will also help your linens last longer and prevent them from losing their shape.
DON’T LEAVE DISHES IN THE SINK.
It’s so easy to say “I’ll do it tomorrow,” but what this really means is you get stuck doing dishes before you can even start cooking dinner the following night. Give yourself a break and rinse up the night before. Your growling stomach with thank you.
NO SHOES IN THE HOUSE.
Research has shown that things like the chemicals you use to treat your lawn or the coal tar that’s used on asphalt roads can easily get tracked into your house on your shoes. That, along with the fact that they bring in dirt and ruin hardwood floors, is why you should follow this rule this year.
SANITIZE YOUR SPONGE EVERY WEEK.
The good news: You don’t have to replace this cleaning tool when it gets germy — but you do have to clean it more often than you might realize. If you make zapping it in the microwave a habit this year, you can rest assured that your dishes are as clean as can be.
PACK YOUR LUNCH AT NIGHT.
Be honest: If you leave this chore for the morning, chances are it won’t happen and you’ll just end up buying (again). But if you embrace this rule, you’ll also help yourself stick to your budget resolution. Talk about a win-win.
SQUEEGEE YOUR SHOWER AFTER EVERY RINSE.
By taking on this one-minute task every time you wash up, you’ll save yourself some gross shower experiences and an unpleasant deep clean that would end up taking way longer (and require a lot more elbow grease) in the end.