7 reasons your house always looks messy

Here's why your home always looks messy, along with some helpful tips from professional organizers on what to do about it.

There are dishes left in the sink

A sink full of dishes looks unsightly and can smell. Prioritize getting this done ASAP. "If you do your dishes as soon as you use them, you will never have a mess," said professional organizer and founder of organizing service O.C.D, Ashley Stewart. "If it is too hard to clean dishes throughout the day, make it a point to make sure you go to bed with no dishes left in the sink."

Toys are everywhere

Children make it challenging to keep a home tidy, but it's not impossible to get things under control. "The best solution for toys is to have baskets and bins where you can put the toys in," said Stewart. "Not everyone has time to organize every day, but everyone does have time to pick up toys and put them in bins — kids included."

The bed isn't made

It only takes a minute and makes a big impact. "I can't stress this one enough. There is something about a made bed that sets the mood for the rest of your house," said Stewart.

You're not using the laundry hamper

We're all guilty of wearing a sweatshirt for a few hours, failing to put it away and leaving it on a chair or worse — the floor. This often results in messy piles. "If you don't hang up your clothes after you wear them or put them in the laundry, you are most likely going to have that one chair in your room that becomes an abyss for your clothes," said Stewart.

To avoid a cluttered space, the organizer advised making it a habit to put clothing away or in the hamper after wearing them. It only takes a few seconds and makes a major difference.

Things don't have a home

Lindsey Mahanna, professional organizer and founder of Clutter to Clarity, said when things don't have homes, they often end up in random spots, creating messes. "If you make the time to tidy, you need to know where to put away those items that have accumulated on the counter. If you haven't already figured out a home for each of these items, how can you know where to put them away?"

You have too much stuff

Whether you live in a studio apartment or a palatial estate, we all have a finite amount of room to store our things. So, if you have too much of anything, it's crucial to declutter regularly. "It's hard to tidy when there are too many items that will fit in a space," said Mahanna.

Make a decluttering schedule and stick to it. Think about whether you truly need something before making a purchase.

There isn't a system in place

Shantae Duckworth, professional organizer and founder of Shantaeize Your Space, said one of the major problems messy homes have is a lack of effective systems "By implementing practical organizing strategies, establishing daily routines, and decluttering regularly, you can transform your space into a more organized space that will not get messy as quickly."

Put the kids in charge of decluttering their rooms. Make a plan to sort through your pantry every third Wednesday. Evaluate your bathroom monthly. You can also hire a professional organizer to figure out systems that will be easiest for you and your family to maintain.