My Grandma Lives By These 5 Rules - And Now I Do Too

"Nana loves a good bagel - but everything bagels are not allowed past her front door. Her reasoning? The tiny seeds get everywhere. At first, I thought this rule was a little dramatic (I love everything bagels!), but after a few crumb-related disasters I saw her point. These days I stick with plain bagels - and leave everything ones for park picnics or coffee shop breakfasts. It's a small change that makes cleaning a whole lot easier."

"While it's common to use the fridge door as a gallery for magnets and photos, for Nana it's a magnet for dust instead. Too many magnets means the outside of the fridge is harder to clean. I've noticed that when my fridge is covered in magnets and photos, this clutter actually does make cleaning more difficult. For that reason I've stopped adding anything new to its exterior."

"Here's one that surprised me the most: Nana folds her dirty laundry before putting it in the hamper. She says it helps everything fit better - and she's right again. My hamper is on the small side, and I've found that folding dirty towels and clothes makes room for more when it's getting full. It also makes laundry day feel less chaotic, as everything's already somewhat organized."

Simple, consistent habits can keep an apartment orderly and reduce cleaning time. Avoiding everything bagels prevents tiny seeds from scattering and creating recurring crumb problems; choosing plain bagels or eating seeded varieties outside reduces indoor mess. Keeping the refrigerator door free of excess magnets and photos cuts dust traps and makes surface wiping quicker. Folding dirty garments and towels before placing them in the hamper increases capacity and makes laundry day more organized. Picking up crumbs immediately stops small messes from spreading or attracting pests. Small, deliberate changes to everyday behaviors produce notable improvements in home cleanliness and ease of maintenance.

Read at Apartment Therapy