A few years ago, my house was a disaster.

With young children and a couple of pets running around, keeping everything clean felt like a full-time job. One I really didn’t have time for.

Despite my best efforts in picking paint colors, light fixtures and finishes to make our home look beautiful, I quickly realized that some of my favorite stylish choices were making cleaning a whole lot harder.

Seven things I’ve learned that make keeping your place tidy tougher than it needs to be.

1. Moody-Hued Walls and Dark Paint: They Show Every Fingerprint

When I painted our living room walls a dark navy, I was surprised by how easily every fingerprint and dust speck showed up. This was especially true in spots where the kids liked to touch the walls or where the dog brushed against them. In lower-traffic areas, the dark color still looks sharp, but in areas we use a lot, it tends to look messy, fast.

If you’re drawn to bold, dark walls but aren’t a fan of constant cleanup, there are ways to make it work better. If this is a high-touch area, look for a paint specifically formulated to be washable or scrubbable. Higher-sheen paints are traditionally easier to clean, but there are washable matte options too. Whatever the finish, avoid aggressive rubbing—some paints can “burnish,” leaving a shiny spot where you’ve scrubbed too hard.

2. Intricate and Dramatic Light Fixtures: Dusting Nightmares

There’s something special about a stunning chandelier or a set of bold pendant lights. Unfortunately, I learned that those intricate fixtures are dust magnets. The little nooks and crannies can trap cobwebs, and I’ve even discovered the odd bug caught in the fixture.

When you’re picking out lighting options, look for fixtures with shades or components that are easy to access and remove for cleaning. Have the tools you need to safely clean the fixture on hand, like a long-handled duster and a sturdy step ladder.  It’s also a good idea to create a cleaning routine that works for your space and stick to it. Regular dusting also keeps buildup from becoming a much bigger cleaning job later.

If you haven’t yet, consider switching to LED bulbs. They don’t get as hot as traditional bulbs and can make fixtures easier to handle during cleaning.

3. Open Shelves: Collect Dust and Greasy Kitchen Film

I love how open shelving creates an airy feel in kitchens and makes it easy to display my favorite dishes and decor. The style helps make my space look bigger, which is why it’s so popular.

That said, unlike closed cabinets that hide away mismatched mugs or less attractive kitchen tools, open shelves need frequent attention to avoid looking cluttered or messy. Not to mention that it’s a serious grease and dust trap. If your shelves are anywhere near the stove, you’ll notice items get coated with a greasy film that may need to be wiped off before use.

If you want to make your open shelves work, decorative bins or baskets are a simple way to organize smaller items. However, if the thought of constant dusting and curating your dishes sounds exhausting, there’s no shame in opting for traditional closed cabinets. Otherwise, you can reserve your open shelves for dishes you use (and therefore clean) frequently, while everything else is tucked away in drawers or your pantry. Just plan to wash anything that’s been sitting long enough to collect dust or grease before using it.

4. High-Maintenance Marble Countertops: Why We Had To Invest Twice

Of all the things that make home upkeep harder, I wouldn’t have expected my luxury marble countertops to betray me. They may be beautiful, but wow, do they easily stain and scratch. I was constantly wiping up spills, trying to stay ahead of stains and etching. But because marble can etch when exposed to everyday acids like wine, vinegar, and lemon juice, it eventually felt like a losing battle.

After some research, we swapped them out for quartz. It’s not totally indestructible, but for us, the difference in maintenance is night and day.

If you’re stuck trying to decide on a countertop material, here are the main things I wish someone had told me:

• Quartz is wonderfully low-maintenance and available in various colors and designs. It’s durable and nonporous(opens in new tab), so it’s much easier to take care of. It isn’t indestructible, though. Manufacturers say hot cookware still belongs on a trivet.
• Marble is stunning but so high-maintenance. Be prepared for regular sealing to avoid staining and quick clean-ups to avoid etching… and then be prepared to still lose the battle and embrace ‘patina.’
• Granite lands somewhere in the middle. It’s generally very durable, but the porosity varies. Some granite countertops benefit from sealing to improve stain resistance, so ask your stone supplier what your particular material needs.

5. Stylish but Stubborn Tile Grout: Pick Wisely

When we first remodeled our kitchen, I chose classic white tile with a light, cement-based grout.

It looked clean and bright at first, but that didn’t last.

Traditional (cement-based) grout is quite porous, so every spill or crumb seemed to stain the lines, no matter how much I mopped. Before long, it looked dingy, and keeping it clean felt like endless work.

Later, when we renovated another room, I learned from my mistakes and not only picked a darker grout, but I also went with an epoxy-based option. Not only did the color hide everyday dirt and stains more effectively, but the new grout was also far less porous(opens in new tab) than cement-based grout. That made it more resistant to spills and much easier for me to keep looking clean than the cement-based grout we’d used before.

I did also learn that sealing your cement-based grout helps protect it and reduces the need for heavy cleaning. But if you’d rather not be scrubbing grout all the time, just choose a less porous option in the first place.

6. Your Collection of “Convenient” Small Appliances

When our kitchen counters started filling up with small appliances, I thought I was making things more convenient. But between taking care of the regularly used appliances (like air fryers that require cleaning after every use(opens in new tab)) and tidying up around the lesser-used ones kept out “just in case,” having the countertop appliances out all the time felt like more of a hassle than a convenience.

To make cleanup easier, I started storing a few of our less-used gadgets in cabinets or on shelves, keeping only what we truly use daily on the counters. It instantly made the kitchen feel neater and simplified my cleaning routine. If you’re dealing with similar clutter, don’t be afraid to give your counters a little breathing room.

7. Aesthetic Yet Complex Landscaping

These maintenance trade-offs don’t stop at the back door. I ran into the same challenge outside when I tried to manage an elaborate garden full of plants with different needs. Some thrived in full sun, others wilted without shade, and many needed very specific watering routines and soil types. It quickly got overwhelming.

If you want an easier-to-care-for yard, try simple garden designs that still look great. Depending on your climate and site, rock gardens or xeriscaping with drought-tolerant plants can be attractive, lower-maintenance options, but even those collect weeds, dried leaves, and other debris that needs attention. Think about how you want to spend your time and design accordingly.

Of course, just like with the open shelves, regular cleaning and a seasonal checklist can help too – these tasks all get harder the longer we put them off.

Making Home Upkeep Easier on Yourself

You don’t have to give up style just to make your home easier to manage. Honestly, some of my high-maintenance choices have been completely worth the extra effort because they make me happy every day. The real key is knowing what you’re signing up for.

When you have a good sense of which design choices add extra work, it’s much easier to plan ahead and decide what’s worth it for you. That way, you can create a space that looks great and actually fits your lifestyle.

Contributed by:

Cora Gold, a home decor and organization writer and the editor of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist. To connect with Cora, follow her on LinkedIn(opens in new tab), Pinterest(opens in new tab), and X(opens in new tab).