Sometimes, the reason we're cleaning so much isn't that we’re messy. It may be the stuff we've chosen to put into our homes.

Carpets, rugs, decorative objects, and even our beloved throw pillows create more places for dust, dirt, crumbs, and pet hair to hide.

None of that means we need to live in an empty white box. But, if you're wondering why cleaning seems to take forever, some of these items may be part of the problem.

1. Wall-to-Wall Carpeting

Carpet is warm, soft, and nicer on bare feet than a cold floor. Unfortunately, all those fibers are great at holding onto things.

Carpeting can trap plenty of unwanted guests we'd rather vacuum away, including:

• Dust and dirt

• Pet dander

• Dust mites

• Pollen

• Mold spores

Even regular vacuuming can’t get everything out, which gives wall-to-wall carpeting a little more work attached to all that softness.

Hardwood floors allow us to sweep or mop the entire surface, while carpet generally requires more attention, particularly when spills and stains enter the picture.

2. Area Rugs

Area rugs may be easier to deal with than an entire carpeted room, but they still add another layer to cleaning. We need to vacuum them, deal with spills, and clean underneath. 

Depending on the material, deeper cleaning may require its own set of instructions, too.

Then, there's the mysterious collection of crumbs that somehow find their way beneath. One rug won’t be too much trouble, but, when we start layering them around the house, we’re adding several more items to the cleaning list.

3. Tchotchkes on Every Shelf

A few favorite objects can give a room personality. When we cover every available surface with little decorative pieces, though, dusting becomes a nightmare.

Instead of wiping down one shelf, we have to move candles, figurines, picture frames, and that tiny bowl we bought on vacation last year.

Experts specifically identify knick-knacks as dust collectors, so leaving a little breathing room between our treasures might make cleaning easier.

4. Open Shelving

Open shelves can make a kitchen look bright and airy. But, without cabinet doors, our glasses, dishes, cookbooks, and decorative objects are left exposed to whatever's floating around the kitchen.

Designers told Houzz that dust and cooking grease can mean more cleaning, especially when the shelves are near the stove. 

Sadly, those beautifully arranged shelves can’t clean themselves.

5. Too Many Throw Pillows

Who doesn’t love a good throw pillow? It’s easy to become slightly less enthusiastic about them, though, when there are nine on the sofa collecting dust, crumbs, hair, and pet dander.

The same goes for all those cozy blankets we've draped over our chairs and sofas. Fabric naturally contributes fibers to household dust, and experts recommend regularly cleaning our pillows, throws, rugs, and other textiles. Cozy comes with laundry.

6. Thick, Fluffy Rugs

This goes back to the area rugs. We’re not biased towards them because fluffy rugs feel fantastic under our feet.

But, those longer fibers also give dust, hair, and crumbs a few more places to hide. And getting everything out can take more work than it would with a flatter rug. Sometimes, there's something to be said for a plain, flat weave.

7. Furniture That's Hard to Clean Under

Dust doesn't care that our vacuum can't fit underneath the sofa. Low-clearance furniture can create awkward spaces where dust and debris accumulate simply because they're difficult to reach. 

Still, cleaning experts tell us not to neglect these hidden areas, despite the fact that, somehow, anything we drop will roll directly into the least accessible spot. Naturally.

8. Glass Tables

Glass looks clean and light right up until somebody touches it. Then, we have fingerprints.

Unlike wood or other opaque surfaces that can hide a little everyday dust, glass has a remarkable ability to display every smudge we've left behind. Beautiful? Absolutely. Forgiving? Not so much.

9. Lots of Little Storage Containers

Bins, baskets, trays, and little containers can help us corral clutter. But, at a certain point, the things we bought to organize our things become more things.

They need to be moved, emptied, wiped down, and occasionally reorganized themselves. Organization is wonderful. We just don't need a container for every object we own.

10. Fake Plants

We bought them because we don’t have to water them, but nobody mentioned dusting the leaves.

Artificial plants may spare us the watering can, but every leaf is still another surface for dust to settle.

Since real plants sometimes need their leaves wiped down every now and then, having one might not be such a tall order.

We Don't Have to Get Rid of Everything

Thankfully, the answer isn't throwing out our rugs, pillows, plants, and tiny vacation bowls in pursuit of a house that practically cleans itself. We like these things because they make a house a home.

But, the next time we're standing in a store wondering whether the sofa needs another pillow or the shelf needs another little ceramic object, there's one question worth considering. Will we like it enough to clean it?

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