I’ve narrowed in and made a list of all the tricks I’ve learned over the years on how to get motivated to clean when overwhelmed by mess. I hope like me, you can use these ideas to help bypass that part of your brain that wants to procrastinate and tells you to binge your next Netflix series.
When you want to clean up the mess in your house but don't want to
I’m not going to sit here and try to convince you that cleaning is fun. I can at any given moment list over 100 excuses as to why I am not able to get up and clean. If I was just picking up after myself – I maybe would feel differently (maybe means most definitely not but hey *a girl can dream*)
Alas, I’m not just picking up after myself – I am constantly chasing around after three kids, a husband and I get exhausted! Unfortunately, we all have to pick up after ourselves in order to keep our homes in a somewhat livable condition.
1.
Open The Curtains
Open the curtains! Let in the sunshine! Open the windows! Let some fresh air in! I think you’d be surprised by how much this helps. Animals hibernate in dark places and it’s natural for us to want to curl up and do the same. It’s proven that fresh air and sunshine increases energy in 90 percent of people!
2.
Find A Scent
We all have a favorite cleaning supply scent. If you don’t have one I feel it would be in your best interest to find one because this is a huge motivator for me! What I mean by this is… I know if I get up to clean the bathroom, or wipe off the counters, or scrub the floor. I will be rewarded by my home smelling amazing! This gives me instant gratification. My favorite scents are from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day either the Lavender or Honeysuckle. I get compliments ALL THE TIME from guests!
3.
Recognize Your Productivity Time
Everyone works best at different times of the day. Take notice of when you have peak energy and use it to maximize your cleaning power! I personally know I work best first thing in the morning after my coffee. So this is when I get most of my cleaning done. After chasing kids all day I’m too tired, especially at night so even though scrubbing the floor at 9am doesn’t sound appealing – I’m grateful to get it out of the way so the idea of cleaning isn’t hanging over me all day.
4.
Play Music
I think it goes without saying music has the power to provoke major emotion. Create a playlist specifically for cleaning. So that when you hear those songs come on it makes you get up and be energized. Some of the songs on my cleaning playlist are Carrie Underwood – The Champion, Fergie – M.I.L.F $ and Fall Out By – Light Em Up
5.
Big Items First
Tackle the big items first! This concept is opposite from most articles you will read but let me explain my reasoning… prioritizing large messes helps to build momentum to keep you going! I decide what a “big item” is by stepping back and looking at what is going to be the most noticed by someone walking in who is unaware I just cleaned. Is someone really going to take notice my baseboards are squeaky clean if I have my kitchen counters flooded with things? Probably not. Focusing my efforts this way has proven to trick my mind and make me feel I’ve accomplished more.
6.
Make A Phone Call
Why has being on hold become part of the regular routine when making a phone call into a company?! There is nothing more frustrating than having to sit on hold for 15+ minutes but you can turn it into a positive by placing the call on speaker and clean while you wait. An even better option is picking yourself up a pair of wireless earbuds – these are a true game changer!! Clean up a smaller mess while on hold and you’ll have knocked two items off your to-do list at the same time!
7.
Set A Timer
Set a timer for 20 minutes and within that time give cleaning your full attention. When you see what can be done in a 20-minute chunk, cleaning stops being an all-or-nothing proposition. You can use the time you have to clean what you can clean and once your timer goes off I’m positive you’ll be surprised at what you’ve accomplished.
8.
Set A Timer Again
Next time you’re about to do your most hated chore, set a timer first. You’re not racing against the clock—this is purely observational. Once you see how little time it actually takes, you’ll realize that your most dreaded chore is actually not literal torture. I used this exact technique for cleaning my bathrooms and realized it takes me 5 minutes to clean a toilet. 5 MINUTES!! I always made out this chore to take much longer in my head and actually seeing the time it took helped to change my mindset.
9.
Be Prepared
One of the best ways to take the hassle out of cleaning is to have everything you need in one spot. So all you have to do is grab it and go. One of the smartest purchases I’ve made was this supply caddy. It fits under my kitchen sink and is easy to keep stocked with the basics: Supplies, cloths, trash liners and paper towels. Having everything you need together, in one easy location, is just one less thing to discourage you from getting started!
10.
Write It Down
Choose the top 3 things you want cleaned that day, write them down, and place them in a visible location at eye level. One of the best ways to hold yourself accountable is when others have the ability to see you fail. (eek I know FAIL is a harsh word but it’s true!) We all get busy during the day and cleaning can fall by the wayside so it’s nice to have a gentle reminder in plain sight to give us the extra push.
11.
Do It For You
Last but certainly not least …… Clean for yourself. Don’t have the mindset you have to clean because you don’t want others to see your messy home or so that your husband won’t get upset. That type of thinking places a negative stigma around cleaning. Clean because you like the personal positives that come from it. Cleaning up the kitchen before bed makes it so you wake up to a fresh start in the morning or having your bed made brings you peace every time you walk into your bedroom. Visualizing the benefits of after you’ve cleaned can be enough to get you started.
What would the best version of myself do? Look into the future at where you picture yourself and recognize you can’t get there without taking action. That thought alone is enough to get me up and going every time!