Ok we’ve all been there—we’ve all stared at the mess in front of us, we know that it needs to be cleaned, but we are struggling to find the motivation to start. I can honestly say I’ve been here, and I can say I was overwhelmed what with five kids, homeschooling, working 3 jobs, i basically lost it. So let me help you get started, i found in the end if i maintained that momentum cleaning to me became a habit rather than a chore. So, let’s start firstly on how you can motivate yourself to start cleaning and keep going.
Understanding the Importance of a Clean Environment
A clean environment goes beyond aesthetics. It impacts our mood, productivity and our overall well-being. When we surround ourselves with clutter, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, but when we have a tidy space, it brings clarity and peace. When your cleaning remind yourself of how much better you’ll feel in a clean home—whether it’s the satisfaction of a sparkling kitchen or a fresh living room free of clutter take your time and tackle what you can.
Identifying Your Personal Motivators for Cleaning
Everyone has different reasons for wanting to clean. For me it’s to provide a healthier environment for my family and also its not feeling embarrassed having friends over without the added stress of mess. What I want you to do is take a moment to think about why a clean space is important for you personally. When you connect with your “why,” it becomes easier to push past that initial resistance.
Setting Achievable Cleaning Goals
It can be daunting to think about cleaning the entire house in one go and that’s not what we are going to do here what we are going to do is break it down into manageable tasks. Let’s start with one room or one area of your home, like clearing the countertops in the kitchen or tackling that mount fold more in the corner of a room or catching up on the endless amount of washing that has piled up in the laundry. Setting small, achievable goals will help you build momentum. Plus, when you complete each task, you’ll feel accomplished, which will then motivate you to keep going.
Creating a Reward System to Inspire Action
Who doesn’t love a little reward after hard work? I found creating a reward system for myself motivated me to tackle cleaning tasks. I created a chart which you can download from the link here for free and its simply is for every task you do you give yourself points and when you have achieved those points you can reward yourself with something simple like enjoying a cup of tea or watching your favorite show mine been The Rookie at the moment, who doesn’t love men in uniform lol. Knowing there’s a treat waiting at the end of your task can give you that extra push to start and finish.
Sustaining the Cleaning Habit
Consistency is the key when it comes to cleaning. My problem was when I got home from work, I was exhausted and honestly the last thing as a cleaner I didn’t want to clean when I got home and what happened my mess piled up. So, knowing I was tired rather than sitting straight down I dedicated a few minutes each day to tidying up, and after a while it became second nature. Cleaning doesn’t have to take hours I found short bursts of focused cleaning made a big difference in maintaining a tidy home.
Incorporating Cleaning into Your Routine
One of the best ways to sustain a cleaning habit is to make it part of your daily or weekly routine. Now everyone has different schedules however you could dedicate 10 minutes after each meal to do a kitchen cleanup or spend 15 minutes at the end of each day tidying up the living room before heading to bed, by setting aside regular time for cleaning, it becomes just another part of your day instead of a daunting task.
Using Technology and Tools for Easier Cleaning
Don’t ever think taking advantage of the things that can make life easier is bad, for me and i highly recommend taking advantage of the robot vacuum, which can help keep your floors clean while you focus on other tasks. You can also use apps to create cleaning schedules or checklists, I started my journey using Clean my home which helped me to stay organised and on top of my chores. Smart cleaning is all about working smarter, not harder!
Staying Mentally Engaged While Cleaning
Cleaning doesn’t have to be boring! Put in your earphones and listen to your favorite podcast, audiobook or create a playlist of upbeat music to make your cleaning enjoyable. Keeping your mind engaged with something you enjoy helps the time fly by and turns what could be a mundane task into something more enjoyable.
Celebrating Small Wins to Maintain Momentum
Each time you complete a task, no matter how small, take a moment to acknowledge your progress. Did you finally tackle that laundry mountain? Celebrate! Every step toward a cleaner space is worth recognising and celebrating so stay motivated and keep going. Before you know it, cleaning will become second nature, and your space will stay tidy with less effort.
Happy cleaning
Melissa xx