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Cleaning your house, whether it’s just a few chores or a whole day’s project, is never any fun for most of us. Unless, of course, you’re one of those over-organized people who’s always on top of everything. And I’m guessing that since you’re reading this article, that’s not you!
I have to admit, I actually enjoy housework. Well, let me back up and explain.
BEFORE I owned my cleaning business I actually loved to clean.
But after 15 years of owning the cleaning company I have to admit I’ve been firmly transplanted into the “I hate housework camp.”
I hate housework so much now that I have someone else clean my home every week. And, I encourage anyone with the resources to do the same. There’s really no reason to clean your home if you can find it in your budget to have someone do it for you.
But if you’re not in the position at the moment I have some tips and tricks that will help you to motivate yourself to clean.
Table of Contents
HOW TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO CLEAN
Cleaning your house is a necessary part of life. Not only does a clean house help to reduce stress, it also keeps your family healthier. And it helps you to feel less overwhelmed by life in general.
There are a few things you can do daily that only take a few minutes and will help you stay on top of your cleaning. These things can include:
- Make beds
- Do laundry
- Empty dishwasher
- Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters and kitchen table
- Take out the trash
If you stay on top of these things every day, it will make the bigger projects a little easier to handle. And, if you stay motivated, you can get these few chores done in about 20-30 minutes.
But what about the bigger projects? How do you get motivated to tackle toilet scrubbing, vacuuming, dusting, and even decluttering?
Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you get them done quickly:
MAKE A PLAYLISTS
Create a playlist of your favorite dance music. Something that gets you moving. Playing music can not only get you moving, you can even fit in a little workout. Add enough songs to your playlist to create a list that’s 20-25 minutes or even longer. Then turn it on and keep moving until the last song is done. Challenge yourself to get as much done as possible in this time; you might be surprised.
SET YOUR KITCHEN TIMER
Similar to the playlist, this will help to keep you focused for a specific length of time. Keep working until the timer goes off and give yourself permission to stop when it does, no matter how much you finished.
CREATE ROUTINE
Sometimes it’s easier if you just have to focus on one area or one chore a day. Create a cleaning schedule to break down all of your cleaning tasks over several days. Monday you clean the upstairs bathrooms and Tuesday you clean the ones downstairs. Every Wednesday is dusting and vacuuming.
I’m providing this suggestion but I don’t fully support this way of cleaning. You’re never finished if you decide to clean this way and this might be THE reasons you’re not motivated. To learn a better system go here.
START WITH AN EASY TASK
Often, just getting started will help you to keep moving. Straighten up the living room by folding blankets and fluffing pillows. Add a quick dusting and/or furniture polishing. With the room starting to look in order, you’ll probably feel motivated to run the vacuum to finish it off.
TALK TO A FRIEND
Use a hands-free earpiece and call up a friend. While you’re on the phone, you can dust, polish furniture, wipe down countertops, straighten up, make beds, fold laundry, and a variety of other chores.
FOCUS ON ONE AREA AT A TIME
Although not the most effective way to clean your home, try focusing on one room instead of overwhelming yourself with the entire house. Set your timer or put on your playlist and work that room for a specified amount of time then take a break or quit for the day.
REWARD YOURSELF
Enjoy a cup of coffee with your favorite cookies when you’re done. If you’re having a hard time getting started, reward yourself first to get inspired!
FORGET PERFECTION
Unless you’re expecting a visit from the clean police, no one will notice if you forget to dust the top of the bookshelf. Just do what you can in the time you’ve allotted for your tasks.
GET NEW CLEANING PRODUCTS
Kind of like when you buy a new kitchen gadget and you really want to try it out, a new cleaning product might inspire you to put it to good use. Find a new kind of sponge, all-purpose cleaner, duster, or broom then get to work. Every time Grove Collaborative comes out with a new cleaning product, I drop it in my cart and try it at home. This is a great way to try new things and have the convenience of at home delivery!
MAKE IT SMELL GREAT
The air in your house can become stale over time. Diffuse your favorite essential oils all around the house. Your house will start to smell cleaner before you even start to clean. Of course, you’ll want the way your house looks to match how it smells so you’ll be inspired to straighten up and get everything sparkling.
COMPENSATE FOR WEAKNESSES
Know what your weaknesses are and find a way to avoid them. For instance, if you always leave a pile of clothes on the floor when you change into your pajamas, place a chair or laundry basket near where you change the clothes you take off.
CREATE A TRIGGER
Plan a chore around your morning coffee, like emptying the dishwasher. Your morning coffee will start to trigger the habit of always emptying the dishwasher, or at very least, to straighten up around the kitchen.
INVITE FRIENDS OVER
Nothing gets you motivated to clean as much as having friends over. Plan a cookout or dinner party and invite a few people. You’ll be inspired to get your house sparkling in a flash. At very least, inviting a friend over for coffee will get you to clean your kitchen.
ENLIST HELP
Since you’re not the only one in your house who makes a mess, you shouldn’t be the only one to clean it up. Get your kids and your spouse to help out. Write down all the chores that have to be done daily and weekly then assign chores to everyone. Your kids can empty the dishwasher, run the vacuum, set the table, water the plants, or dust. Your spouse can help prepare and/or clean up from dinner, help clean the bathrooms, and help with the high dusting.
CONCLUSION
Keeping your house clean doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Just a little each day will keep things in order and keep you from having to do it all at once. Pick a few of these tips to get inspired and give them a try and see if they don’t help motivate yourself to clean. You’ll find that doing the housework isn’t as difficult to do with a little help, a little music, and a little bit at a time.
I’m a professional cleaner with over 13 years of hands-on experience cleaning homes, a published writer, certified money specialist, and the founder of A Mess Free Life. After paying off over $50,000 in debt, I dedicated myself to helping others master their homes and their money — proving that a clean, organized, stress-free life is possible no matter where you’re starting from. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me cooking, playing bocce, sipping an extra dirty martini, or enjoying the ocean with my cats nearby. I’m also a proud mom and grandma who cares deeply for my mother at home.
