How To Get Motivated To Clean {like an adult}

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How often do you struggle to get motivated to clean your house or office? If you don’t have a cleaning schedule, then there is a pretty high chance that you probably won’t get around to it. And even if you do have a cleaning schedule, you might not stick to it.

It is no secret that clutter makes us unhappy – there is plenty of research that shows that living in a messy environment can cause stress and anxiety. This can lead to depression and other mental health issues.

So how do you stay motivated to clean? We have put together some top tips to help get you back on track and keep your home in tip-top condition with minimal effort on your part.

Get Motivated to Clean

Building motivation to clean happens as you assess your situation. As long as you keep your expectations at the same level as the task and the forecast of what you want to happen at the same level. The goal is to keep your overwhelm low so you can get the cleaning done.

Set A Realistic Time Frame

The first thing you need to do is set a realistic time frame for when you plan to clean.

It is all too easy to say ‘I will start cleaning today’ – only to find that you are brushing your teeth for bed, and today has passed you by without any action being taken.

So instead of saying ‘today’, try setting a definitive date such – you can even write this down in a diary or on a calendar, just as you would any other non-negotiable appointment.

By doing this you are setting yourself up for success, prioritizing the task, and putting the beginning of a plan into motion.

Get Rid Of Unwanted Items

If your home is full of clutter that needs to be moved each time you clean, your motivation to get started will be even lower – so start with a thorough declutter.

Start with the obvious – anything that is broken, stained, mismatched or you simply do not like can go in a pile to be discarded -this should be a fairly quick process.

Once you have cleared out all of the clutter from your space, take a look through what remains. Also, don’t forget to take a deep breath and enjoy to clutter free environment.

Take a quick inventory and ask yourself a few questions about what is remaining.

Do you have items that you don’t really want anymore? Are they useful? Can you sell them or give them away? Donate them to charity? These are all great ways of getting rid of unwanted items

Give Everything A Place

When you are cleaning, it is important to give everything a place, and this should follow your declutter.

Invest in cute storage, such as baskets, boxes, and drawers, and ensure that you have enough space to store everything that you need.

Once you have storage, take some time to ensure that every item in your home has a place to live and that nothing is left lying around “homeless”.

Not only will this make your home more organized, but it will also motivate you to clean, as you will not be spending time moving things to clean around and under them.

Start With The Most Obvious Areas First

If you are struggling to get started on your cleaning, why not tackle one room at a time? You could start with the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, lounge/living area, etc.

Each room requires different types of cleaning tasks, so make sure you focus on these areas before moving onto others.

For example, if you have a lot of dishes to wash, you may want to start with the kitchen sink and work your way through the rest of the room, moving to clean the surfaces, the table, the floor, and so on.

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Make Your Own Schedule

There are many apps available that allow you to create a daily cleaning schedule.

Some people prefer to use a paper-based system, while others prefer an app.

Whichever method you choose, having something written down that you must complete every day will help to keep you focused and ensure that you never miss a day.

Create A Systematic Approach

Another key to developing a regular cleaning routine is to develop an approach that works for you – and this will be unique for each person.

You can use a “room by room” approach, which sees you tackle each room on a specific day or in a specific order, or you can focus on tasks, such as vacuuming, polishing, and cleaning bathrooms.

Whatever you decide upon, it’s important to stick to it, so make sure that the system you choose is easy for you to follow and maintain.

If you find that you are starting to lose momentum, then change things around to suit your lifestyle.

Find Inspiration

Don’t be afraid to find and use inspiration! to keep you on track – this can be a powerful motivation tool.

There are plenty of websites dedicated to providing ideas and tips on how to motivate yourself to clean, and you can browse sites such as Pinterest and Instagram for shots of clean, tidy houses – this may just give you the push you need to get scrubbing and organizing in your own home!

Put On Some Tunes

Music has been proven time and again to be a powerful motivational tool, and there are countless songs that can help you get motivated to clean! One of the best ways to get motivated is to stick your favorite playlist on, turn up the volume and get moving.

Whether you listen to music whilst you’re doing housework or whether you listen to music when you finish, it doesn’t matter, but make sure you enjoy the experience!

Finish One Task At A Time

One of the most common mistakes that people make when trying to organize their homes is that they try to do too much at once.

This means that they end up feeling overwhelmed and unable to continue.

Instead, set yourself small goals, such as finishing off a particular task (such as dusting) for the week, or even setting yourself a goal of completing a certain number of rooms.

By breaking your big tasks into smaller ones, you’ll feel more able to achieve them and less likely to give up.

Final thoughts to get motivated to clean

If you are new to cleaning, it might seem like a daunting prospect, especially if you’ve never done it before.

However, don’t worry – keeping it simple is actually easier than you think.

Start out by simply picking one area of your home to focus on first, and then work from there – and use our top tips to keep yourself well and truly on track!