Clean and organised home? Yes, please. But what if I am too tired, overwhelmed, or don’t feel like it? We all know that cleaning bores us and, more often than not, is daunting. But it still needs to get done. So, how do we motivate ourselves to continue?
I am not a big fan of cleaning, but I like having a clean home. Furthermore, dirt, dust and disorder do not sit well with me. That’s why I prefer to get up from the sofa and wiggle around with a duster instead of giving up and hiding under blankets.
My top tips on how to clean when you don’t feel like it:
- Number One:
Evaluate which area will benefit most. Or, in other words, will make the most impact. Yes, pick one. Cleaning one area can make a significant difference in the appearance of your home. For example, if the entryway is full of bags, dirty shoes, and random items and needs urgent cleaning. Start there. Put away everything that is misplaced. Then give it a good rub.
My top tip for this would be to choose a high-traffic area instead of a hidden one. So the entryway, living room, and kitchen are all good choices against wardrobe, pantry, garage, etc., as you will have an immediate visual boost.
- Number Two:
Whenever possible, delegate tasks. It can be fun and uplifting to involve other family members. That helps save time and energy. And most importantly, maintain sanity. Yes, kids can help, too. And they are often happy to get involved.
- Number Three:
Design a realistic and functional cleaning schedule. Most of us should have daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal cleaning schedules. That helps us to be more focused and efficient with our cleaning routines. Timing is also crucial. We might be better off performing some tasks during certain hours, maybe when we are less likely to get interrupted, or simply because we feel more energetic.
The best thing about having a schedule is that it halts procrastination. We don’t need to think and plan every time. We follow our preset schedule—task after task. It helps you clean when you don’t feel like it.
- Number Four:
Your mindset can be your friend or your foe. Let’s face it. We often need to perform tasks we do not want to. And we must clean when we don’t feel like it. Your mental inner dialogue can help you move mountains or, if negative, overwhelm you and drain out your mental energy. Which, in turn, will lead to meagre or null results. When we perceive any task as extremely difficult and time-consuming, it will likely turn out like it. However, we can try changing our attitude towards cleaning. Most standard home cleaning tasks are easy. They might bore us to tears but are not difficult to perform.
In addition, we could consider ways to spice things up. Play music, listen to podcasts, or make it a game, especially with the kids.
- Number Five:
Simplify cleaning. Less tools, less detergents, less complexity. That helps combat procrastination. In addition, it lessens maintenance and control of cleaning supplies.
- Number Six:
Declutter. Cluttered spaces are a nightmare when it comes to cleaning. Moving stuff around takes time and energy. It is difficult to clean and almost impossible when you don’t feel like it. Decluttering is an ongoing task and should be performed frequently. One area at a time.
- Number Seven:
Abandon perfectionism. No one is perfect. And no house is perfect. We often feel discouraged because our homes get messy and dirty so quickly. We need to make it a habit to clean every day. Even when we don’t feel like it. The rule of thumb is better done than perfect.
