When life gets busy, overwhelming, or stressful, it’s completely normal for cleaning motivation to disappear. You’re not doing anything wrong, this happens to all of us. Some seasons of life just get busier than others, and overwhelm can set in.
The good news is that you don’t need hours of free time or a sudden burst of energy to find the motivation to begin the task of cleaning your home, even if it’s a common struggle for you.
I’ve grouped this list into tips based on how you might be feeling. So that no matter what is holding you back from starting, I’ll provide solutions that can help. These small shifts can help your space become peaceful once again.
The Benefits of a Clean Space
A clean and organized space is aesthetically pleasing, but maintaining a clean home is about much more than that. A clean space helps to keep your mind calmer and clearer, makes your home a peaceful sanctuary, and is even good for your health.
Clutter can be visually overwhelming. Reducing clutter (even simply reducing what’s visible), can help your mind feel clearer. When your home feels simple and flows effortlessly from room to room, less anxious feelings will creep in. Your home will feel more welcoming not only for your guests, but also for yourself.
When things are neat and tidy, it makes your mornings less stressful and run more smoothly. It saves you time because you won’t be searching for things under the clutter. A tidy home has a way of making your whole day feel lighter.
A clean space is also a healthier space. Removing the dirt and grime aids your physical health as well. Cleaning isn’t just about the house, it’s about caring about the person who lives there, you.
My Top Cleaning Motivation Tips
Many reasons can cause the mess in a house to reach a point that feels like it’s just too much.
When clutter has taken over, you may not know where to begin. We’ve all been there, let’s explore my best tips to help you shift away from this feeling.
I’ve noticed motivational tips are more manageable when divided into categories that address the cause of the clutter. That is precisely how I have organized these tips for you so that when you identify the feelings you struggle with, you can easily apply what will help the most.
When You’re Too Overwhelmed to Start
It’s hard to know where to begin when everything feels like too much. This can cause further delay in tackling the tasks at hand. As to-do lists grow, confusion about where to begin is a normal feeling that’s to be expected.
I find relief in knowing that I don’t have to tackle everything at once. With these tips, you too can move with confidence in knowing exactly how you will get everything done.
Start Small
- Set a 3-minute timer and stop when it’s done. If you can, set another 3-minute timer after that again. If you need to rest first, it’s ok to give yourself permission to do that.
- Pick one tiny square foot and clean only that. One single shelf, one drawer, one corner of the floor. Move piece by piece, bit by bit.
- Do the “5-item tidy”: pick up any 5 things, then rest. If you want to continue, do 5 more. Another method is to do 5, switch to a new room, do 5 more, and so on. The load will be lightened bit by bit until the job seems much less overwhelming.
- Try a “one song clean.” Putting on music is calming, invigorating, and inspirational. Select a song you love and let the music set the speed. Enjoying yourself while cleaning and organizing makes the atmosphere one of peace and happiness.
More Tips that Fight the Overwhelm
- Try focusing on just one job at a time. Doing the dishes, cleaning the bathtub, sorting the paper mail. One task may roll right into another, and it may not. But by selecting one task and focusing on it, you will have conquered the toughest part of the job, beginning.
- Create a “dump basket” for items that belong elsewhere. When working on organizing a space, you don’t need to feel obligated to get everything in that room into its rightful place right away. Add all items that belong elsewhere in a single bin that you can handle at another time. Cleaning doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to work for you.
When You’re Tired or Burned Out
- When your energy is lacking, but more things need your attention, switch to lower-energy tasks. Consider cleaning while sitting, like while folding, wiping, or sorting.
- Choosing tasks to work on mindfully when your energy is low can help you get more accomplished overall.
- Consider tasks that make a large difference quickly, like vacuuming or tidying up. Though they do use a lot of energy, they make the biggest difference, so you can stop sooner if need be while still making a lot of progress.
- Utilizing the machines you have saves you effort and exhaustion. Many items you wouldn’t think of can be washed in a dishwasher, such as drawer organizers, plastic boxes, and so much more. By reducing the energy needed to clean, more can be completed.
- Consider using audio motivation such as podcasts, upbeat music, or audiobooks. I’ve found that time passes more quickly when you are listening to something you enjoy. More will get accomplished before you know it.
- Allow yourself to take breaks as needed. In fact, you can even budget that into your plans. “I will clean for 15 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes on the couch before I begin again.” Granting your body the rest it needs can boost your productivity overall.
You don’t need to match your house’s needs every day, but you do need to match your energy level.
When You’re Distracted
Sometimes, a scattered mind can make beginning a task feel challenging. Knowing where to begin becomes difficult. When our minds wander, our productivity wanders as well.
- Consider creating a checklist. If you find that distraction is holding you back, creating a checklist can be very beneficial. Productivity can soar when you see task after task being checked off a list.
- Reduce the space you’re working in. If you find yourself wandering from place to place, choosing a single room, and shutting the door increases focus. When there is less mess to look at, more can get done. Remaining within that one space until it’s tidied up takes distraction off the table. I’ve found that verifying that all the cleaning and sorting supplies are in that room before beginning, even more distractions are eliminated.
- Consider selecting an anchor point. If there are too many things to clean, even within a single room, it can be difficult not to jump between tasks. Finding an anchor point to focus on can help you to stay on task. I find that sitting down at or near the anchor point can really help to maintain focus. Sit at the desk as you organize it or sit in front of the cabinet that needs to be emptied and cleaned until it is done.
- Lastly, consider asking an accountability partner to join you. A focused friend can create a focused team. The lighter the space around you becomes, the more focus you will be able to maintain.
When You Just Don’t Feel Like Cleaning
Sometimes cleaning doesn’t sound inspiring, and that’s ok. Motivation can be difficult to find in different seasons of life. Here are a few gentle ways to help yourself get moving.
- Offer yourself a treat upon completion. Coffee after dishes or a fun show after vacuuming might be just the motivation you need.
- Set a timer for 10 minutes and challenge yourself. See if you can do a good job picking up in only that amount of time. Consider this to be a challenge of how much you can do, not a win-lose situation. By finishing the amount of time you selected, you have already won.
- Try to see what you can accomplish while you wait for another thing. Doing the dishes while the coffee brews or organizing the pantry while the washer spins can shift a chore into a timed game.
- Consider selecting a tough job first. You’ll be filled with a sense of relief and accomplishment early.
- Start with whatever is easiest. On the opposite end of the spectrum, beginning with the simplest task can also help build a sense of accomplishment quickly because you get to check something off your list quickly.
Wrapping Up Cleaning Motivation Tips That Work
If cleaning feels hard right now, that’s ok. I’ve found that focusing on progress over perfection can make a huge difference. Cleaning off a table, decluttering a single room, sorting until a short timer goes off, can all shift the way your home feels. Paving the way to a calming and inviting space that you can relax in. By meeting yourself where you are and moving at a pace that feels manageable, you have already won. Your home can shift into a safe space of serenity by accomplishing what you can when you can, allowing yourself rest as needed, and selecting whichever tips resonated with you to try.
Related Cleaning Articles:
