8 Lifehacks That Will Help You Motivate Yourself to Keep Your Home Clean and Organized
Depending on the current state of the house, getting it clean and keeping it that way can seem overwhelming. However, even those who don’t really like cleaning can keep their home clean and organized. It all starts with finding the right motivation and figuring out a way to stay motivated.
Try some of tips below, for lifehacks that will motivate you to keep your home clean and organized!
Get Help Getting Started
Sometimes, the entire idea of getting the house clean and organized can seem overwhelming. There may be a lot that needs to be done, and it can take even longer to complete if the homeowner isn’t sure what to do. If the house hasn’t been cleaned in a while or it’s cluttered, hire a pro to handle the initial house cleaning. They can get the whole house clean in no time, and it’s more likely the homeowner will continue to keep it clean since there won’t be as much to do each day.
Make Tasks More Manageable
Many cleaning tasks can seem a bit overwhelming if nothing has been done in a long time. Instead of thinking the entire bedroom needs to be spotless, start with just washing the laundry and putting it all away. Once this is done, it’s possible to do another small task, like vacuuming the floor or decluttering the nightstands. Cleaner Wiki suggests starting with the tasks that will have the biggest impact so there is a noticeable difference, even if you don’t have time to clean the entire room. Everything in the room can be broken down into small sections that are easier to do. After a while, the whole room is done, one manageable piece at a time.
Set a Timer Every Day
Most people don’t realize how fast they can clean. If a room seems like it’s going to take forever to clean, set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes. Keep cleaning until the timer goes off, but stop and take a break when it does. Chances are, a lot more will be cleaned than the homeowner expected. Since most people don’t realize how fast they can clean once they get going, they won’t realize exactly how much they can get done in just a short amount of time. Even when life gets busy, set a 15 or 20-minute timer and clean.
Rewards for Keeping the House Clean
It’s great to get rewards, even if they’re for something that has to be done anyways. To add a little extra motivation, create a reward for the whole house being clean or for certain parts of the home being done. When the master bedroom is fully clean, for instance, the reward can be a new comforter or a night at the movies. Once the whole house is done, it’s time for a little bit larger reward. The reward doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be something worth working towards.
Have Friends Over More Often
Nothing inspires a homeowner to clean their home more than guests coming over. While it’s possible to hide a lot of the mess, don’t resort to this when guests are expected. Homeowners who enjoy entertaining frequently may find it’s easier to keep their home clean because they’re more willing to do a little bit every day while they count down to the next fun night. Have friends over once a month for a game of cards or a TV marathon. Everyone will have fun, and the homeowner will be inspired to keep the house cleaner.
Create Cleaning Triggers
When a trigger occurs, it causes something else to happen. This can be used to help keep the house clean, so there aren’t any more long cleaning marathons to get everything done. Start with just one or two small triggers and build on them as they become habits. For instance, every day after breakfast, instead of just taking the coffee cup to the sink, go ahead and wash it, dry it, and put it away. Finishing eating is the trigger, and it leads to a tiny bit of cleaning done right away so it doesn’t stack up later. Another example might be turning on the radio at a certain time every day. When this happens, it might be time to start the laundry or do the dishes.
Buy New Cleaning Supplies
Most people have at least some cleaning supplies, but new ones can offer motivation. A brand new vacuum, with all of the bells and whistles, for instance, can inspire a homeowner to make sure they vacuum more often. New sprays that clean well and smell great can offer motivation to keep counter-tops and other surfaces clean. A fun new duster can provide motivation to keep the whole home dusted. Of course, it’s necessary to use the new cleaning supplies to ensure the money isn’t just wasted. However, as long as they are going to be used, new cleaning supplies can be fantastic motivation.
Learn New Cleaning Tips
Is there an easier way to clean the windows, get rid of stains in the grout, or wash the dishes? There might be a more fun way to keep something clean or a new technique that gets the home cleaner than other methods. While some new cleaning tips will work great and others won’t work so well, it can be a lot of fun just to try them out. Try out some homemade recipes for cleaning supplies, for instance, or look into different techniques. If something doesn’t work well, try out other ideas. Always having new ideas to try out can be highly motivating, especially for people who love to experiment.
Though cleaning isn’t likely at the top of the list for fun things to do around the house, it is necessary to keep the house clean. If you’re having trouble finding the motivation to clean each day, try out some or all of the tips here. It’s a good idea to start with a professional cleaning to get everything in shape. Then, try out the different tips to learn how to keep the house clean without it becoming a huge chore. The right motivation could make a huge difference.
Play music. The same thing that can motivate you to get through your workout can also get you cleaning. Make a 20-minute-long playlist. I’ve found that I often want to keep up the good work when the 20 minutes is up…it seems that getting started is the issue and once I’m past that hurdle I’m good to go
Yes, I keep at it, when I start, too.
Nothing like music to motivate me! Love it! I became a cleaning machine! lol
Thank you for all the tips!