Do you feel like you’re constantly cleaning but it’s never quite enough? Are your house and yard always a mess, no matter how much time you put into them? Well, don’t worry, you’re not alone. A lot of people find it difficult to get motivated to clean their house. But the good news is that there are plenty of ways to get yourself moving. In this blog post, we will discuss 16 creative ways to get yourself motivated to clean your house!

What causes low motivation to clean?

There are quite a few things that can cause you to have low motivation to clean your house. Here are some of the top reasons:

1. Stress in other areas of life
2. Lack of time
3. Feel overwhelmed because there is too much to do
4. Lack of help from family members
5. Ineffective cleaners and cleaning tools
6. No cleaning schedule is in place so things have piled up

It can be difficult to feel like you have control over your environment when things are in disarray. Another factor that may contribute is if you don’t have an organized space where everything has a place. Feeling out of control of your life causes added stress and unhappiness. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to take control of the things you do have control of, like the environment and the overall feeling in your home.

How to Help with Cleaning Overwhelm

If you’ve gotten behind on cleaning your house it is natural to feel defeated which leaves you with no cleaning motivation. But there are things that you can do to make cleaning fun so that you stop avoiding chores. Chores don’t go away because you choose to ignore them.

One of the best things you can do to help with cleaning overwhelm is to break down the task into smaller, more manageable chunks. Setting a timer for each chore can make it more fun and help you to stay focused on the task at hand.

Another helpful tip is to set up cleaning zones within your home that you accomplish certain days of the week so things get cleaned regularly.

Tips for How to Get Motivated to Clean

Believe it or not, there are some really great tips to help you get motivated to clean your entire house. Here are my favorite tips that I have implemented into my own life at one point or another.

20 Seconds of Courage

One of the hardest parts of getting some cleaning motivation for your messy house is that we lack the courage to just START. Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of courage to get up off the couch and create a game plan for how you’re going to accomplish the task. After you’re up and moving, oftentimes that’s the most difficult part.

Start with a smaller project

Creating a clean house is just a list of small tasks that need to be accomplished one at a time. So instead of trying to do the whole house at once, break down each room and start with a small project. This will help you focus better and give you something tangible that you can enjoy when it’s finished.

If you don’t know where to start, consider bite-sized areas of your home that you can start with. Instead of cleaning an entire room, tell yourself that you’re going to clean your nightstands in your bedroom or even just your kitchen counters.

Work on Decluttering

One of the biggest causes of a messy home is clutter. And the less clutter there is, the more ability you have to keep up with a clean house. If you’re wondering how to get motivated to clean, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get rid of stuff that is causing clutter.

Less stuff = Less clutter = Less cleaning

Having a clutter-free home isn’t realistic all the time but there is a big difference between a home where a home is overflowing with stuff and a home that mostly has essentials.

You can even browse Pinterest or Instagram to find photos that help you feel inspired. This can be a really big help because you can see the difference between the photos and your own home. Instagram photos are mostly clutter free and have only the essentials. You need to keep realistic expectations though, don’t expect perfection from yourself or your family.

Invest in quality cleaning tools to make cleaning painless

A good way to keep a tidy home is to invest in quality cleaning tools that will save you time. Investing in the right vacuum cleaner, mop, and broom will allow you to keep your floors clean and make quick work of your cleaning routine. You can also invest in cleaning solutions that are tailored to the surfaces or items you have around your home.

Sometimes, a great motivator for cleaning your house is to simply buy some new cleaning products that smell amazing and that you’re excited to use.

My Favorite Time-Saving Cleaners and Tools:

• CLR Calcium, Lime, and Rust Remover
• Rinseroo – perfect for cleaning the shower!
• Force of Nature Cleaner (this has replaced 90% of the other cleaning products I used to use)
• Dupray NEAT Steam Cleaner
• Glass Cleaning Rags – You’ll never have to buy glass cleaner again!
• Eufy RoboVac – is easily one of my favorite cleaning purchases ever

Create a cleaning caddy or a cleaning cart

Creating a designated cleaning caddy or cleaning cart will make it easier to keep your home clean on a regular basis. Keep all of your essential cleaning supplies– like sponges, rags, paper towels, and cleaners– in one easy-to-access place. Having all of the items that you need to be gathered together can help you save time when you have some cleaning motivation. The easier you make it on yourself, the easier it will be to get started, and the fewer excuses you’ll use.

Create a list to set yourself up for success

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a few minutes to create a cleaning checklist for yourself to help you be motivated to clean. Many people are highly motivated to check things off of a list so having a list with your cleaning tasks can help increase your cleaning motivation.

These cleaning cards are an excellent way to write down what tasks need to be completed in each room that you clean.

Create a cleaning schedule

A common reason for getting overwhelmed when cleaning your house is because you’ve ignored tasks and the dirt and grime have built up. But if you can start cleaning your house on a cleaning schedule, it is significantly easier to keep your house clean. There are simple everyday tasks that you can make sure you do nightly before bed that the whole family can be involved in. Some of these tasks include:

• Doing all the dishes before going to bed (and start the dishwasher)
• Clean off the kitchen table
• Pick up the living room floor
• Sweep the kitchen

Adding these smaller tasks to your to-do list will help you get motivated to clean your house because you don’t wake up every morning to a big mess that you’re already behind on.

You can get some awesome cleaning schedules in my Etsy shop with TONS of printables to get you motivated to clean your house.

Watch the show called Hoarders

Have you ever seen the TV show called Hoarders? It’s a show that follows individuals who have compulsive hoarding disorder and documents their struggles as they try to clean up their homes. Watching the show can be a great way to get motivated to clean because it puts your messy home into perspective and reminds you of how good you have it in comparison.

This is a great way to get some cleaning motivation because you see how people’s lives are negatively affected by their environment (mentally as well as physically) and it motivates you to prevent that in your own life.

Find an exciting podcast to listen to

A great way to help with your lack of cleaning motivation is to find an exciting podcast to listen to while you clean. You may even go as far as to limit yourself from listening to that podcast unless you are cleaning. This helps make house cleaning much more enjoyable because you can concentrate on something more than just the miserable chores. Here are some popular podcasts to get you started:

• Gabfest: The Good, The Bad, The Funny
• On Purpose with Jay Shetty
• American Scandal

Create a cleaning playlist

There’s something magical about upbeat music to help you get some cleaning motivation…and keep it. Create a playlist specifically for cleaning that you can use every time you clean. It should include some of your favorite tunes and songs that get your body moving. That way, when you start to drag, the music will inspire you to keep going.

Utilize scents

Have you ever noticed how good it smells when you walk into a freshly cleaned home? That doesn’t happen by chance. Utilizing scents while you clean can help make the process more enjoyable and keep your house smelling great afterward. You can use candles, diffusers, incense, or even essential oils to get the job done. Pick a scent that you find calming and refreshing, like lavender, orange, or lemon.

Download an Audiobook

Wondering how to get motivated to clean? This is my personal favorite way to make cleaning your house as painless as possible. I love a good audiobook and nothing keeps me going with a cleaning task like an audiobook. It’s easy to lose motivation when you start getting tired but a good book keeps you going.

I love to use the Libby app and check out audiobooks through my local library. The best part is that you don’t have to go to the actual library, just use the app!

You can also try out Audible for free for 30 days with 2 free Audiobooks!

Wear comfortable clothing

This may sound strange but the type of clothes affects your ability to focus and stay motivated. So dress in something that won’t be uncomfortable while you do your chores, such as yoga pants or an oversized t-shirt. Not only will it make the task more enjoyable, but you may even find yourself moving around faster because of how comfortable the clothes are.

Drink some caffeine

When you’re feeling overwhelmed often your energy is low. That’s where caffeine comes in handy. Make sure you get some caffeine before you start cleaning to help give yourself the extra boost you need. This will also help keep your focus and motivation levels high so that you can get through your cleaning tasks more quickly.

I LOVE Perk Energy. Honestly my favorite drinks…like…ever. Use my link and you’ll get 10% off at checkout. My favorites are Peach Crisp Cake, Egg Nog, and Dutch Hot Cocoa.

Do the hardest task first

Wondering how to get motivated to clean when your entire living space needs a desperate cleaning job? Spend time doing the hardest tasks first when you have the most motivation and energy. It’s much harder to be motivated to clean the areas that need extra elbow grease when you’ve already used up your energy on a small task.

Clean first thing in the morning

It’s no secret that you generally have the most energy right after waking up. One of the keys to keeping a tidy house is to do the deep cleaning first thing in the morning. This will help set you up for success and give you motivation throughout the day to keep your space clean.

Set a timer

It’s easy to get caught up in cleaning and forget about time. Instead of spending the entire day on cleaning, set a timer for yourself. Make sure to break up your tasks so that it doesn’t take too long to finish. This will help keep you motivated and on-task while making sure that your space is always clean.

A timer can also help you when you’re feeling unmotivated because you know that you only have to clean for ___ number of minutes.

Use cleaning products that smell good

When you clean your house, you can surprisingly get some cleaning inspiration from the smell of your cleaning supplies. Choose cleaning products that smell good, such as natural essential oils or other fragrances to fill the air with a pleasant scent. Good smells can help you stay in the zone and make your cleaning process enjoyable. Here are my favorites:

• Caldrea Countertop Spray
• Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator
• Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena Spray

Avoid distractions

If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to get distracted…especially with your phone and your notifications. So focus on one task at a time and avoid ‘checking your phone’ at all costs. You can even tell yourself that you can’t look at your phone until you’ve accomplished a certain number of tasks.

Invite someone over for lunch

Nothing motivates you to clean better than having company over! Plus, you can treat yourself to a nice home-cooked meal afterward. So invite your friends or family over for lunch and make sure your house is presentable and spotless!

Ask for help from other family members

If you’re not living alone, then you’re not the only one making the mess. Enlist a family member, or the whole family, to help with the mess. Turn on the family’s favorite music, set a timer, and give everyone a list of tasks to accomplish within that timeframe.

It’s easier to get some motivation to keep up a clean home when you’re not the only one working towards that goal. Don’t be afraid to get the kids to clean the dirty dishes!

Give yourself a reward when you accomplish the tasks

There is nothing wrong with giving yourself a small reward at the end of a long cleaning session. It’s no small job to get the house cleaned, so reward yourself with something small!

Buy a cute notepad to write your list on

One of the most helpful ways to get inspired and motivated to clean your house is to buy yourself a cute notepad. Not only does this make it easier for you to remember what needs to be done, but having a physical written list also serves as an additional motivation tactic. Plus, who doesn’t love buying new office supplies?