How to Get Motivated to Clean When Overwhelmed by the Mess: Step by step tips to start cleaning

This post is going to show you how to get motivated to clean in a whole new way.  Tips for using a timer, getting family members going, and get a cleaning routine that will motivate you to NEVER let it get that messy again!

Check out my recent podcast about getting your family to clean:

How to get motivated to clean your house when overwhelmed by the mess

The key for me is getting started.  That’s right, start cleaning.

There are times at home, at work, when dealing with kids, or even working out that I want to burst into tears.

It just seems like too much.

The truth is, I can do almost anything for a few minutes.  Burpees, mountain climbers, dealing with whiny kids.  If I have a SET period of time, I am good.  But, to think that I need to clean my WHOLE house and who KNOWS how long it will take…  Frankly, the idea is REALLY overwhelming to me.

Hence, my love of timers.

By using an interval timer, you’re going to see a whole new way to get your house clean. You’re going to start small, because even starting small — you’re STARTING! You’re one step closer to a clean home!

First, have you ever wished your house could be easier to clean?  Just like how building muscle makes it easier to lose weight, organization will make it easier to clean up.

And, if that sounds good to you, this course changed how I look at my house.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• How to keep important papers and things so you don’t lose them
• How to create systems that make cleaning take minutes, instead of hours
• How you can be the person who can enjoy a Netflix binge without worrying that she should be cleaning instead.

And, because I think this system will change your life — I even have a coupon code PC10 that will change your life for 10% less. 🙂

Ok, back to intervals.

Enter, my HIIT interval trainer.

I did interval training back when I was trying to learn how to run.  Of course, that’s over — but I still have the HIIT timer on my phone, because I LOVE to use it when I’m cleaning my house.

Saturday mornings, I’ll set it to 5 minutes with 6 sets and in 20-30 minutes each of my rooms has had 5 minutes of cleaning and I feel like things are in place.  I feel a lot more peaceful when things are in their place.  I like this particular trainer, because it gives you a warning whistle.  That way I can kind of tie-up what I’m doing and move on.

I feel like if I used a watch for this, I’d ALWAYS be checking the watch, instead of focusing on cleaning.

And by knowing that in just HALF an hour I will be DONE I find the task doable.

Ways to use intervals to clean your messy house

Use a HIIT Timer to help you clean

There are a million HIIT timer apps for your phone.

Normally, those apps are used to high intensity interval training — which means you do a hard exercise for 30 seconds, and then you get a 10-second break and then go back at it for another 30 seconds.

People who know exercise have said this is a great way to build endurance and lose weight.

YOU can use those same principles to effect change in your home!

For me, I like to do 5 minutes per room, with a 30-second break to change rooms.

Often HIIT timers will even do a countdown as you near the end of your timer, so you can prep to move on to the next room.

BUT, you could even do this in the kitchen where you have 5 minutes in each spot.

It helps promote speed and just getting stuff done vs lingering with tasks.

It’s almost like you’re competing with yourself!

But, sometimes I have a lot of smaller things that need to get done or I need to go room to room and not get TOO tied-up in one room. By not watching my watch I’m able to stay focused on getting the house clean.

Related Post:  Weekly cleaning schedule template

Use Music to Guide Your Intervals

For our family, we have a playlist of upbeat music that pep everyone up and help us get motivated to clean AND do it quick.

We have 5 songs, we put them on shuffle and our routine goes like this:

• 1 song in their room
• 1 song in the bathroom
• 1 song in the living room/dining room
• 1 song in the kitchen
• 1 song in the family room/playroom

and boom, we’re done!

Everyone got a song pick and anyone was allowed to veto a song they hated.

Honestly, it works really well — and playing it loud allows us to dance and have fun as we clean up.  We use this tactic on Saturday mornings and I love how clean the house is afterward!

Of course, our house is pretty tidied up as it is (thanks to this course) but I would say you could easily come up with an hour’s worth of songs that your family loves and get to business.

Kids don’t want to clean?  I do it on Saturdays because they often have other stuff they want to do that afternoon or evening.

Those items are held hostage. If they want to do it they can work for it.

Or, I’ll turn off the wifi.

It’s really important that my kids & family pitch in and clean.  It builds character, right? 🙂

In fact, I talk all about using this cleaning as a family in my course Family Routines.

I don’t have time to clean?

Maybe this is you. Maybe you’re a stay at home mom with young kids that are already overwhelming you, or a demanding job. Busy-ness is everywhere!

THAT, my friends is the glory of the timer. Everyone has 5 minutes. Even if you get up a bit early or smush it in when you’d otherwise peruse social media. Set the timer, get it done and move on! You’ll love your tidy house!

The best motivation to clean & stay motivated each day!

The best motivation to clean is a clean house. Seeing things go easier and feeling more relaxed is great motivation to maybe do 10 minutes tomorrow….

AND if you aren’t finding the motivation tomorrow, look around! Maybe it will remind you why it’s worth it!

Not motivated to clean because you don’t have the right cleaning product!

I call BS. Cleaning can happen with hot soapy water and a rag. A lot of it is throwing away clutter. Get started!

Still sounds like too much?

Sometimes I just start with one timer.  They always say, with working out, to tell yourself you’re just going to try it for 5 minutes.  Most often, your body will be enjoying it, and you’ll continue.

I think cleaning can be that same way.

It just gets you motivated to do more.  Our bodies and brains are awesome like that. 🙂

And, don’t worry — time is on your side! Even if it takes a while, you can do it!

How to get motivated to clean when depressed

This is so real guys — it’s that feeling I talked about up above.  You just don’t know what to do.

And, powering through seems as likely as a magical fairy coming to help you out.

My tips when you find yourself in this funk:

• Find a friend who might come help for a bit.  Don’t plan to rely on them cleaning much, but you might enjoy the social interaction with them as you get stuff done.  Offer to do the same for them at their house!
• Create a cleaning schedule. Once you have one cleaning task to do each day, if you just DO it — you’ll start to see progress, day by day! Getting into a cleaning routine really WILL make a difference if you do it daily!
• Use music to motivate you.  Have a song you love?  Turn it on — tell yourself you’re just going to clean while that song is on — unless you feel like doing more.  I think your body & brain might take over and give you a good go at it!
• Set that timer.  Do the 5 minutes.  See that you’re making a difference.

One of the keys to this system is that you’re using a concentrated effort in one area for an extended period of time.

You will start to see results, even in that 5-10 minutes and it’s going to start to feel so good.

Pro Tip: I assign tasks to each day of the week in my cleaning schedule. It really helps!

Because this really is something you have control over, even when the rest of your life feels out of control.  That’s part of why I like cleaning & organizing so much.  In a house full of a crazy family, I do have control over a few things — and clutter in my home is one of them!

And having control is a huge motivating tip for me!

If you liked this post, and want more fun and easy ways to organize or clean be sure to check out The Organized Home

Not sure you’re ready for the whole thing — why not take a baby step with my 5-word organization challenge that you can find right here (and check out my other cleaning/organization posts below that)