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I think we can all relate to this at some stage. Mum asks for help to get motivated to clean the pigsty they call home.

Mum shares, “Help mums, our house is so messy! It’s making me depressed just being here. Anyone know of any good motivational tips to clean the house?”

Now the obvious answer was to tune in to Marie Kondo a couple of times and then go crazy! “If it doesn’t spark joy, toss it out!”

Some of the other great tips included:

“Do one room at a time, I work cleaning a motel so the last thing I feel like doing when I get home is house work I try to do as much as I can before I go to work but I do a major clean every sunday put things away as you use them, fold the washing as you get it in put a load of washing in as soon a showers are done make beds as soon as people get out of them this seems to work in our house lol”

“When I vacuum I drag a basket with me and fill it with everything that doesn’t belong, wether it’s toys, cups, books, shoes etc.. then the kids put it away as a team.

Don’t like cleaning.. don’t leave it laying around.. if only the kids would listen.”

“It’s all about decluttering. Always start with the living rooms first and kitchen because once you start to see progress in those main rooms it will than give you motivation to spring clean bedrooms. I always have to have my living rooms tidy otherwise I get anxious. I vacuum everyday the least. Another thing is I never say “it can wait” or make the weekend my cleaning because thats when it starts to all pile up and makes it harder.”

“Start with the room that makes you happiest once it’s clean (for me it’s my kitchen then my bathroom/toilet then my laundry) and just go one room at a time.. even if you do one room a day.”

“I’m doing this now. I say start small, like bathroom , toilet etc. If you haven’t looked at it , used it or someone hasn’t played with it in a couple months throw it! And alcohol and music always helps”

“I have a routine for cleaning. I start the same place every time and finish the same place every time. I put music on and just get started, no thinking about it.”

“Set a timer (eg 15 mins per room) , I find it helps keeping the house clean.”

“Do one big clean once every week then every day I tidy up, my housework is always done in less than an hr and I do washing every 2 or 3 days, I’m a single mum of 2 and I work but my house is always spotless just incase an unexpected visitor shows up.”

“We do a 10min speed clean. Everyone who is home has a task and helps. It is great family bonding and we all feel better afterwards. Please don’t beat yourself up too much though. It is just a phase you will work through when the timing is a bit better.”

“I put on music and clean to that. I’ve also put a timer on and see what I can clean in that time. But mainly rocking out to music while cleaning gets my motivation going.”

Depression and cleaning

Can we also add that often if you are feeling depressed or anxious the household chores can seem to pile up around you, which then also makes you feel worse and it’s an endless circle.

One of the key signs of depression is when you stop taking care of day-to-day chores, like cleaning your house. Depression leaves you feeling so down and tired that you just let things go. Unfortunately, a messy house can add to those feelings of depression. Once the mess gets too large and chaotic, people with depression can’t imagine how to begin tackling the household duties. They feel hopeless and helpless against the clutter and dirt, which reinforces depression.

One study found that performing at least 20 minutes of daily physical activity, including domestic housework, benefited mental health and lowered risks of psychological problems. Don’t let depression force you to live in a messy house.

Follow some of the amazing tips above to help you beat the demon.

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  • Its so much easier now that I live on my own. If there is a mess then its my mess and if I clean something then I know it will stay that way,.

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  • I know its an old post and you have probably worked your way through. But my grandmother had severe depression when I was young (she looked after me and my sister while my single mum worked full time) and I always remember when I go through my own moments now as a mum, she would tell me that as long as you can keep it liveable and if someone come there is nothing to judge the hidden bits (aka, bedrooms, private areas) will get done when they get done. As long as you remember your a mum, baby or babies are happy, healthy and safe your doing your job right no matter what.

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  • I think you just have to get on with it and when it’s done, have a cuppa or something.

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  • It’s a bit defeating when you’re cleaning one end of the house while the kids are destroying the other end! Hang in there. And keep giving the kiddos jobs to do to teach them it doesn’t happen by magic!

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  • oh I hear you, im not a fan either.

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  • I like to put some music on and dance around the house while I clean and of course a glass of wine

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  • Oh I know how you feel! It’s so hard to find motivation to clean, especially when you live with others who don’t care how much time you spend cleaning, they’ll just mess it up anyway and not do anything to help clean it again

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  • I hear you sister! Some good suggestions. I usually find if I invite someone over for a cuppa I spend 15-20mins tidying like Tassie Devil and the house looks a lot better. Then I’m more motivated to do a deep clean later on.

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  • And if it’s really horrible, if you can afford a professional clean to get you started, that might help.

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  • I was told to imagine a room in sections and just do one section a day, unless you feel like doing more. It helps me to cope day to day

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  • Baby steps. Sometimes the idea of cleaning the whole house can be so overwhelming. Get the family involved, and work on one space or room at a time.

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  • The only thing that motivates me to clean is the threat of visitors.

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  • I’ve got almost the whole house clean and shining as a pin – my problem is the clothes wardrobes – just never seen to get round to decluttering that part of my house.

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  • I hear you and found the FLY Lady. Google her. She simplified the whole house cleaning process by helping you to set daily and weekly routines that then become habits. FLY lady saved my life!!


    • I heard about her from other people too!!

    Reply

  • Start small, do bit by bit,

    Reply

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