Unless you're one of those rare people who actually loves cleaning, it's just so hard to find the motivation for cleaning. But unless you can afford a cleaner, it's a necessary evil. So how do you make yourself get up and clean when you'd so much rather do … well, anything really! Here are some ways to motivate yourself to clean your home …
A soundtrack can make pretty much anything more bearable, and music really is a great way to help get yourself in the right mood for cleaning. Choose something that makes you feel like dancing or singing along, so that you feel like getting up and doing the physical effort that cleaning requires.
I really do enjoy cleaning so much more (or rather, hate it so much less) when I make my own, natural cleaning products. Basic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice and essential oils are kinder to the environment and smell so much nicer than the artificial fragrances in commercial products.
When you're feeling unmotivated to do any cleaning, you keep putting it off - so you need to find a reason that will get you started. Imagining a lovely clean house is a great incentive. A dirty, messy home makes you feel even less motivated to do anything, so keep a picture in your mind of how good it will feel to have a clean house - then get started.
We often let the dirt and dust pile up, so that it soon seems a daunting task. But if you work on the 'little but often' principle, your house will never get to the stage of seeming too much to tackle. Do a bit of cleaning every day, and you won't spend hours later on doing a massive clean.
The sad fact is that your house isn't going to clean itself, so don't waste your time dreaming of it being clean. Get up and get started. In fact, the best way is to clean as soon as it's necessary, so that it's quickly and easily dealt with. Clean a spillage while it's fresh, and it will be much easier to remove than if it has time to set or dry.
Look around your house right now. Now imagine that an unexpected guest dropped in. Would you want them to see your house in its current state? If you're horrified at the thought of someone seeing your home as it is right now, that can be enough to send you running for the cleaning products!
Roommates often find that the only way cleaning ever gets done is if they work out a schedule. Try doing this yourself, and designate cleaning jobs for certain days, just as women used to do in the past. The best time to clean is earlier in the day, so that it's out of the way and you can get on with doing more enjoyable things!
Cleaning's never going to be fun, but with these tips you'll soon find your house is sparkling!