…when you just don’t care. While I love the idea of a clean house, I’m not always enthused about the steps to get there. I’d rather chat on Facebook or write my next blog post than start cleaning my bathroom. The funny thing is, once I start cleaning, I usually enjoy myself.
It’s just a kick-start I need. Or more aptly, a kick in the behind. So when I’m feeling like a lazy slob and loving it, I have a few tricks I rely on to get me going.
Music!
My favorite CDs include worship music, show tunes, and Hannah Montana. Everything is more fun when you’re bopping along to your favorite tunes, and happy music is an instant mood lifter.
Make a list.
Surprised that I would advocate list-making? Didn’t think so. I’ll admit, my lists are way cooler than my actual cleaning skills will ever be. But breaking things down really helps me to focus and not get so distracted.
Give yourself a reward.
Back to the list: What’s your favorite thing to do? I happen to love organizing all my papers and notebooks, so I let myself do that only after I’ve finished everything else on my list. If I am so lucky as to have a stack of magazines to go through, there’s no stopping me from scrubbin’ that tub. Not excited by any prospect of cleaning? Promise yourself a bath in your clean tub as soon as you’re done with your duties.
Set the timer.
I’ve written before about setting the timer to help me get started on and finish tasks. Not so long ago, I had a shameful mess of junk piled up on my dresser for a couple of weeks. Every time I looked at it, I was so discouraged. It would take forever. And who has forever? Not me. Finally, I took my own advice and decided to see how much I could get done in 15 min. I was so happy to be getting it done that when the timer went off, I set it for another round and got done in 30 minutes. So, not exactly forever.Make the kids help.
You know what they say, misery loves company. But seriously, having some helping hands makes the job go faster and I’m more likely to have a good attitude because I want to set a good example for my kiddos. What is so not cool: roping your kids into helping then getting distracted by a magazine and leaving them on their own for half an hour. Not that anyone we know has ever done that.
Picture your husband’s happy face.
Okay, maybe your husband doesn’t care about how clean the house is, but mine does. So I think about how happy he’s going to be and that makes me move a little faster. Well, that and the thought of going through my magazines. Can’t decide which one is more motivating. Probably my husband’s happy face. Yeah, we’ll go with that one.
Pray!
God hears all our prayers, and I often ask Him to help me to care more about chores. When He answers, He answers big. So big that you might find yourself spending your entire household allowance in the cleaning aisle at Target. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
If you liked this post, you’ll love these:
A Plan for the Domestically Challenged
My Daily Clipboard
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I found your blog through a good friend of mine and already I am loving it! Thank you for this post because this is something that I really struggle with especially now that I just had my second child and my first child who is 1 1/2 is lovingly nic-named Hurricane for the mess she leaves the house.
Thanks so much! I need it, too, and always have to remind myself!
“Picture your husband’s happy face”- oh, that one convicted me, I should use than one a lot more around here! It really should be more of a motivator for me!
I clean all the time, I guess it just something that you get into a routine of doing, like going to the gym:(
Bracknell Cleaning´s last blog ..How to Clean Burnt Pans
I won’t clean all the time. I clean because I just want to clean. But after reading this post I think I need to make a list so that someday cleaning is one of my routine. Thanks for sharing it. It could help me a lot.
Outdoor Curtains´s last blog ..clear on brick wall