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DippyFresh

Updated 10mo ago

How do I find motivation to clean my messy house?

I’m not sure if this is the right ‘tag’ to ask this question; I tend to question myself a lot. But what do I do? My house is an absolute mess and I know I would feel so much better if I cleaned up all of the clutter and picked up everything, but I can’t seem to find the motivation to do it. Every day I look at the mess and think to myself “I really need to clean this. It’ll be good for me”, but once I start or get ready to do anything I guess I get overwhelmed [?] and just stop. It just feels impossible to get anything done anymore. Does anyone else struggle with this or have any advice on how to get out of this seemingly endless cycle?

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Blorp

2y

Something weird I do is I make it a fun game. I throw away 5 pieces of trash and put away 3 things before repeating this the next day. I treat myself to something fun if I'm able to do more, or if I keep it up for a week, two weeks, a month, etc. While this might not work for everyone, it's definitely something that has helped me clean with my depression holding me back most of the time.
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Monday

2y

I agree with Blorp and also 100% relate. A thing that’s worked for me is setting aside time to do these household things in a way that’s it’s more inconvenient for me to NOT do them. When I finish laundry, I’ll put it on my bed so that if I want to go to bed, I have to put the laundry away. I also used to reward myself for doing chores and such.
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aeipathy

2y

To add to the other comments, I think an important aspect can be to remind yourself that you don't have to do everything right then and there. Oftentimes, you can get overwhelmed by how much there is to do, but it can always be done little by little or in chunks rather than all at once. Also, a tiny tip I've been using lately: if there's something I want to do but have little motivation to do, i Count down from 5, and once I reach 0, I move my body in the direction of the task without thinking about anything. That can sometimes help if you're struggling to start.
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FutureNurse

2y

I second what aeipathy! Breaking things down into smaller chunks is how I get things done. I’ll use my room as an example. If I don’t think I can do my whole room, I start with the corner. It may take longer to get it done, but I find that once I start, it’s easier to keep going and finish. Plus if all you can do is the corner, you achieved your goal for the day, and you can celebrate the small success!
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Quinnlan

2y

I deal with this too, I haven’t worked out a solution yet ❤️
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JennsInsane

2y

I absolutely feel your struggle. I am the same way. We have soooo much stuff everywhere, and I can't seem to find the motivation to start organizing, cleaning up, and getting rid of things. I am home all day every day, so there really is no excuse for me not to do it....but somehow, I just don't do it. Plus, after 2 spinal fusions, my back is a mess. Chronic pain is the worst, and it makes doing simple things like the dishes very painful and difficult. Some of the above tips are great though, I will have to give them a try!
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MiaMia

2y

Definitely agree with everyone here. Ill add my 2 cents aswell. 1. Break things into chunks and make tasks. You can base the on whatever you want. It only has to make sense to you. However your mind groups things together, just go with it. 2. Try to keep a trash bag by your more common areas to make it easier on yourself. Or try and have a mess pile so it's easier to clean when you start to feel better or feel the random urge to do something. 3. Start with the easier tasks, and leave the harder stuff for when you're feeling better. Try picking up stuff that's within reach or arm level because you're low on energy and bending over to pick something up or stretching your arms to reach high or far places will drain you. 4. Try and do things that are in your way and do it on trips. I.e. you have to go to the bathroom so on the way there you take out dishes, clothes etc. My laundry hamper is in my bathroom so it makes some sense for me, but your set up could be different. 5. And most importantly if you start to feel overwhelmed, stop. Don't risk setting yourself back. You got this ❤️‍🩹
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maraisaglass

2y

Hey, I would highly suggest if you have the budget for it, hiring a home organizer or a housecleaner to help keep you accountable for cleaning and organizing your space. It can be difficult to decanter your space and find the motivation to do it, esp if there's a lot to do and it feels overwhelming.
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maraisaglass

2y

Feel free to dm me if you'd like to continue discussing this further. I have a resource I could give you for finding housecleaners or home organizers!

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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