A few ways to help you decide what to clean first when you are feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated!
How do you decide what to clean first?! Looking around the house at a mess can cause you to freeze. When there is so much to do, we often get overwhelmed and do nothing because it is too hard to figure out where to even start. Having a clean home is not just possible, it is easier than you think when you have a plan- and a system- to help you decide what to clean first, get started, and keep it clean!!!
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What is holding you back from figuring out what to clean?
Before we decide what to clean, it might help to figure out what is holding you back. …besides the mess of course…
I have to tell you that it is NORMAL to feel overwhelmed. It happens to all of us at one point or another. It is a temporary pause in the progress of your life. There is a famous quote by Nakeia Homer that says:
You are juggling a lot of things- and cleaning the house should not be the heaviest thing weighing on your mind. Getting a plan will help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
If your issue is feeling unmotivated, try this: How to get motivated to clean; 3 easy tricks to try even if you feel overwhelmed!
If you need a jump start and want some guidance, try the 5 Day Declutter Jum Start that gives you one small, preplanned task per day sent by email.
Now we move on to getting started!
How to decide WHAT to clean FIRST:
Danger-
This may seem like a no-brainer, but if there is something that needs cleaned/decluttered that could be a safety issue, do that FIRST. Like, right away. For example, if you have something lying around that may be a tripping hazard, such as shoes in front of the door or piles of items on the steps that people could trip over- start by taking care of those things. There could also be less obvious hazards such as cleaning out a medicine cabinet for expired medications or organizing the fridge to throw out spoiled food.
Damage–
Is there anything that needs to be done that could cause damage to your home or property? For example, the shower can grow mold if you don’t wipe it down and disinfect it periodically. This could end up being a costly repair (or replacement) in the future so consider adding this task at the top of your list!
Stress–
Once you and your home are safe 😉 the next thing to think about is what causes you the most stress. What things in your home do you notice immediately and it drives you nuts?!!! Is it dishes on the counter, shoes at the door, or laundry piles in the hall? Whatever cause you the most stress should be the next thing on your list to tackle.
Impact–
One last thing to consider when deciding where to start is “impact”. What task could you do that would have the biggest overall impact on your home being clean/organized the way you want it? Maybe taking the time to clean out a messy closet will allow you to organize your child’s toys so they are about of the way and easily accessible. That might also give you an opportunity to toss or donate a few items you have been meaning to get to. This one task might accomplish several things so it should take precedence on your list. Think “kill two birds with one stone” type of tasks!
These are some of the tasks we start with in The Happy Mom System; Declutter. Taking a few simple steps now can have a great impact later on not only the cleanliness of your home, but on the stress you feel as a mother who is managing a household. family, career, etc..
Two additional FREE resources to help you:
- 5 Day Declutter Jump Start for Super Busy Moms! (or anyone feeling overwhelmed!)
- Daily Clean Home Tasks list
Any time you are feeling stressed by the mess, come back to these 4 things to get back on track! For more tips/tricks/hacks to help you be more than just a good mom but to be a HAPPY mom too, follow along on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehappymomsystem and Tik Tok!
Scroll down to grab the free printable Daily Clean Home Checklist!
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