How do I get motivated to clean my house?

Question

I work full time. My husband stays home with the kids. He does some stuff around the house. I am tired of working to support the fam and then be in charge of cleaning and parenting our two very young children. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Here are my Top 7 Tips for Keeping a Clean House When You Need Motivating!

Depression/boredom destroys so much of our motivation and energy that if can become difficult to keep up with day-to-day chores, yet a dirty living environment only serves to make us feel more worthless and discouraged. So, here goes...

1) Keep Up As You Go
Little things like rinsing and putting your dishes in the dishwasher as soon as you are done or putting things away right after you use them will keep your home clean and clutter free and prevent you from having a huge job to tackle later on.

2) Set Yourself Manageable Goals
Each day give yourself a task to accomplish that feels manageable to you, even if it's just cleaning a bathroom or tossing in a load of laundry. Over the course of a week, it all adds up to a cleaner home.

3) Learn to Work Efficiently
About's Housekeeping site is full of tips for getting organized and working more efficiently. Jobs that go by more quickly are more likely to get done when you are tired.

4) Break Through Procrastination
When we feel bad it's so easy to say, "I'll just do this tomorrow." Learn techniques to break through the urge to procrastinate and you can save yourself from having all the little jobs pile up into a big one.

5) Nobody Is Perfect
Expecting perfection is setting yourself up for disappointment and stress. Forgive yourself for being human and set reasonable standards that keep you comfortable and sanitary.

6) Delegate When Possible
If there are other people living in your home, it may create more work but there are also more hands to do the work. Get everyone doing their part to help you.

7) It's Okay to Hire a Maid Service
If it's within your budget, hire a maid service. You'll have a clean home and one less thing to worry about

Answer 2

well miss working mom start by organizing. First of all I know you must feel so overwhelmed. You look around and it seems like it is to big of a impossible job. So sister, this is what you do, #1. GO GET THE STEREO AND PUT ON SOME NICE RELAXING MUSIC. #2. Get a piece of paper so you can write. You need to be relaxed because I can feel the iritation toward your husband,don't blame him to much hes unfortunately a male. #3 You are going to take one part of the house at a time. Start whereever you want. write down everything in that part of the house that needs to be done. ex: bathroom-sink, toilet, tub, floor, mirror, etc. #4. get out the cleaning supplies and get to work. Check off each thing as you accoplish it. Then do this with each room of the house. You do not have to finish everything that day. Do a room a day. After you get entire house completed keep what you have written out and pass it on to your husband and each day give him a room to clean, he will then appreciate you a lot more. Try it it works! GREAT LUCK

Answer 3

You really need to sit down and talk with your husband. Being a stay at home parent is a full-time job, but he should do more in helping keep the house clean. Sit down and make a list of all of the chores, each of you marking which ones you can do easier than some of the others. Then look at what is left and divide it up evenly, or wait until you are both home ad do it together. There are some things my husband helps me with when he gets home, and working together we get time together and it gets done in no time.

Answer 4

Are you and your husband really interested to keep your house clean .Once you decide this then you can proceed further. Don't try to clean the entire house, but selected rooms only each day so that you will not be too tired of cleaning work.Involve your husband also in the work to lessen the burden, as work shared really helps .

Answer 5

When you figure out how to get motivated, let me know. I'm a single parent with two teenage kids. They help a lot, and my house looks lived in, but it is never good enough for other people (or so they think). I keep telling them that at least things are off the floor and the dishes are done (Usually), so I'll take that...especially when they fix supper most nights.
It is hard to get motivated to house work on my days off and in the evenings though.

Answer 6

Your husband should be pitching in to help out . . . maybe you could motivate yourself as well as your husband my inviting people for dinner parties. That way, you may be in panic mode to get the house clean, but you'll do it because you don't want to be embarassed. Maybe, your husband will be more motivated if the guests are his friends or family.

That is really a short-term fix. A better idea would be to sit down like the adults you are and create a schedule for cleaning and divide up the responsibilities.

Answer 7

All kinds of energy works. I grew up in a very messy house and the only thing that got me moving was to get angry at it. Of course this spilled over onto anyone who tried to talk to me while i was cleaning, but it got the dishes out the sink. After it becomes routine, you can work on enjoying it. I admire the discipline of people who do martial arts, and to focus their minds they perform what are called "katas" which are a series of exercises repeated over and over to focus the mind. Think of cleaning like a kata, a form that you do over and over to clear your mind and it will actually be restful clearing out the dirty dishes or folding the clothes or vacuuming.

As for your husband, it's very hard to change someone else unless they are willing. If you succeed in changing their behavior against their will, it's called brainwashing, which in his case might be a good thing. However, talk to him about it, and work on getting him to accomplish one thing a day. Start with taking out the trash, or something equally simple and short. Work on adding other things he can do, no more than one simple, short thing every two weeks, or one big thing (mowing the lawn) a month, again IF he's willing. If he's not, you may want to seek counseling, because it will very quickly burn you out to have to do everything yourself, and that's not fair of him to ask of you.

Answer 8

I wonder why your husband doesn't work also? I'm sure if you both start working then maybe you don't need to work full time and get a relative that will help take care of your children. And for the cleaning part? Hey, think of it as getting your daily excercise! =)

Answer 9

Make a day out of it when all of you can pitch in no questions asked... When I was in college, I had 3 room mates and on of their boyfrinds lived with us too... They were so messy and gross. My clean day was Thursday and no matter what, I'd clen up all my stuff, even if it DIDN'T need it. The point is to get a routine so that you get so used to it that it becomes like a reflex... Anyway, I hated that our dorm looked like a moldy frat house... So, one day I just started to clean up all of their stuff too... They got very self conscious and after that, they ALL cleaned up their mess EVERY day, even borrowing my cleaning supplies. When I got married to my husband, it got (still is) worse... I stay at home and take care of our 20 months old son. I clean every day, all day, and it's never enough cause stuff just finds its way out of place or on the floor... it's very common, even with only one small child... Also, a Dad is more prone to dedicate time where he thinks it could be better spent, like the kids and "Daddy and Me Shennanegans". I can't count on my husband to clean up after himself cause he gets defensive and tells me to chill out... SO, now, when I want him to pitch in, I just get into clean mode and ignore everything... if he won't help, then he is TOTALLY in charge of our son and his needs for the time being... He can't stand that so he ends up cleaning harder than I do after only 15 minutes... Also, no matter how young kids are, they LOVE to copy Mom and Dad, so leave the less dangerous or toxic chores to them... help them out first, they'll learn to do it by themselves and learn responsibility early on... Good Luck!!!

Answer 10

I work FT too. My husband works also. We do a little here and there during the week. Then on the weekend...together...WE clean the house and do laundry. Have him do his normally "some stuff" during the week. Then the two of you do it together the weekend.