cleaning

How To Clean Your Messy House When You Don’t Know Where To Start

January 19, 2021 by Kim O'Bier 5 Comments

When the mess in your home has you stressed out, and you don’t know where to start cleaning it up, there is hope! Here’s how you can get motivated and clean that house up, even when it is a REALLY huge mess!

If you are looking around your house and thinking, “It’s just too hard. I CAN’T EVEN DEAL with this disaster.” then you might be suffering from Messy House Overwhelm.

It’s frustrating and sometimes even depressing.

I have been there more times than I would like to admit. And, as hopeless as it might seem, I promise you CAN get your house, or any room for that matter, CLEAN!

WHAT HOLDS US BACK FROM CLEANING OUR MESSY HOUSE

We might expect the process to be painful.

And, we would rather be doing something else. Or, ANYTHING else actually.

But, that’s okay! Because this clean-up plan offers us quick results, with less pain involved.

And, this is NOT an all day deep cleaning extravaganza. Not that you can’t do it all in one day. You can use this approach however it works for you.

The goal here is to take some of the sting out of the process by starting with small, incremental tasks that will give us big wins. That’s what this clean-up plan is all about.

Overwhelmed exhausted woman feeling tired of cleaning in her messy house sitting on the floor with toys and laundry lying around her

FINDING THE MOTIVATION TO CLEAN A MESSY HOUSE

Just wanting a clean house isn’t enough for us to get our cleaning groove on. We can feel stuck…even paralyzed by the chaos.

We know that our family will benefit from a cleaner space. It might even seem that we owe it to our spouse or our children.

But don’t we also owe it to ourselves to have the level of cleanliness in our homes that we desire?

Tidy, clean, relaxing…whatever that means to you. You owe it to yourself. And I believe that you are ready to put in the effort and claim it.

You have already taken the first step just by reading this post today!

(This post may include affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy HERE.)

(After you have tackled the mess, 5 Simple Habits for a Cleaner Home has some useful tips for keeping it under control!)

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Kitchen Timer

Clothes Basket or Storage Tote (Clutter Basket)

Trash Bin or Bag

Microfiber Cloths

Dusting Spray for Wood Surfaces (this one is non-toxic and is my fave)

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray (this is an awesome non-toxic spray or you can use/make your own)

Vacuum Cleaner (this is one amazing machine)

For our home, I choose to use cleaning products that are non-toxic and fragrance-free. This one is really good. Or, you can save tons of money by making your own with natural products that clean as well or better than chemicals!

Some things, like mirrors and some surfaces, can be cleaned with only microfiber cloths and water!

FOCUSING ON “DONE”, NOT “PERFECT”

Repeat after me: “Progress, not Perfection!!“

This is about getting it done, not getting it done to precision. Consequently, we don’t need to hunt down every dust bunny and find every speck of dirt.

Also, this is not a good time to get distracted by going on a purging spree. Ultimately, however, you make the rules. So if a few things make it into the donation box along the way, no biggie.

This strategy gives you a clear idea of where you left off and where to start again. So, don’t be frustrated if life gets in the way. Just roll with the interruptions.

And you and I both know that unless the stars align, and pigs start to fly, you are going to be interrupted.

The goal here is to make it as pain-free as possible, and maybe even pleasant. Shoot…you can even have fun if you want to!

So, turn on some of your favorite jam (or a good podcast if that’s what motivates you) and let’s see what we can do.

Man hangs his outside shirt on a hook in hallway

WHERE SHOULD YOU START CLEANING WHEN EVERYTHING IS A DISASTER?

Even if there are other areas of our home that need attention, it just feels good to have a somewhat clean and welcoming entrance.

For us, this is our mudroom area. That’s the last space we see as we leave the house, and the first thing we experience when we return.

Of course, if it’s the living area that really needs emergency attention, then feel free to start there. You can always tackle that room first and then come back to the entryway.

(Think you are failing at homemaking? Read 7 Encouragements for When You Are Struggling as a Homemaker)

HOW TO DO THIS THING: SIMPLE STEPS FOR CLEANING A REALLY MESSY HOUSE

Alright, here we go.

Armed with your basket and timer, head to the area or room closest to your home’s most used entrance (or living area if that’s what you plan to tackle first). Leave the cleaning products behind for now.

Choose a small section of that room and set your timer for 10 minutes. This will help to keep you on task and encourage you to steadily work.

If there are things on the floor, begin there and work quickly in that section, putting items in their proper place.

Next, still working in that section, start on the things that are on the furniture and other surfaces. Remove items from that section that don’t belong and place them in the “clutter basket” to be put away later.

If you are done with a section before the timer goes off, use that time to put away some of the items in the clutter basket, or just reset the timer and move on to the next section.

Now you’re cruisin’!

Continue moving clockwise around the room, resetting the timer for each section. Each time it goes off, you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you have reached a small goal, and that you are 10 minutes closer to accomplishing the much larger goal of having a cleaner home!

Do as many sections as your schedule or your energy allows. Or continue until you have worked your way around the room and are back where you started.

The hardest part is done!

CLEANING THE MESSY SURFACES

It’s time to tackle the actual dust, grime and dirt that has accumulated.

Set your timer for 5 minutes and do any refinements that might be needed before bringing in the cleaning supplies, like putting furniture back in place or picking up something that you missed the first time around.

Grab your cleaning cloths and spray cleaner if you’re using one. Use paper towels, too, if you need them. Yes, I know that some people consider them to be wasteful but if it’s a really grungy, icky, gross mess, a paper towel can be a wonderful thing!

Now, go back to the first section you chose in the beginning.

Start with the highest surfaces in that section, spraying, wiping, and cleaning…or dusting that surface.

Work down from the upper surfaces to the lower in each section as you move around the room.

Get your groove on!

Whistle. Sing. Dance.

Might as well burn some extra calories and get some endorphins flowing while you do this thing.

Spray. Wipe. Repeat.

I like to spray my cloth as opposed to the surface so that I am not sending dust and other stuff into the air.

If you like using the timer and it motivates you, totally use it for this part too!

If you are interrupted or have to stop cleaning, make a note of the section where you left off.

This way, there won’t be any guesswork when you come back to it later.

Cleaning floor in room close-up of womans feet and mop

FINALLY…CLEANING THE FLOORS

Give the floor a good vacuuming. This should only take a few minutes.

Next, if the floor is hard surfaced you can either “spot clean” as I like to call it, or scrub the whole shebang if it needs it.

I find that scrubbing or mopping the floor doesn’t take very long, but for some reason it is one of my least favorite chores. So, if you’re like me, you might need some really upbeat music and a fun, fancy mop for this task.

If the “clutter basket” has items in it, now is a good time to take the basket around the house and deliver those things to their proper places.

Congratulations!

That wasn’t too hard, I hope.

Now, look around (quickly, while it lasts) and take in the awesomeness of your clean space.

Of course this is not the ONLY way to approach cleaning a super messy house.

But it is effective… and doable. That’s what counts!

And the results are so rewarding!

RECAP:

Know that you owe it to yourself to have a space that is clean and enjoyable.
Start close to the main entrance of your home, or in another area that needs immediate emergency attention.
Use 10 minute increments to clean small sections of a room.
Work up from the floor as you clear the mess.
Put things that don’t belong in that room in a “clutter basket” and put them away later.
Wipe and clean surfaces, working from high to low in each section of the room.
Shake it up and have fun…might as well!
Vacuum and clean floors.
Look around and marvel at your super cleaning powers.

SOME PRO TIPS:

~ I like to load my dishwasher before diving in to the cleaning process so it can be running while I am working on other areas of the house. By the time I get back around to the kitchen, one load of dishes is already clean. I can unload it and load it again if needed. Makes me feel like I scored a big win!

~ It’s conventional wisdom to vacuum after you have wiped surfaces. I have this thing, though, about dirty floors. If there is visible debris on the floor, it sort of paralyzes me. So, I have to give it a quick one-minute vacuuming before I proceed.

~ With little ones, I know it can get tricky. I used to clean the bathroom while watching mine in the tub. I gave them bowls of beans or rice to stir when I worked in the kitchen…age appropriate of course. Safety first. If they’re older, get them involved. Sure, it might slow you down a bit. But it may actually motivate you somewhat to have the help, and they will learn so much by working alongside an adult.

~ Use five or ten minute chunks of time that you have during the day to slowly pick away at the mess until is more manageable. You will see the progress and hopefully be encouraged by what you have done so far.

Finally, if you are in that place where you really need another person to help with cleaning, I get that too.

Don’t be afraid to ask available friends or family if you have that option. Or hire someone if you can work it into the budget. It can save physical and mental energy in the end and can definitely be worth it.

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5 Simple Habits for a Cleaner Home

January 5, 2020 by Kim O'Bier 2 Comments

Keeping a home comfortably clean can be a challenge. But, it is possible! Use these 5 simple everyday tips to help you keep your house cleaner and more organized, so you can relax more and “emergency clean” less.

You know that panicky feeling you get??

The one when someone drops in, and EVERYTHING in your house is a complete and uttter disaster?!?

The racing pulse. The sweaty palms. And the mad dash to hide the clutter and catch your breath before guests reach the door…

I am WAY too familiar with that harrowing experience.

Some some people can’t relate. For them, keeping a home clean and organized just comes naturally.

But, for the rest of us, it can be a struggle.

We want a cleaner home, but we just don’t always know how to make it happen.

But the good news is, it CAN happen! Trust me! If I can do it, than it is completely, 100% possible for you too.

(This post may include affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy HERE.)

So, how CAN you keep your home cleaner on a regular basis without spending all of your time keeping house?

Here are some practical tips that can help.

1) CLEAN UP MESSES AS THEY HAPPEN

Do you ever spot a mess, then walk away and think “I’ll get to that in a minute.”

And three days later, you’ve walked by the same mess so many times that you can’t even see it anymore?

Like that dust bunny that has been on the floor so long the kids have given it a name?

Around here, we seem to have trouble with those hand-wash only kitchen items. No one wants to wash them. So, they just sit, and sit, aaand sit.

And multiply.

Then, I think how much easier it would have been just to wash them right away to begin with. Not only are they harder to clean, but they’ve been cluttering up the counter this whole time.

Then, there are the times I think “well, it’s just a small mess and it can wait.”

But small messes add up to big messes and that adds up to overwhelm.

Try to pick-up, wipe, and clean-up messes as you see them. If you practice it, it will become habit.

2) GET RID OF STUFF

One way to keep your home cleaner and more organized is simply to have less stuff.

Cluttered spaces never look or feel clean. And too many “things” make it impossible to keep things tidy.

You don’t have to become a minimalist. But, if you have things sitting around that currently serve no purpose, just get them out of the way.

Around here, we purge clothes and shoes, kitchen items and housewares regularly. There is almost always a “thrift store bag” or two by the back door ready for the donation center.

In the past, we had an insane amount of toys and junk everywhere. There was a nearly cataclysmic event that caused us to rethink the whole “more is better” mentality. That is a story for another time.

Just try cleaning out a few things at a time. Lightening your load feels so good.

It will quickly become a habit to re-home things that aren’t serving you and your family.

3) MAKE “SHORT LISTS” OF TASKS

Making a manageable list of housekeeping tasks will help you to keep your home cleaner and more organized.

I find that short lists are easier to tackle than a full-on to-do list. So, it’s more likely that all of the things will get done.

And, our brains tend to thrive on the reward of having finished something.

You can pull tasks from a longer to-do list to make up your short-list, or you can jot things down as you think of them. My list is normally a mixture of both.

I like to these 3″ x 3″ size super sticky notes. You can fit just the right amount of to-do’s on there without it being overwhelming. Plus, the colors make me think of sea glass and tropical island beaches while I’m wiping counters and washing dirty dishes.

For me, getting a few of the next day’s important tasks down on paper the evening before helps to take my mind off of the next day’s to-do’s. Which, in turn, makes it easier to relax and enjoy the evening, rather than worrying about things that need to get done tomorrow.

4) DIVIDE AND CONQUER

You are gathering an armload of towels from the bathroom hamper when you notice that the counter needs to be wiped down.

And the tub. THAT will take awhile. Oh, and you can barely see yourself in the mirror.

“When will I ever find the time to clean that bathroom?” you wonder.

So another day goes by and the grime builds up.

But what if you did ONE of those tasks at a time?

Breaking big jobs into smaller chunks works infinitely better than not getting the job done at all.

Here’s how I break it down for my bathroom:

I do the shower one day ( usually as I am showering.) The counters and sinks another. The toilet gets cleaned randomly several times a week when I have a spare minute.

The tub is actually my least favorite so I do have to schedule that in sometimes so that it gets done. But you get the idea.

If I had to wait for a large enough time block to do the whole thing, it might never get done.

5) START A DAILY ROUTINE

If strict schedules aren’t your thing, I’m with ya!

But, it’s probably fair to say that people with clean houses generally have more routine built into their day than people who have…ahem…less than clean houses.

An evening routine of tidying the kitchen and the living spaces, plus a little prep work, can give you an amazing jump start on the next day.

Have a set of productive tasks that get done early each morning. For me, that includes making my bed, loading the washing machine and unloading the dishwasher. It feels good to get things checked off the list and it helps set the tone for the rest of the day.

Author James Clear writes in his book, Atomic Habits, “We often dismiss small changes because they don’t seem to matter very much in the moment.“

So, don’t underestimate the impact that these “small changes” and new daily habits can have on your home.

What habits or small changes have you made that have had a positive impact on your home?

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5 Things That Have Changed My Life as a Homemaker

December 31, 2019 by Kim O'Bier 2 Comments

Keeping up with cleaning, organizing, and running a home can be a challenge. These five practical tips will help you to be less stressed, better organized and more productive as a mom and homemaker.

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Homemaking used to be a constant struggle…

Clutter, dishes piling up, not being prepared to fix dinner…these things caused me stress and anxiety.

How could I be a LITTLE MORE organized? Or keep the house clean (presentable, at least)?

And was it EVEN POSSIBLE to get a decent meal on the table, on time, (almost) every night?

Well, with patience, perseverance, and a lot of prayer, I have found strategies that have helped me in ALL of these areas.

Without them, I would probably still be stuck in that sorry pit of despair. (and uncontrollable messes!)

(This post may include affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy HERE.)

1. FIND A ROUTINE THAT WORKS FOR YOU

If a strict schedule doesn’t work for you (raises hand here), try a “routine” instead.

Because routines are flexible, you can easily shift gears if the day doesn’t go as planned. And things often don’t go as planned.

Simply start by making a list of the top priority tasks that need to happen for the day. Include meals, feeding pets, tidying, work at home, etc.

Next, arrange the tasks in the order that they should occur. For some of us, this is enough to keep us on track. If you are working towards a more structured schedule, this is a great place to start!

Having this written “framework” for your day can alleviate the anxiety that happens when you don’t know what to do next.

One thing that helped us A TON was to put a whiteboard in a central area of our home for listing out chores and appointments. This lets everyone knows what is going on and makes is easier for them to get on board.

A whiteboard is also great for quotes, affirmations, and Bible verses to encourage yourself or your family during the day.

Obviously, routines take time to figure out, so be patient with yourself and others as you establish what works.

I promise you. It’s worth the effort and will help to bring peace and calm to your home.

(For more inspiration, visit 7 Encouragements For Struggling Homemakers)

2. PLAN YOUR MEALS

Meal planning used to really intimidate me.

It felt restrictive. Like I could ONLY COOK what was on the list each day.

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret:

A meal plan does not have to be written in stone to work MIRACLES!

In fact, I often change up our meal plan. But having it in writing reminds me that dinner needs to happen each day. And that works for me.

A super simple way is to start by writing down four or five meals that you want to serve for the week. (I like to check my freezer and pantry first, then make a list of what I need to pick up at the store to complete each meal.)

You can make reminders on your meal plan page (aka notebook paper, back of junk mail, etc.) to take things out of the freezer, or to set your Crockpot or Instant Pot on time. I can easily forget if I don’t have those things written down.

Most of my meals center around the Crockpot or Instant Pot because these are appliances that I can set and forget while they do all the work for me.

Breakfast and lunch are normally ffy (fend for yourself) since my kids are older. And I rarely plan out weekend meals as we often do easy things like pizza or oven nachos if we are home.

If we have perishables or leftovers in the fridge that need to be eaten over the weekend, I will make note of those on the meal plan page so everyone knows what is available. Because refrigerator blindness is a real thing y’all.

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3. CLEAN ON THE FLY

I used to think that if I didn’t have time to complete a task to absolute perfection, there was no point in starting it. Honestly, I wouldn’t even wipe the bathroom counter if I didn’t have time to clean the whole bathroom.

Crazy, I know, but that’s how it was. When I figured out that this mindset wasn’t serving me, I adopted a more “cleaning on the fly” strategy.

In our home, cleaning and picking up on the fly means basically just taking care of something when you notice that it needs attention. This can be especially strategic when you don’t have large amounts of time to block out for house cleaning.

For instance, I rarely have to schedule time for cleaning the shower. Once a week, I take microfiber cloths in the shower with me and give it a good cleaning before I get out. DONE!

A few of times a week I clean the toilet right before I get in the shower. Same with the bathroom counter… I just wipe it down as it needs it during the week. It only takes a minute and then it’s done.

You can use this strategy in other areas of your home. It can be a little bit challenging for messies at first. We tend to look beyond the mess in front of us, especially if we have programmed ourselves that way in order to deal with things that are beyond our control.

It helps for me to put sticky notes around to remind myself of tasks until they become habit.

The Chaos Cure and Sink Reflections, both by Marla Cilley a.k.a. “The FlyLady”, are easy reads that contain tons of helpful ideas for getting and keeping things clean and organized. She discusses a similar method of keeping things clean.

Marla is also a messy by nature, and I can relate to her practical advice. Her books have been helpful and encouraging for me.

4. DISCOVER YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE

Learning more about yourself and what makes you (and others) tick is truly LIFE CHANGING in so many ways.

In my life, discovering my personality type has helped me to understand why certain organizational skills elude me. It has helped me to know what approaches will work when it comes to completing tasks and why I was never successful at using planners and schedules designed by other people.

Also, now I know that it’s normal for people with my personality to be overwhelmed by huge to-do lists. And I know what I can do instead.

And the BIG BONUS in studying personalities has been learning to relate to my children AND my husband on a level that I never thought was possible. So things are more peaceable on the home front. And more peace is always welcome in our home!

In fact, my whole family has gotten involved in personality discovery and the impact on our relationships with one another has been amazing!

If you have never taken a personality quiz before, or if it has been awhile (especially if it was high school or college), I would highly recommend it.

You can take this one free at 16personalities.com . Personality tests aren’t always completely accurate, so it’s a good idea to do a little reading, either online or with a good book, to make sure that you have landed on the right one.

This book, Type Talk: The 16 Personality Types That Determine How we Live, Love, and Work, is a wonderful read and will give you a better understanding of yourself and what makes you tick.

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5. MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY

The house is finally still. Even the dog is quietly tucked away. You push “start” on the dishwasher and head to the bedroom where you hesitate before entering.

And, that’s when you hear it…the telltale sound. Either husband is watching Ford vs Ferrari or he is seriously asleep!

You contemplate catching up on cleaning. Starting a DIY project. Shaving your legs. The possibilities are endless!

I think many of us can relate to sacrificing sleep for things like housework, business, or quiet time.

I have certainly done my share of it. There’s just something so lovely about that late night solitude , when everyone else is asleep.

Admittedly, it was hard giving that coveted time to myself in the late night and into the early morning hours, but there are bigger payoffs.

Since changing my sleep schedule and getting to bed at a decent time, I feel better during the day. At night I am tired and fall asleep more easily.

Consequently, I get so much more done, as those morning hours are when I have the most energy.

Best of all, my husband and I are way more connected because we are sharing a similar schedule.

As far as quiet time, I am able to enjoy some solitude in the morning, before everyone else is up for the day.

What habits have you adopted that are crucial for keeping the stress and chaos to a minimum at your house?

Need a boost? Read: 7 Encouragements For When You Are Struggling as a Homemaker