Unlock your inner clean freak: Top tips to reignite your cleaning motivation

Cleaning your home can oftentimes give you that Sisyphean feeling of pushing a heavy rock up the hill only for it to fall down again.

As soon as you get on top of it, someone tracks mud over your freshly mopped floor, uses the frying pan, or takes a bath, and you have to start all over again.

Knowing the feeling, janitor and ‘cleanfluencer’, Brandon Pleshek, has posted a video on Tik Tok explaining how he stays motivated to clean his own home, the last thing he feels like doing after a long day cleaning elsewhere.

@cleanthatup After a long day of cleaning others, spaces sometimes the last thing I want to do is clean my own home. In this video, I share a few tips that have helped me spark my motivation to clean up. What helps you get motivated to clean? #cleantok #cleaningmotivation #cleaning #cleanthatup ♬ original sound – Clean That Up!

Pleshek’s top five tips to get going and stay motivated when cleaning include:

Tip One: Easy wins

Pleshek’s first motivational tip is to use an “easy win” like cleaning a small, manageable space to get himself into the cleaning mood.

“I’ve found the living room works great for this because usually there’s not many tough messes or deep cleaning that needs to be done, it’s just usually a quick tidy up. Plus, if I’m done cleaning after just that one room I have a fresh clean space to land and watch my favourite TV show,” he said.

“I’ll dust a few of the surfaces, pick up some dishes, fold some blankets and the room is nice, fresh and clean and I feel super accomplished.”

Tip Two: Start small and set a timer

After setting his timer for ten to 15 minutes, Pleshek cleans a designated space for that time. He explains that one or two things will happen.

“Number one is I’ll just stop, I’m done, cleaning is done for the day, moving on. Or two, I will keep cleaning or finish cleaning that space because I got the ball rolling, sparked that motivation to want to really keep going and get it done,” he said.

Pleshek says the timer works well as it “tricks his brain” to get started.

Tip Three: Write a to-do list of cleaning tasks

After getting some inspiration from a friend who told him that writing down your goals makes it more likely to achieve them, Pleshek now writes a to-do list of cleaning tasks for that day.

Crossing the items off his list also keeps him motivated and makes him feel accomplished.

Tip Four: Make it fun

Pleshek keeps himself entertained by listening to comedy podcasts while washing dishes, watching TV while folding laundry, or putting on his favourite tunes to create his own private “cleaning dance party”.

Tip Five: Celebrate

Pleshek tells his viewers that he openly celebrates the work that he has done.

“That is a huge accomplishment and I need to remember to treat myself, I’m kind of bad at that sometimes,” he said.

He sums it up by explaining that cleaning is not about mastering a skill but more about establishing good habits that ensures your home is always at its best.

“Cleaning isn’t a skill you need to master or something you need to be a pro at or know how to clean every single thing, I really try to view it as a habit that I can slowly build on and work on and that will help the overall cleanliness of my home,” he said.

From embracing easy wins and setting timers to curating fun moments and celebrating accomplishments, Pleshek transforms the mundane task of cleaning into a journey of accomplishment and joy.

Remember, it’s not about mastering a skill; it’s about cultivating habits that turn your home into a consistently welcoming haven. So, let Pleshek’s insights be your guiding light as you navigate the ever-revolving cycle of keeping your space gleaming and inviting.