You did it again. You let your house get messy. You had a busy weekend and things got out of control. You don’t regret the quality family time but now you feel like you’re drowning in housework and are completely overwhelmed.
Sunday dinner was delicious and you didn’t feel like doing the dishes afterward.
Your sheets needed to be washed last week and you planned to get it done on Saturday but instead, you took the kids to an Easter egg hunt.
After a family game night, you noticed that your 3-year-old was taking playing cards out of the box and stuffing them in the couch cushions. You let her do it because you figured you could clean it up later.
Well, now it’s later. And you don’t know how you’re going to manage all this mess.
Does this sound familiar?
Even though you feel like burning the house down and getting a fresh start, you know that you just need to get the house clean. You need to regain a sense of control.
There are a lot of reasons why a mom lets her house get out of control. It could be chronic illness, depression, pregnancy exhaustion, a full-time paid job, or a slew of other reasons. Frankly, moms have dozens of things to focus on each day and sometimes housework comes in last place.
No matter what the reason is, having a tidy space can ease some stress. I would like to share some suggestions that help me get started when it just feels like too much.
The Housework Pep Talk
- Your surroundings have the power to influence your mood. But don’t wait for your dirty kitchen to motivate you, or you might be waiting a while. Do something proactive to boost your spirits: walk outside for two minutes, feel the air on your face, look up at the sky and take a deep breath. You’re alive. You’re capable. You can regain control over your space.
- We live in a world of modern technology. If you have access to cleaning appliances, let them do some of the work for you. Throw in a load of laundry. Start the dishwasher. Don’t worry about sorting or getting it perfect, just get it started. Doing these tasks will help you feel like you’re being productive without having to do the hard work that the appliances can do for you.
- Remind yourself that some cleaning is better than no cleaning. 1/5 tidy rooms are better than 0/5 tidy rooms. Some progress will make you feel better than no progress.
- Choose 2-3 tasks that are really bothering you. Is the smell of your space causing you stress? Gather all the trash up around your house and get it out of your space. Are the dishes piled up around your sink? Fill up the sink with hot soapy water and let them soak. Soaking them will save you some scrubbing and make the task more manageable. What is taking up the most space on your floor? Is it toys? You could gather all the toys into one big pile on the floor. Don’t worry about putting them away yet; just get them all in one spot.
- Focus on the feeling that you will have after you clean rather than the dread you feel about initiating the cleaning. Help your brain focus on positive feelings if the negative feelings are paralyzing you from accomplishing anything.
You crave order and organization, and that’s why you feel overwhelmed. Your messy house is not a reflection of your capability as a mother. Your family’s lack of attention to housework is not a sign that they don’t love you.
