How to Motivate Yourself to Clean Your Apartment

For some people, cleaning is actually a great stress reducer. The act of keeping your hands busy and your mind focused on one task can be therapeutic. For others, however, finding the motivation to clean can be like trying to move a boulder.

But it doesn't have to be! You have to tidy up at some point, so you might as well make it fun for yourself with these tips on how to motivate yourself to clean your apartment.

Kick out the jams.

Sorry, but I had to sneak an MC5 reference in there. Anyway, one of the best ways to start cleaning your home is to turn up the tunes. Before you pick up the feather duster, create a playlist that will keep you moving.

I like to play as many upbeat, danceable songs as possible to boost my energy. Cleaning is way more fun when you're singing at the top of your lungs and shaking your booty! And that's what makes music one of the best ways to motivate yourself to clean your apartment.

Buy new products.

People love to play with new toys. Buy some new cleaning products to jumpstart your cleaning job. Once you buy something new, you'll want to use it right away.

Or, you can get creative and think of it this way: You're on a mission to destroy dirt and grime. To defeat the enemy, you will need the proper weapons. Which will you choose? Remember, the overall idea is to motivate yourself to clean your apartment, so you need to introduce some fun.

Make plans.

Nothing sends you into a cleaning frenzy quite like expecting company. Invite your friend over for a hang out sesh so that you will have no choice but to clean. Looking sloppy can be embarrassing, so you'll want to get the job done as soon as possible.

However, if you're too comfortable with your friends, you might not care if they see an unmade bed or a messy floor. If that's the case, invite a date to your apartment, or someone you don't know very well, but would like to become friends with. Your desire to make a good first impression will motivate you to start cleaning.

Set a timer.

If you're like me, you work better under pressure; which is a polite way of saying that you're a procrastinator. Giving yourself a strict deadline will challenge you to get the job done quickly. Learning how to motivate yourself to clean your apartment is easy when you know your weaknesses and strengths.

Prepare a reward.

Whenever you're faced with an unpleasant task, preparing a reward for yourself when the task is finished is a must. It's just like how you would run a race to get the prize at the end.

If you hate cleaning, tell yourself that you can order a pizza only when you've finished the job. Whatever it is, make sure the reward is something you really crave or enjoy.

Make a To-Do list.

There's nothing quite like crossing an item off your to-do list. It's one of those things in life that's strangely satisfying to do. Make a list of all of the rooms or objects that need cleaning:

1. Fold the laundry.

2. Do the dishes.

3. Scrub the toilet.

Of course no one likes scrubbing a toilet, but if it's on your to-do list, you'll be more inclined to knock it out. Take that, toilet!

Focus on one area at a time.

If you're someone who gets overwhelmed by big tasks, motivate yourself to clean your apartment by focusing on one area at a time. Don't think of it as taking on the whole apartment, just start by thinking you're only going to clean the kitchen. Completing small goals, one at a time, is much less stressful than thinking of it as one giant undertaking.

Start small.

Ease into it. If your first cleaning task is a monster, you'll be less inclined to start cleaning in the first place. Start cleaning the small areas of your apartment and work your way up. Maybe there's a pile of dirty clothes on your floor. Make your first task picking them all up and putting them in the hamper. It's simple and you can finish it pretty quickly.

Once you've gained that sense of accomplishment, you'll be ready to tackle the bigger projects, like vacuuming, sweeping, and/or mopping all the floors.

Have a drink.

Having a reward waiting for you once the job is done is a good strategy, but you can also motivate yourself to clean your apartment by sipping on a cold drink while you do it. If you have your music turned up loud and your favorite boozy beverage in your hand, cleaning will hardly seem like work. You can vacuum with one hand, right?

Plan a family cleaning day.

Use peer pressure in a productive way. If you get other members of your family to clean their rooms, you'll be more motivated to clean yours. If you have a decent conscience, you won't want to be the only slacker not contributing.

If you live in an apartment with roommates instead of family, create a chore chart and assign each person their own task. This way, it will be a group effort, and you'll all push each other to get it done.

Shop for home fragrances.

My favorite part about cleaning is spraying every room with a fresh scent when I'm done. It's like the icing on the cake. Go to the store and buy some lovely room sprays or candles so you can put them to use, once you've finished cleaning.

Our sense of smell is the strongest of all the senses. It's especially powerful when it comes to evoking memories and feelings. Spraying your cleaned room with a smell you love is a great way to motivate yourself to clean your apartment, because you will always associate that smell with a feeling of accomplishment and relief.

Remember, getting started is the hardest part.

Whenever I find myself faced with a project I don't want to do, I remember Mary Poppins. When she tries to get the children to clean their room, she says, "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The job's a game." What better way to motivate yourself to clean your apartment?

It might be a fictional story, but this quote has inspired me to push through all sorts of difficult tasks. Make cleaning fun for yourself—that's all there is to it!