7 Insanely Easy Ways For Cleaning For The Holidays With Depression
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With friends and family around, there is bound to be a surprise guest or two around the holidays, and that is why it can be so hard to find the best cleaning strategies for the holidays with depression.
As someone with depression, I know how much of a chore it is to keep your house clean, even without people coming over!
I know that you can feel overwhelmed and I wanted to give you my best tips and tricks for keeping your home looking amazing during the holidays!
This post is all about cleaning for the holidays with depression!
First, Who Are You Cleaning For, And Are They Important To You?
Know who you are cleaning for so you know how much you need to impress them!
If you are very close with the people who are coming over, then maybe you can talk to them and tell them about your struggles. This might be the perfect opportunity for you to open up about how you are feeling.
They might have some great advice, and it might be perfect for gaining another person in your corner!
If the people coming over are a little harder to please, then that might be even more stressful, and I get that!
My strategy for you is to start small and find a way to start early!
Maybe having a dirty house but also having some cookies is perfect for someone!
If baking cookies is easier than cleaning your house, take care of the essentials and whip up some cookies. If they care about you, they’ll understand!
7 Strategies for Cleaning For The Holidays With Depression
My strategies for cleaning with depression are talked about in this post if you want some general cleaning with depression advice.
Otherwise, before you even get started, make a list of all the reasons you are stressed about the cleaning and cross off anything you cannot control. This will leave you with a list of achievable goals that you know you can control and have the best return on your investment!
Pick The Room and Bathroom That Guests Will Be In The Most
Don’t even bother with your bedroom if you aren’t planning on allowing people in there.
The bare minimum for other rooms and bathrooms is to pick up but not to clean. Maybe throw clothes in some laundry baskets and do a trash run, but other than that, I would not worry about those rooms.
I try to keep my living room, kitchen, and half bath clean for guests because it is also where I spend the majority of my awake time at home. This will also make you feel the most productive when cleaning if you tackle the significant rooms first.
If the people who love and care about you are coming over, then putting effort into spaces you know they will be in won’t look like you are trying to impress them more than it’ll look like you want to show them that you care about them too.
Prepare yourself by mentally scanning those few rooms and setting out a strategy using these next tips.
Trash and Clothes Attract The Eye The Most
The first thing you should do is pick up trash and clothes. Other things aren’t going to look as messy or dirty as those.
Being strategic like this is going to help you feel better about your decisions.
Walk around with a trash bag first, pick up all the trash, and take it directly out to the dumpster. Then, bring out a laundry basket and throw any clothes, shoes, etc. in the basket.
Take it all to a room that will not be walked into and close the door.
Fold Blankets And Vacuum
Blankets can look messy, so fold them, and you can lay them on the couch or over the back of the chair.
Folded blankets really look like you put effort into the house, and they keep the cozy feeling that people will want to sit down and relax in.
Vacuuming will make sure that the floors are nice enough. You don’t need to mop (unless you like it as much as I do). If you would rather just mop, that is also a great option!
Floors can take up a lot of someone’s eye line, so it is a good use of your effort to make the floors nice and clean!
Enlist a Close Friend Or Your Significant Other
If your house is a little overwhelming for you to do alone, then ask a close friend or your significant other.
Even if you just ask them to sit with you and watch you clean, that can be a great little hack to keep you productive. I have a whole blog post about this technique if you want to learn more!
Having someone else to hold you accountable is great, especially if you have social anxiety. You might even feel inclined to clean a little bit before they come over, and that will get you started!
Starting from square one can be daunting. Therefore, it can be helpful to ask someone to keep you on track and help you complete tasks one at a time. This will prevent you from getting sidetracked and cleaning without making any noticeable progress.
Turn It Into A Themed Day
Turn on some winter (or other holiday music) and get to cleaning!
The best way to make this into a themed day is to incorporate every sense!
For example, make a Chai or holiday cookies (Chais are great year-round, but they do remind me of Christmas in a cup!) to incorporate your taste.
Light a holiday candle (or multiple) to set a pretty visual scene. Candles are great for ambiance and to incorporate your smell!
Play some pretty music on your television so you are utilizing everything to make your home feel like a holiday party!
Give Yourself One Chore A Day For Upkeep
Some ideas for this could be to run the dishwasher every day so that dishes never build up!
Fold your blankets every day so that it becomes a habit and it’ll never feel like a chore again.
Hold yourself accountable by picking up all your trash before you go to bed every night.
Choosing one chore can prevent you from ever starting at square one, and make sure you are always a little ahead of the curve if someone wants to stop by.
It can also make all of the difference when it comes to cleanliness. Just choosing one chore can make it look like you are constantly cleaning!
Buy Some New Cleaning Supplies Or House Clothes
My favorite thing to do is turn on videos of other people cleaning and cleaning along with them.
Videos can also give you inspiration for new cleaning supplies that can get you excited to clean!
Buying some new pajamas or some house shoes can make all the difference in keeping you motivated.
Staying comfortable and cozy is a great way to keep yourself clean once you actually start. If you get too hot or cold, then you aren’t going to continue cleaning.
You will want to sit down and sit under some covers and brew in your anxiety and never get back up and clean again!
Keep yourself motivated by buying good-smelling or aesthetic products and cute cleaning clothes that will make you want to use them!
Why is Cleaning Important?
You deserve to live in a clean and safe environment.
Proving this to yourself by actually cleaning can be just what your mental health needs.
Cleaning is also great for mental clarity.
If you have a dirty environment, it can be impossible to think.
With a clean environment, it will be so much easier to think and be productive!
Cleaning is vital. It impacts our daily lives. It’s not just about aesthetics. Cleanliness affects our health and well-being. Everyone deserves a clean environment.
A clean space has positive effects on mental health. Clutter can cause anxiety and stress. It can make it hard to focus. Cleaning can be therapeutic. It boosts your mood.
Cleaning promotes mental clarity. A messy environment can cloud your mind. It hampers concentration. A clean space brings order and tranquility. It helps you focus better. It fosters creativity.
Cleanliness enhances productivity. Less time is wasted looking for things. More time is available for productive tasks.
Cleaning is essential. It’s not just about hygiene. It’s about mental well-being, clarity, and productivity. By keeping clean, you improve your quality of life.
Well, Thats Cleaning For The Holidays With Depression!
This post was all about cleaning for the holidays with depression!
I know that cleaning for company can always feel challenging, and that is why I’m here to encourage you to not give up!
You can do so much more than you think you are capable of. Try to do 5% more than you did yesterday!
Slowly build up your cleaning routine and give yourself space to mess up. Make sure that you start early because you are going to need some breaks!
