Is your apartment in need of a serious cleanup? Do you want to know how to clean a messy apartment?
Everyone has been in the same tough spot – you walk into your place, and it’s a total mess. You look around and wonder, where do I even start? Well, don’t sweat it because cleaning a messy apartment doesn’t have to be hard! It’s just about following a systematic approach to ensure all of your surfaces are squeaky clean, no matter how small or large your space is.
It may seem daunting at first, but if you use the right strategies and approach it one step at a time, it can be easy to tackle!
How A Messy House Affects Your Mental Health
When living in an excessively cluttered and dirty environment, we naturally become overwhelmed with the task ahead – getting rid of everything. This feeling alone can be enough to sink our mental state as we may feel incapable or unmotivated to tackle this problem. But beyond just the initial feeling of being overwhelmed, being surrounded by clutter on a daily basis has been known to have some seriously damaging effects on our mental health, such as:
? Increased Stress Levels
Being able to find what we need quickly is essential for helping us stay calm throughout our day. Unfortunately, if too much clutter is strewn around our home, we may spend more time searching for items than completing tasks, leading to higher stress levels.
? Lowered Self-Esteem
When company comes over, or if you just accidentally caught yourself glancing at that mess while walking past, it can lead to feelings of low self-worth and even guilt. No matter what the cause behind it may be, something needs to be done so that these feelings don’t disrupt your everyday life anymore!
? Loss of productivity
It has been proven that living in a disorganized environment makes us less likely to want to work due to a lack of inspiration. Setting up an organized workspace with built-in organization systems will help boost your creativity and productivity since everything will be neatly put away when not actively using them.
How To Clean A Messy Apartment: Reasons To Clean Your Messy Apartment
If you’re looking for motivation to get your living space in order, fear not! Here are compelling reasons why it pays to give your home a good spring cleaning:
? A Clean Home Is A More Secure Home
Keeping our homes safe and secure starts with ensuring that potential threats won’t be easily visible from outside. For example, leaving windows open or keeping the blinds up allows people to peek inside or gain entry without us even knowing it!
Additionally, neatening up halls and rooms makes it easier for possible intruders to hide or linger undiscovered. With all areas of our apartment visible and nothing out of place, we are much safer from anyone attempting to sneak in or cause trouble.
? A Clean Home Is A Healthy Home
A clean home is a healthy home. This is not just an old adage. There are real reasons why our homes should be clean and tidy. For example, cleaning up spills right away reduces the chances of mold development, which can lead to respiratory difficulties and other illnesses.
Dusting and vacuuming regularly helps keep dust mites at bay. These pesky critters can trigger sneezing, coughing, and allergies. Cleaning up grimy surfaces reduces the spread of germs that cause illnesses like colds and flu.
Additionally, living surrounded by clutter can negatively impact our mental health since it may increase stress levels or create feelings of being overwhelmed. Decluttering regularly creates a calmer atmosphere and allows us to focus better by reducing distractions.
? Selling a Clean Home is Easier
Cleaning your messy apartment isn’t just an important task for personal hygiene – it could also make it easier to sell when the time comes. A tidy and well-kept home makes for a much more attractive listing than a space that looks cluttered or unclean.
Potential buyers will be far more comfortable looking around a place that feels clean and organized, even if the style of furniture doesn’t match their tastes. Before you decide to list your apartment, ensure everything is neat and tidy to show off its full potential.
? Comfortable And Welcoming To Visitors
Your apartment is a direct reflection of who you are, so why not make sure it looks neat and inviting? A clean and well-maintained environment makes visitors feel comfortable and welcome. Having a messy or dirty apartment can be very off-putting for any visitor that comes over.
Not only is a dirty house unpleasant to look at, but it also sends the wrong message about how much you value your own space. Instead, show off that you take pride in your living area by maintaining an orderly environment. It will give off vibes of confidence and security instead of carelessness and sloppiness.
? Find Things More Easily
Have you ever searched your residence for your phone or the remote control? If only it were organized! Cleaning and organizing your cluttered apartment means you won’t have to waste time looking for misplaced objects and can instead use that time doing things like watching TV, listening to music, or conversing with friends. Finding things quickly will be a lot easier if your area is neat.
Also, being aware of all the loose items in the space makes a significant difference. For instance, keeping track of where your chargers are will help you locate items without searching through every drawer and cupboard.
By establishing where everything is in your home instead of randomly scattering them across every surface and corner, cleaning up will undoubtedly save you time in the long run.
How To Motivate Yourself to Clean the House
If you ever find yourself struggling to keep your apartment clean, here are some tips on how to stay motivated:
⌚ Set a Timer
Setting a timer for yourself to clean the house can be an effective way to motivate yourself and get the job done in a timely manner! Most of us are guilty of getting sidetracked by social media, Netflix, or gaming while trying to finish something menial and tasking, such as cleaning the house.
The timer helps to ensure we stay focused on our duties and save precious time. Set it for however much time you need to complete the task, and stick to that timer! For instance, set alarms on your phone so the sound will alert you when it’s over, but you can use an egg timer or any kind of timer you can access.
Estimate how long it takes to do certain chores so that if you get sidetracked and fail at one, you can easily circle back around to it and still finish everything within your allotted time frame! This way, you’re sure not to have left out any important details with cleaning your home.
? Turn up The Music
Cleaning the house isn’t everyone’s favorite pastime, but it pays off. Plus, there are ways to make it more enjoyable. Another way to motivate is putting on your go-to, pumping tunes, and singing and dancing along.
Whether you’re listening to classic rock, your favorite soundtracks, or energizing bops, choose something that gets you in the mood and encourages getting up and going.
Every time you put on some of your favorite music, your hands naturally start grabbing cleaning supplies from the kitchen cupboard without having to think twice. The fast tempo helps you stay motivated while cleaning. Once you’re done with one task, you can quickly move to the next without any hesitation. Now that’s what you call efficiency!
So, who needs a Professional Apartment Cleaning Service when you have blasting tunes that’ll get you fired up enough to clean your space? It’s totally possible!
? Listen To a Podcast Episode
Podcasts can offer motivation, provide company when you’re cleaning solo, and make the time fly by. It’s like having an extra person supporting you and inspiring you while you work. You can choose something upbeat to bring fun into your cleaning process. It also removes some of the monotony—and let’s be honest: cleaning can be boring!
Listening to something interesting helps pass the time faster and makes things more enjoyable. Plus, when a particularly motivating story ends up inspiring us, we’re likely to pick up our pace! So why not give it a try? Find a great show, put your headphones on, and make those rooms appear presentable.
? Watch a Cleaning Motivation Video
Cleaning motivation videos are videos made by people who have found success in keeping their houses clean and tidy. Apart from providing practical tips and tricks on how to get your place looking spick and span, watching other people’s successes can be highly inspiring, reigniting your own enthusiasm for housework.
With an upbeat soundtrack, inspiring narrators, and different methods demonstrated by experts worldwide, these videos will make housework seem fun again!
? Use New Cleaning Products And Equipment
Cleaning with new products changes the game entirely, making it a much more enjoyable experience. Today there are hundreds of different types of cleaning tools, supplies, and chemicals. Everything from specialized cleaners for specific surfaces to advanced robotic vacuums!
You’ll find that they typically fit into two categories: man-powered equipment and powered equipment. Man-powered items usually require you to give them some elbow grease traditionally—scrubbing and moving by hand.
On the other hand, powered equipment takes care of things quickly and hands-free with electricity or motors at work instead of relying on physical labor. This kind of tool makes house cleaning much more bearable!
How To Clean A Messy Apartment
Now that you know what it takes to stay motivated, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of cleaning. If your apartment is a mess and you don’t know where to start, here are a few tips that can help.
✅ Start By Washing The Dishes
To get going, start by washing the dirty dishes, as they’re likely accumulating germs, dirt, and grime that isn’t ideal. Before scrubbing away all those long-lost dishes, it’s important to ensure you have enough supplies like dishwashing liquid, maybe some rubber gloves if you like, and drying clothes. After gathering all these supplies together, it will finally be time to tackle those dishes!
Take the time to scrape off any large chunks of food and put those into the garbage. Then turn on your faucet and fill the sink with warm water and soap. From there, you can let all of your plates, cups, utensils, and glassware soak in the soapy water for more intensive cleaning ahead of time.
After that has been done for about five minutes or so, take each individual dish out one by one before scrubbing them with dishwashing liquid and a sponge or brush until every item is spotless and squeaky clean! Even if you don’t have time to do much else that day after tackling this task- you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something great!
✅ Throw Away Visible Trash
Anything that is not being used or not needed is considered trash. Start by opening all your blinds and curtains so you can identify trash as easily as possible. Once that’s done, gather up any empty food containers, paper bags, plastic bottles, boxes, and cans lying around. These should go straight into your recycling bins or into the trash bag, depending on what they’re made of.
Suppose you find any items that could be used by someone else instead of being thrown away – such as furniture, clothing, or toys. Then consider donating them at the end of the process. That way, you are tidying up your home and helping those in need as well!
✅ Do The Dirty Laundry
Doing the laundry might not have a big effect, but it really helps take those piles of dirty clothes off the floor. First, gather all your clothes in one space. Sort the items according to their washing guidelines on the tags: separate out delicate fabrics, towels and sheets, items that need hand-washing, etc.
Once you’ve done this, start throwing your clothes into appropriately colored washes. You should also read all care labels and check for any specific washing instructions before laundering! And when everything comes out of the machine, all clean and wrinkle-free – satisfaction guaranteed!
✅ Use All Purpose Cleaner
Ready to take things seriously now? All-purpose cleaners come in wide varieties, making it a breeze for any apartment dweller to keep their space clean. These cleaners are designed with powerful surfactants and detergents to gently remove dirt, grease, and residue from any surface.
You can use an all-purpose cleaner on countertops, tile floors, sinks, cooktops, stoves, walls, and more, from bathrooms to kitchens to living rooms to bedrooms. They come in a wide range of scents, too. From minty freshness to wildflower aromas, they will surely please anyone’s nose!
✅ Clean The Kitchen
Start by removing all items from your countertops and shelves, including bowls, pans, utensils, and other kitchenware. Place them in the sink, then use a degreasing dish soap to scrub down your surfaces until completely clean. Next, wipe down the inside of cabinets and drawers with the same soap solution.
To deep clean your stovetop, try using baking soda and white vinegar to lift off cooked-on grease spots before wiping down with your preferred cleaner. Finally, sweep and mop the floor until it’s shiny! Your deep-cleaned kitchen will help keep your entire apartment looking neat and tidy.
✅ Clean The Bathroom
The toilet is usually one of the nastiest parts of any bathroom, so you should always tackle it first. Start by soaking up excess water with a toilet brush and then spray on some disinfectant or cleaning product. Give it a few minutes to do its work before scrubbing with your toilet brush down into all those hard-to-reach places.
Then flush, spray again with toilet cleaner, and you’re almost done before even moving away from the toilet! Make sure to don rubber gloves when using harsh chemicals or strong cleaners and then use them, along with paper towels or rags, to wipe down other surfaces such as faucets, shower heads, toilet lids, and door handles.
After cleaning surfaces, it’s important to thoroughly dry them off since this will help prevent mildew and other build-ups. Once you’re finished cleaning all surfaces, move on to mopping floors. Mop floors counterclockwise to ensure you haven’t missed any spots.
✅ Quickly Dust the Furniture
The next step in tidying up your apartment is to take a few minutes to dust all the furniture, shelves, and knick-knacks.
First, you should start by creating some space: try moving unnecessary furniture or other objects out of the way so you can access all the nooks and crannies that need cleaning. To make dusting faster, use a feather duster or microfiber cloth. Microfiber traps more dust in fewer strokes than regular cloth, which will do the trick for most surfaces.
Use a damp cloth for any hard-to-reach places like ceiling fan blades or moldings above doors, as this will help break up any caked-on dirt and grime. Finally, use a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery brush attachment to take care of any large messes, like dirt that has accumulated under beds or inside drawers.
✅ Declutter Your Living Room
Decluttering your living room is an important part of apartment living, as it will make your apartment look bigger and feel cozy. You can start decluttering by beginning with the simplest tasks – organizing furniture and clearing off surfaces.
From there, take a moment to consider whether or not you really need each item in the room. Ask yourself if the item is actively used or adds aesthetic value to your apartment’s vibe. If it’s neither, then it might be time to say goodbye to it!
A great way to decide is by moving items you’re unsure about into another room for a set amount of time – if you don’t miss it, chances are you don’t need it anymore! This simple trick will help you decide which objects add vibrancy to your apartment living and should stay.
✅ Make Your Bedroom a Sanctuary
Your bedroom should be your favorite space in the apartment because it’s where you rest and recharge for the day. Begin by making sure there are no electronics present or in near range. A phone charger on your nightstand is okay, but try to keep all other electronics out of sight and reach. Next, assess furniture placement.
Make sure your bed is away from the door and that there are pathways to get in and out of it easily. If you have a small space, opt for minimal furniture and keep décor pieces to a minimum as well. Lastly, add elements that help promote relaxation, like soft lighting fixtures, calming colors, plants, or even an essential oil diffuser.
A well-designed bedroom can help you unplug from everyday stress and create a tranquil atmosphere that will help you get a restful night’s sleep.
How To Maintain A Clean And Organized Apartment
Now that you’ve decluttered and created a cozy home, it’s important to maintain it by keeping up with little cleaning tasks. However, maintaining an organized, clean apartment isn’t always as easy as it sounds—especially with the hustle and bustle of modern life.
That being said, organizing your home is well worth the effort to enjoy your living space free from clutter. To make this process easier, here are some tips on maintaining a clean and organized apartment.
? Create a Schedule
Creating a cleaning schedule can help ensure tasks stay on track. It also helps you break down what needs to be done into smaller chunks so that tackling it seems manageable.
Start by making a list of all the things in your apartment that need to be cleaned or organized regularly, like laundry, bathrooms, dusting furniture, etc. Then decide how often each task will be done using days or weeks as markers and write them down in your planner or calendar.
? Invest in Useful Storage Solutions
Organizing an apartment involves finding space for all of your belongings in an aesthetically pleasing way. You can accomplish this by investing in furniture with built-in storage capabilities, such as ottomans or beds with drawers beneath them.
You can also use shelves to store items like books, shoes, and décor pieces you want to show off while keeping them neatly out of sight. Don’t forget about hooks; they come in handy for coats and hats too!
Keeping these types of items stored away will help reduce clutter around the house while providing useful functional pieces of furniture at the same time.
? Prioritize Decluttering
Decluttering is an essential part of staying organized since it can help keep unnecessary items from piling up over time. One way to do this is by following the “one-in-one-out” rule, which requires removing something every time you bring something new into the home (like clothes).
Additionally, go through each room periodically to get rid of items you no longer use or need. However, remember not to get rid of everything, only what you don’t need anymore! This could even include donation centers, if possible, which would serve double duty by helping others out too!
? Enlist Some Help
Oftentimes when we live alone, it’s difficult to find the motivation to clean and declutter our home because no one else is involved. Therefore, enlisting some help—whether friends or family members—can give us that extra push needed sometimes.
You can also enlist professionals who specialize in deep cleaning services if the budget allows. They’ll be able to care for those hard-to-reach spots like behind refrigerators where cobwebs accumulate overtime without us noticing! Plus, having someone else help makes everything much more enjoyable too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a magic eraser on walls?
Sure, you can use a magic eraser on walls! Most people think of these little pads as miracle workers when getting stubborn marks and stubborn spots off anything from whiteboards to carpets. But did you know they could also work wonders on your walls? Magic erasers are so great because all you need is a bit of water and elbow grease. They don’t have chemicals or abrasive issues in them that can cause damage to the wall, but they’ll still scrub away crayon doodles and grime.
Q: Does carpet cleaning reduce allergies?
Regular carpet cleaning gets rid of allergens that accumulate in carpets over time, such as dust mites, dead skin cells, and pet dander. Leaving you with a clean space that’s much easier to breathe in. Also, depending on the type of carpet you have, deep shampooing may even help protect it against further wear and tear! So if allergies have been getting you down recently, now might be a good time for professional carpet cleaning.
Q: How can a professional cleaner help?
Hiring a pro eliminates the hassle associated with deep-cleaning projects like moving furniture, scrubbing walls and floors, and cleaning out those hard-to-reach spots. A professional cleaner can come in semi-regularly to tackle routine tasks like vacuuming carpets, dusting furniture, mopping hard surfaces, and more – so you don’t have to! And if you need a one-time deep clean? No problem – a pro can handle that too. At the end of the day, with their expertise and attention to detail – from window sills to baseboards – professional cleaners will ensure your space looks its absolute best.
Q: Why is regular cleaning important?
Regular cleaning isn’t just a hassle – it’s vital for keeping your home happy and healthy. Without regular cleaning, dust can build up and begin to circulate in the air you breathe. It can also cause allergies, breathing difficulties, and other health issues. Additionally, dirt or grime left uncleaned can wear away at surfaces over time, leading to costly repairs down the road. So save yourself time and money. Commit to regular cleaning and enjoy a cleaner space both inside and out!
Q: What do disinfection services involve?
Disinfection services involve thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing places of business, residential properties, and other areas. From top to bottom, these services use specialized techniques to kill germs, bacteria, and even viruses. Everything from wiping down door handles to the sanitation of appliances is done by professionals who take their job seriously. The process follows stringent guidelines set in place to ensure the maximum safety of both employees and customers that visit the property. It’s a great way for businesses to show their commitment to safety and provides extra peace of mind during these times.
Final Words
Cleaning a messy apartment can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to tackle all of it at once! Start by tackling one area at a time; eventually, it will all come together. Try to make sure your cleaning products are eco-friendly so that you can feel extra confident in the product you’re using! Remember to treat yourself to something fun when you finish. Maybe even a reward – and that’ll motivate you to keep up with regular cleaning habits moving forward. Congrats on taking the first steps toward tidying up your apartment!
