Here I want to show you a step by step guide to train yourself (to clean up and get organized) until you form a habit of cleanliness. Forming a habit is like developing a muscle. Even if we find various excuses for not doing the necessary and less pleasant things, we can constantly improve if we follow a plan.
If you are struggling to keep the house tidy, you can think that you’re not very good at cleaning and organizing. No matter if you are struggling to keep order because you have ADHD, you’re lazy or simply working too hard.
More important than realizing “why” you need to figure out what you can do to improve yourself.
And here I have a few suggestions for you that can help you form the habit of cleanliness.
1. Figure out how difficult it is
It is clear: if you’re reading this article chances are you have realized that you’re not born with this habit in your blood (I’m talking about cleaning and organizing, right?). You know it is not easy. However you need to realize how hard it is for you. Maybe it sounds strange, but the first step is to realize that you do not have qualities for the work. But you can improve and you can take steps towards this.
2. Get a commitment
For starters, you have to choose one or two minor activities you want to turn them into usual. I said minor, right? Look around the house and decide where you want to start. Realize what you can easily do and how you can do better.
If it is a new habit then choose one or two small steps done. Putting your clothes in the closet instead of throwing them on the chair? Making your bed? Wiping your kitchen table? Arranging things in the living room? Choose just one …
3. Make chosen activity every day
There are a few of us who are not organized from Mother Nature or our habit is to do everything or nothing. Leave things undone for days (or weeks!) until you can and do a general cleaning. Working this way is demoralizing.
Choose a few small things that you do every day.
4. Make things easy
Remember what prevents you from doing your work and this way it will be easy. If you notice that in the evening you’re looking forward to do a certain activity but you do not have time, decide to accomplish it in the morning. So it will not be easy to forget and you have time. If you want to get used to clean the sink buy yourself a box of wet wipes and let them in the sink. When you wake up in the morning and you enter the bathroom wipe the sink with a wet towel.
After a while you will form habits and can replace wet wipes with a cloth and a natural solution for the sink.
When you try to form a habit keep things as simple as possible. You might not necessarily need to do that, but do it anyway.
5. Do not give up
Once you started to get used to doing certain activities, make up your mind for the next ones. Just add something simple and easy to do. Success comes with small steps and keeping a positive attitude.
6. Celebrate any progress
It is important to realize that you have made progress. Be careful observe when you start to do things instinctively when you thing they seem easy to do. When you realize your progress you’ll have more energy to continue with learned practices and create new habits.
