How to Clean Your House When You’re Depressed

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Depression, whether short or long-term can disrupt so many parts of everyday life.

I’ve had my own struggles with this in the past, and I know that when you’re fighting just to get out of bed, or get a meal on the table for your family, the mess that quickly piles up around you can feel insurmountable. 

So I’m sharing some tips that have helped me through my most difficult seasons, in the hopes that maybe they can help you too!

Forgive yourself

The first and most important thing is to realize that it’s okay for your house to be messy. 

I know this may sound strange considering this is a post about cleaning, but hear me out!

It will be so much harder to start at all if you’re beating yourself up over how it got this way or why you’ve waited this long. 

Take a deep breath, accept it, and forgive yourself. 

We all have seasons, we all have phases. 

In difficult moments in life, some standards may have to be lowered, some routines paused in order to process and get through it. 

That’s okay. You’re only human, just like the rest of us. 

And I can promise you that even most of the instagram perfect houses you see still have weeks when they are a wreck!

Leave what’s already been done in the past, you’re starting fresh today.

Take care of yourself first

Take a shower, wash your hair. 

And if that feels like too much, just put on some clean clothes that aren’t pajamas.
Brush your hair and your teeth. Wash your face. 

It doesn’t have to be a makeover, just a few minutes can really help you feel like yourself again. 

I know that you’ve probably heard it before, but it is so very true that you cannot take care of anyone (or anything) else if you don’t take care of yourself first.

And if you usually tend to put your own needs at the bottom of your to-do list (raising my hand over here because I am definitely guilty of this) you NEED to try using a daily self care checklist!

It’s a simple way to remember to meet your own needs every day.

It’s honestly been life changing for me!

↓ You can grab a free printable one right here ↓

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Turn on some music

And I’m talking about the most cheerful, bubble-gumy pop you can find. 

Or whatever it is that always makes you smile or want to dance. 

Speakers or earbuds, it doesn’t matter, just blast it and feel the feels.

I know that for me music has a huge impact on my mood, so I like to create a playlist filled with upbeat songs I like, that way no sad or emotional songs can creep in unexpectedly.

Open windows and blinds

Vitamin D anyone?

Seriously, a little natural sunlight can work wonders on your mood.

And fresh air can benefit both you and your house.

The more the merrier, all the windows in your house even if you can manage it, but at least the main room you’ll be cleaning in.

Try taking a few moments to just stand in the sunlight and breathe deeply.

Throw away trash

One of the first things that goes out the window for me when I’ve struggled with depression, is throwing things away.
We won’t get into why it feels like far too much effort to walk all the way into the kitchen and throw away that granola bar wrapper, but at times it certainly does.

The first thing to do is grab a trash bag and quickly go around collecting all the trash from every room. Then take the bag straight outside and into the garbage can.

This prevents it from sitting in your house somewhere for too long, and also has the added bonus of getting you outside for an extra burst of sunlight and fresh air!

Focus on one area

Conquering the entire house may be too overwhelming at this exact moment (I mean hey if that vitamin D really worked a number and you want to go for it, then by all means do! But we aren’t trying to win a marathon here, so starting small is absolutely okay)

Try to choose one area that you spend a lot of time in, maybe your office if you work from home, or your kitchen if you love to cook. Maybe even just the area around your bed.

The point is to take the area you spend the most time in, and spruce it up a bit.

Spending most of your time surrounded by a mess isn’t going to improve your mood, and for me at least being in a space that feels clean and orderly always helps me to relax.

Find something you love – display it

If it’s a favorite photo, display it near your front door so that you see it every time you get home. 

A favorite purse? Bring it out of the closet and display it on top of your dresser. 

Your childhood beanie baby collection? Arrange them on your bookcase. 

A silly drawing you made? Frame it next to your bed. 

Christmas lights? Dig those things out of the garage and put them up! 

If you can find something that brings you even the tiniest bit of joy, use it!

And last but not least…

Ask for help

Whether it’s your mom, spouse, kids, best friend etc… It doesn’t matter, just reach out and ask for help. You might gladly accept help around the house when you’re sick, why should this be different? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with admitting we need help sometimes.
In fact there is actually a lot of strength in it, and you may even start bigger and more important conversations than just the ones about housework. 

Figuring out how to clean your house when you’re depressed can be challenging, but I hope that these tips help you to create a little order in the chaos today, and take an important first step out of the darkness!

Please remember that if you are struggling with depression or any other kind of mental health issues, you should never be afraid to seek help.

Looking for more helpful posts? Be sure to check out:

• 15 Inspiring Self Love Quotes + FREE Printable
• 32 Daily Affirmations for Moms
• Daily Self Care Checklist + FREE Printable

Let me know in the comments, what helps you to find joy when you’re in a difficult season of life? 

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