Professional cleaners say this one 'powerful' tool is the surprisingly simple answer to serial chore procrastination

Cleaning is one of the most difficult tasks to motivate yourself to do. It seems never-ending, it’s tiring, and it is not as aesthetically satisfying as organizing – but could a mood board help motivate you to clean?

If you have ever been on apps such as Pinterest, you may be familiar with the concept of collating aspirational images to help guide you towards your goals. The ‘cleaning aesthetic’ is no different.

Here, professional cleaners reveal how using image moodboards can help motivate you to clean, and share their top motivational tips for creating a useful tool, not a guilt-trip.

Can a mood board motivate you to clean?

The concept of using mood boards and ‘aesthetics’ to feel motivated for chores is nothing new. Many people use vision boards to help with decluttering, for example, or watch home content creators with aspirational homes.

But could a mood board help with cleaning? The experts say yes – so long as you use them correctly.

Samantha Shpeen, controller and chief home officer at Cleancult, explains, ‘I’ve seen firsthand how powerful visual inspiration can be, not just in how people clean, but how they feel about their space.

'Aesthetic mood boards, product styling, even the way cleaning products look on the counter, all of it helps reframe cleaning as something satisfying and aspirational. When your supplies are beautiful and your space feels curated, it’s easier to feel proud of the process and stay motivated to keep things clean.’

To make a cleaning mood board, collect appealing or aesthetic images of clean homes, cleaning tips, or of people in the process of cleaning. Before and after images can also be helpful to inspire you to clean your own space.

The idea is simple and centers around romanticizing cleaning to frame it as an aspirational task, rather than a daunting chore.

How to use a mood board to motivate yourself to clean

I have used mood boards and vision boards as a tactic to motivate myself to clean as a serial procrastinator in the past, and quickly learned that there are some rules to follow when forming a ‘cleaning aesthetic’ board.

Otherwise, you risk creating a bank of images that make you feel guilty about your home, rather than inspired.

1. Remember that images are staged

I learned this rule the hard way. While it is great to aspire to a clean, minimalist space that looks like no one has touched it, remember that the images we find on social media are staged.

They only show one corner of a room that has been perfectly cleaned, or is in the process of being deep cleaned, such as someone cleaning an oven or cleaning floors without streaks.

What we don’t see is the area behind the image, or close-ups, which could reveal dusty window tracks or a pile of laundry yet to be folded.

The purpose of the images is to get you up and looking after your home, not to compare your cleaning routine to others. Comparing yourself too harshly could result in you feeling guilty that your home is not perfect all of the time, and I very much doubt the homes behind the pictures are much better 90% of the time.

A good way around this would be to take pictures of your own home when it is freshly cleaned – this way, you have proof that you have done it before, and can get through it again.

2. Set realistic goals

While creating a mood board can feel invigorating and motivational, try to avoid diving in too quickly, lest you end up cleaning your home when you feel overwhelmed.

Tonya Harris, author, green-cleaning expert, and founder of Slightly Greener, says, ‘Cleaning just one room at a time will save time. Stay in that room until it’s clean and work your way from the top to the bottom of the room, saving the vacuuming for last.’

You could always work by creating different motivational boards for each area or task in your home to help support your different day, different room housekeeping schedule.

Create a kitchen cleaning board, for example, with images of clean kitchens, cleaning tips, and beautiful products, and a separate bedroom cleaning board with images of fresh laundry, fluffy bedding, and dusting tips.

3. Keep the board somewhere you can see it

As with using a vision board to get motivated to declutter, it is important to have your cleaning mood board somewhere where you can see it. This way, you are always thinking about how you can clean your home, both in terms of deep cleans and daily cleaning habits for a tidier home.

For digital mood boards, try setting them as your device wallpapers. Otherwise, use a physical mood board to hang on a commonly passed wall. This has the added bonus of possibly motivating your family to clean, too. This small corkboard from Walmart is perfect for the task.

4. Support your board with products you love

You can’t actually keep your home clean without the right cleaning supplies. To help you stay motivated, opt for beautiful products that you enjoy using, such as non-toxic cleaning products that make you feel healthier and don’t overwhelm you with the smell of toxic chemicals or require several safety steps.

If you are feeling extra motivated, you could also mix up some of the best DIY cleaning solutions.

5. Pair the board with a playlist

Images are not the only good motivator for cleaning. Tonya adds, ‘This was the missing piece for me – once I created a playlist just called “Cleaning,” it became something I looked a little more forward to. I only listen to it when I clean, and it’s mostly fast songs from the '80s on up. It’s fun and makes the time pass quickly (and Wake Me Up Before You Go Go has become my go-to vacuuming song). It’s also a good time to pop in some headphones and listen to an audiobook or podcast.’

The Ultimate Ears Miniroll waterproof speaker from Best Buy is a great option for cleaning, as you do not need to worry about accidentally getting it wet when working. It also has a small clip that you can clip to your cleaning caddy for easy transportation from room to room.

Meet the experts

Samantha Shpeen

Samantha Shpeen is the controller and chief home officer at Clean Cult, where she helps bring sustainability into every corner of the home. A mom of two and passionate advocate for practical eco-living, Samantha serves as the brand’s go-to expert on household sustainability.

Tonya Harris

Tonya Harris is an environmental toxicity specialist and author of The Slightly Greener Method, available on Amazon. She aims to help people, especially families, detoxify life and find easy ways to go green when cleaning.

Creating an aesthetic cleaning mood board is a great way for visual learners to make cleaning fun and romanticize an otherwise very mundane aspect of daily life. Pair the beautiful images with some smart hacks from our cleaning library, and you’ll be well on your way to a beautiful, healthy home.