Is your apartment a bit messy after a long holiday weekend? Synergy feels your pain, so we developed four executive-level cleaning tips to put that shine back into your living space.

Tip 1—Recycle your way out of procrastination!    

You will be surprised how uplifting it is to break large tasks into smaller, more manageable parts. Your cleaning motivation and momentum will skyrocket! Avoid the room-by-room clean and try breaking the job into overall smaller tasks; such as recycling, then trash, then sweeping, then mopping, then dishes, and so on. Simply focusing on the bathroom, can bring the most disciplined cleaners straight into a downward spiral of procrastination. Starting with the recycling can bring about an uplifting sense of greater purpose, which might be all you need to get your motivation and momentum warmed up enough to tackle the more demanding tasks that lie ahead. Plus, depending on the type of mess you are tackling, recycling can hold that silent promise of a financial return.

**Pro-tip—Listening to a Joe Rogan podcast, Harry Potter Audio-book, or even one of Spotify’s cleaning playlist will take your mind right off the fact you are cleaning.

Tip 2—Enlist the support of the 12-year-old neighbor down the hall.

While they won’t scrub the grout of your back-splash, they will happily clean-off the counter-tops and tables, put dishes in the dishwasher, sweep, and if you have a special one; they might even vacuum! Thus, allowing your body enough time for the Starbucks triple-shot to kick-start that positive cleaning spirit needed for the more in-depth cleaning tasks. Plus, you could give them the return from the recycling, limiting your actual cost. Moreover, the parents of this broom-wielding twelve-year-old will love it, as your need will become their much-appreciated holiday from their little pride and joy—win-win for everyone on the floor.

Tip 3—Host a cleaning competition!

Cleaning competitions are always a bit slow to get started, but once the proper prize has been selected, game-on! Teams competitions are a favorite past-time at Synergy. We recommend getting all your company swag out of the back of your closet, invite your neighbors over (the folks who probably helped make the mess in the first place), and assign teams to different rooms or sections of the unit. Write “Game Monitor” on a name tag, crack a beverage, kick-back, and award your champions all the squishy, somewhat clever, convention promotional items you have collected over the years. Another win-win if you ask Synergy: clean-closet, clean apartment, and you (hopefully) didn’t have to lift a finger!

  Tip 4—Don’t let your apartment get dirty in the first place!

 This one takes some real-discipline and follow through, but there is no better way to be kind to your Sunday self than to clean-up in real-time. The snowball effect is a real thing! Letting your guard down for one water glass and coffee cup, leads to an empty bag of potato chips next to the recliner, which leads to the crusty ketchup plate on the coffee table, then the soda cans begin to pile up… then it’s the pizza boxes; and all of sudden your place looks like you hosted a bachelor party. Fight the urge! Put that cup in the dishwasher, take your plate into the kitchen right after you are done eating (you can pause Netflix!), and it usually only takes about three minutes to take the trash out to the dumpster. Again, fortify your cleaning behavior with whatever works best for you. And who knows, this might snowball into becoming a “clean-person.”

**Pro-tip—Treat yourself for a cleaning job well done! Dangling the promise of a good movie, glass of wine, favorite meal, or that Amazon purchase you have been holding off on might be all you need for that cleaning momentum and motivation to stay the course until your apartment has its familiar shine.

There you have it! Synergy’s four tips for a smooth, fun holiday weekend apartment clean-up. And remember, an enjoyable relaxing holiday weekend is always worth the clean-up in a Synergy unit because Synergy units are designed, hand-selected, and furnished to facilitate a quality work/life balance.

Are you traveling for work? Or potentially relocating to a new city and need some short-term furnished accommodations? Synergy Global Housing is the world’s leading provider of serviced accommodations with units across the globe. Book a Synergy stay today and experience the concept of “home” no matter where your business takes you.