I swear by my Sunday reset routine: here's how I complete mine effectively to prepare for the week ahead

It doesn't take long for the week's chaos to finally catch up with you, leaving your home looking messier than ever. But when energy levels are low there's only one thing for it, a classic Sunday reset.

With work, socialising, food shopping and everything else the week throws at you it can feel impossible to keep up with the daily habits that keep your home clean and tidy. This often means that by the time you reach the peace of a Sunday afternoon, it feels like an explosion of clutter and dirt has gone off in your home.

When you don't have the time or energy to deep clean your house, this latest trend is a quick and effective alternative. The Sunday reset is here to make refreshing your home straightforward, efficient, and somewhat relaxing.

What is a Sunday reset?

So what is a Sunday reset exactly? While it's a rather simple process when it comes down to it, there is a sort of art to it and a reason it's proved so popular across social media platforms.

"Sunday resets have become a popular trend on TikTok because they tap into universal themes of productivity, self-care, and preparation for the week ahead," explains professional home organiser, Elizabeth Wicks. "They also offer a mix of inspiration, practicality, and aesthetic enjoyment while addressing the common human desire to feel organised and in control."

Elizabeth points out the benefits of a Sunday reset, from reducing stress and feelings of being overwhelmed to creating a calm environment and supporting better sleep.

"A Sunday reset offers numerous benefits for your week ahead, helping you feel more organised, calm, and prepared," she adds.

Elizabeth Wicks

Elizabeth is a accredited Proffessional home organsier that works with homeowners to create more intentionally organised spaces. Her aim is to help people live in beautiful yet functional home that are designed to support a clean, mentally healthy lifestyle.

One of my favourite things about Sunday resets is that you can achieve all this in a way that suits you. These resets aren't about pushing yourself to the limit, it's about cleansing your space to an extent that will bring you peace and a home that feels stress-free and relaxing.

How to acheive a Sunday reset

We don't always have time to declutter our homes from top to bottom as well as clean every surface. Especially not every week. So finding time-effective ways to make these tasks more manageable is the only way to escape the dreaded monthly clean.

I find that when I stick to my weekly Sunday reset routine, not only do I find that I feel better each week but I also have a more positive outlook towards tidying my home. After all, when you keep up with tasks they get easier to tackle each time.

Shop cleaning essentials

1. Write a list

I don't know about you but writing everything I need to do down on a notepad makes me think so much clearer. Similar to having a spring cleaning checklist or even a decluttering checklist, to-do lists help you keep on track even when you're in the middle of the cleaning chaos.

When it comes to a Sunday reset it's even more helpful as I use them to list my tasks in order of priority and make sure I don't forget even the smallest jobs like emptying the bathroom bin.

I'd also take this short planning time to put your favourite playlist on and get yourself an energising drink that'll keep you hydrated whilst you go about your jobs.

2. Start with laundry

Something I quickly picked up from every video showcasing this trend, is that you need to work smarter, not harder. In this case, that means getting your washing done whilst you tackle the different rooms in your house. So getting the beds stripped and your clothes divided into their colour groups should be your first job.

The average washing machine cycle is around an hour, I find this is the perfect amount of time to challenge myself to see how much I can get done within that timeframe. I press the button and set off to get a specific task or room done before the machine starts beeping at me. You can do the same with the dryer.

If you're figuring out how to dry your clothes indoors without a dryer then you can still time yourself with your favourite heated airer. Simply time yourself to when you need to flip the laundry over on the airer.

If you have a dishwasher the same applies to the dishes, get them on asap then you can put them away when you start tackling the kitchen clean-up.

3. Declutter and tidy

Before you start cleaning your kitchen, I'd recommend starting with a general tidy and declutter. You'll be amazed by how much stuff is in the wrong room or simply needs throwing in the bin. I use my Amazon laundry apron for this, and let me tell you it's been a lifesaver for moving lots of small items around the house at once.

By doing a quick scan before you tackle a specific room you're not having to walk back and forth, upstairs and down which I find disturbs my flow.

Doing this general pick-up also means that you can work faster when dusting and hoovering as all the surfaces and floors will be cleared of clutter. Again, smarter not harder, that's the key to a Sunday reset!

4. Clean one room at a time

Time to divide and conquer. Like every step in this process, it's completely customisable as to how much you do and how deep of a clean you want to do. I always make sure to get rid of the dust and put my best vacuum to work as a foundation then anything on top of that is a bonus.

Of course, each room comes with its own tasks, cleaning the bathroom will no doubt take longer than your bedroom but the kitchen may be the biggest challenge as it's the most used room in the house. This is where your list ordered by priority will come in handy, it'll guide you and stop you from being overwhelmed.

For the kitchen, I recommend cleaning the fridge and going through your food to make sure it's clear of anything expired. That way when you do your weekly shop you've got a clean, spacious fridge ready to be filled.

5. Create a relaxing ambience and plan ahead

Once all the cleaning is done and you're happy to call it a day, then it's time to enjoy your new clean space.

Personally, I love to get a long shower, light one of my best-scented candles and go over my calendar with a warm cup of tea by my side. This is also a perfect time to start planning and preparing for the week ahead.

Whether it's booking gym classes, creating your meal plan or writing shopping lists, getting it all done before the week begins means you've got less on your plate when the chaos starts.

After that? It's time to put on a box set and allow your body to relax and regroup.

If you want to go a step further than organising your fridge, Elizabeth recommends prepping simple items like chopping vegetables, cooking grains and assembling lunchboxes.