I’m an overwhelmed mom – my easy ‘pile method’ will help you clean quickly & in an organized way
A SELF-DESCRIBED overwhelmed mom took to TikTok to share her easy “pile method” to organize any room quickly and efficiently.
Organization may not be everyone’s strong suit, but one woman shared her strategic method to clean quickly in an organized albeit messy way through a viral TikTok video.
Sharon Johnson’s TikTok channel, sharon.a.life, is dedicated to mental health, vulnerability, and the challenges of motherhood.
As a stay-at-home mom, sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day for Sharon to get all of her errands done, so she’s developed a full-proof “pile method” to get any room spotless within minutes.
Her honesty and maternal advice have resonated with her over 215,000 followers on her TikTok account.
The first subtitle text on the video explains the basis of the viral video: “The best cleaning method when you’re overwhelmed.”
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Johnson begins the video by appearing makeup-free, wearing dangling earrings, an oversized grey sweater, and a headband with her hair in a chic bun.
“Here is how I clean my house when it is a total disaster and I am completely overwhelmed and incapable of cleaning anything,” she says. ” I call it…the pile method.”
Johnson further adds that it works especially well for children’s rooms, and “mothers who are completely overwhelmed, overstimulated, have mental health issues and way too many kids.”
According to Johnson, the method is fast and easy, and once you clean this way, you may not clean any other way again.
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The first step in the messy method is to gather everything in the room that Johnson says “isn’t where it should be.”
Johnson says in the video in a subtitle that, during the course of the video, she did her TV room, craft room, and living room at the same time.
The reasoning behind this is to take everything all at once and put it in one giant pile in the middle of the living room.
For some, this would cause chaos, but for an overwhelmed mom like Johnson, there is a method to the madness.
“I literally just take huge laundry baskets, just fill ’em up and just dump ’em out,” she explains.
The second step to Johnson’s “pile method” is more self-care based: She turns on a television show or podcast before delving into the clutter piles.
To give viewers a visual interpretation of the cleaning method, Johnson draws on a handheld dry-erase board.
She again says that the giant pile of “stuff” may be overwhelming, but it goes by quickly and is so satisfying to see the piles get smaller and smaller.
Johnson follows up with the third step by explaining how exactly the “pile method” is implemented.
“This is what you’re gonna do. You’re going to create little piles around the big pile, Johnson states.
Using the dry-erase board, she shows viewers that the center of her method is to take items from the big pile in the center and begin separating the items into smaller piles around the big one.
For example, items can be separated into room-based or item-based piles, like the living room pile, kitchen pile, crafts room pile, book pile, and children’s room pile.
Though Johnson is a pro at this method by now, she tells viewers that they can go as quick or as slow as they want.
“And so this [big] pile just shrinks and shrinks…I did three disastrous rooms today in like 20 minutes,” Johnson shares.
She also says that it’s important to have a donate and garbage pile.
Once all the mini piles have been created, she also suggests handing the children’s pile to that child and having them finish cleaning their own area.
“And the things that you need to take care of, you’re either just gonna put it in that room, just put it in that room and don’t worry about it or you’re gonna take it and just put all of the things away,” she suggests in support.
For parents, Johnson adds that by doing her method, there’s less stress
In her opinion, the “pile method” limits the number of choices you have to make and the running around associated with regular cleaning practices.
“It limits how distracted you get with other things because you’re just right there,” she explains.
At the end of her video, Johnson displays a subtitle on her screen that reads, “Thanks to my former therapist for teaching me this.”
The final image of the video is an introspective vision of Johnson staring into the camera with the words “What’s your favorite way to clean!?” written across the screen.
“Just try it. Just try it,” she urges as the video comes to a close. “And if why not, why is your cleaning method better?”
The common section of Johnson’s video praised her for her mental health transparency and fun advice.
“My exhausted and overwhelmed brain really appreciated the way you explained this. Thank you,” one viewer commented.
“I need this in my life! I get so distracted cleaning my house that nothing gets done!” another added.
Some viewers already were aware of the method.
“I put the piles on everyone’s chairs at the table. you don’t eat until your piles are taken care of. and no putting on floor beside you!” one user commented.
“This is how I clean. Severe ADHD and my mom taught me this when I was in 7th grade. Instant gratification.” commented another.
Based off of the over 3,600 comments on Johnson’s video, the ” pile method” seems to be a hit.