Social media loves a spotless home, but a new mom decided to show the real thing. She opened her video with a warning, saying her apartment was disgusting and that she was going to clean it right now, but only if everyone agreed it was a no judgment zone. In her words, it was “mama to mama, friend to friend.” @sarah_sweeten_ then did exactly that, and many moms will see themselves in it.
If you have ever stood in your living room feeling like you could never catch up, her honest reset is for you.
@sarah_sweeten_
The Mess, Out in the Open
She started by gathering the evidence. There was the pizza she ate for dinner the night before, a couple of Diet Coke cans and an empty sports drink bottle. She pointed out that the couch, which she got off Facebook Marketplace, is broken and keeps separating. She also showed the corner of that couch where she says she has spent much of her postpartum experience. Four dirty diapers from the night before were waiting to be thrown out, and her breast pump was sitting on the couch because that is where she keeps it.
Her little one had a rough day and did not want to nap. She picked him up to comfort him and mentioned that he has been dealing with some reflux, which she said was breaking her heart. After a little time in mama’s arms, the baby fell asleep, and she announced it as a mission successful. Then it was back to cleaning, with a baby in the apartment and no time to waste.
Honesty Along the Way
As she worked, she kept things real. She found a half-eaten watermelon that had been dug out with a spoon and joked that she knows she is not the only one who has done that. She mentioned spilling Chick-fil-A sauce on her shirts the other day and tossed them in the laundry pile. She also admitted that her space and how clean it is really affects her mood, and that postpartum has been hard in part because she constantly feels like she cannot keep up with things.
Then she hit a very relatable snag. She was almost out of cleaner. It had run out, as it always seems to do at the worst moment.
She also took a moment to choose an encouraging message of the day. Unable to think of a quote, she settled on one from her favorite movie, the new Cinderella: have courage and be kind. She laughed that she had forgotten how to do cursive.
A Tiny Apartment With No Storage
Her apartment is very small and has almost no storage, so even the vacuum lives next to the toilet. The last area she cleaned was the bath time area, and then she stopped, because there were other things to get done. She did not pretend it was finished. The bedrooms and bathrooms are still a disaster, she said, and there is laundry still sitting in the washer and dryer. But she asked the question that matters most: did we make progress today? Yes. And that, she says, is what truly matters.
Her closing words were meant for every mom watching: do not let social media and outside noise make you feel like you are not doing enough, because you are amazing.
Tips for a Messy House Reset When You Are Exhausted
Whether you have a newborn, a toddler, a job or simply a long week, you can take pages from her book.
Start with the trash. Take a bag and walk through the main room. Cans, wrappers, food containers and used diapers all go in. Removing garbage takes minutes and makes the biggest difference to how a room looks and smells.
Pick one area, not the whole house. She did not tackle every room. She chose the living area and the bath time spot, and she called it a day. A single cleaned room is better than ten half-cleaned ones.
Work around naps. When a baby finally falls asleep, you have a short window. Decide in advance which small jobs you will do, so you are not wondering what to do with the time.
Gather laundry in one spot. Piling stained or dirty clothes together lets you move on. You can deal with the stains once the room is clear.
Keep a backup cleaner. It is a tiny thing, but running out in the middle of a cleanup stops you cold. Put a spare on your grocery list.
Make space for the essentials. In a small apartment, think about what truly needs to be within reach. A basket by the couch for baby supplies is better than items scattered across the cushions.
Do not judge yourself against a photo. What you see online is a snapshot. Real homes with real families have cans, dishes and laundry from time to time.
Ask for help. If a friend or family member offers to come over, say yes. Let them hold the baby while you wipe down the counters, or let them do the dishes while you rest.
Why Showing the Mess Matters
Many women feel pressure to keep up appearances, and that pressure can make a hard season even harder. Seeing someone else’s messy couch and half-finished laundry offers permission to relax. It also shows that a cleaner space can lift your mood, even when you cannot do everything at once.
Progress counts, even when the bedrooms are still a disaster. If you cleared one corner today, that is a win. Tomorrow you can tackle the next one.