I've climbed along a long, slow learning curve when it comes to cleaning. When I was young, my mother did all the housework and I couldn't have cared less about any of it. When I got married I slowly realized that I didn't have a clue about most household cleaning jobs. I understood how to wash dishes and clean a bathroom, but that's not saying much.
Fast forward a few years to when I started teaching full-time with young children and a house to take care of...panic! I asked many teachers that I worked with how they managed everything and I got a lot of good advice that I still follow today. Most of it involves Baby Steps, a little work at a time, just like my hero, the Tortoise, who beat the Hare in the end!
Tip #1 - Every evening try to get one small job done. Sounds simple, but when you've got piles of laundry, an empty fridge, kids with homework needs, and a dirty house... "Just ONE small job???" Yes, just one. Believe me, the dirt isn't going anywhere. You've got to prioritize, pick one thing every day and do it. Maybe it's one load of laundry, dust mopping your floors, or cleaning one toilet. Do it and then spend time where it needs to be spent - don't wear yourself out trying to be everything to everyone.
Tip #2 - Don't wait until Saturday to get errands and other jobs done. If you work outside your home, you need time to unwind and relax. Saturdays are precious and can be quickly filled up with grocery shopping, running here and there, and before you know it, you've had another work day instead of a day off. I try to get all my running around done during the week so that I have time on the weekend to relax.
Tip #3 - Be proactive with dirt. My Canadian friends taught me that most floor dirt is carried in on shoes, so we made it our habit to take off shoes at the door. That way I didn't have to sweep as often! And carpets stay really nice when street dirt doesn't get ground in.
Same rule goes for children eating. We kept it simple - kids ate in the kitchen. My small boys didn't walk around the house crunching on cookies and dropping crumbs everywhere for me to find. Keep the mess in one spot and then it's easier to clean up!
What are your cleaning baby steps?
Don't fall victim to "mail clutter!" Open mail while standing at the garbage can. Throw away everything you don't want, so you only touch it one time and it doesn't pile up. Separate the rest into organizers, (I use baskets), one for bills, one for coupons, and one for things I want to read later.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Jill. We are assaulted daily by the mailbox. You've got to make those decisions right away or else it piles up! Thanks for the tip!
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