In my previous post I discussed my love for and dependency on lists and how I had created two, one for health and one for spring cleaning. Lists allow me to function in a more organized fashion. They also give me a great sense of accomplishment when I can check each item off my list and see in print how much I’ve achieved. It’s quite satisfying for us list lovers.
Our lives are busy, often too busy. We have families, jobs, and homes. We have groceries to purchase, clothes to clean, dishwashers to load, floors to mop, meetings to attend, volunteer duties to fulfill, school conferences, extra-curricular activities, music lessons, and if we’re lucky…regular family time and the occasional date night. I feel like I need a nap simply from compiling this list.
It’s a mountainous challenge to keep up on simple laundry much less deep cleaning an entire house. So where do we start?
1. Break up the monumental-looking tasks into smaller ones. To say “Today I’m spring cleaning the kitchen” sounds like a great idea, but if you have normal daily routines and obligations, it may be lofty and overwhelming. Most of us don’t have entire days to dedicate to cleaning. Carve out one hour per day, even 30 minutes–that’s the length of a TV show–and do one thing in that smaller block of time. Clean out and organize three kitchen or bathroom cabinets or drawers or even dresser drawers in a bedroom. Then call it good for the day. You’ve accomplished something: those drawers or cupboards are clean and organized. Be happy about it. The next day and the days after that, repeat it.
2. Tackle one thing a day and agree with yourself that you’ll feel good about it. Whatever it is you choose to do in your block of time, it’s an accomplishment and one step closer to a full-on spring cleaning completion.
3. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Like I said, the goal of “overhauling the house” is enormous. It looms large and isn’t done in one afternoon. It might take a solid week for some people to reach this goal and if you have a solid week off, do you really want to spend it cleaning? Go on vacation! Don’t miss the opportunity to make precious memories. I promise, no one will break into your house and spring clean it for you while you’re away. It’ll be waiting for you.
4. Kill the chaos. Remind yourself how bad it feels to come home and open the door and see chaos and clutter. It’s stifling, it’s defeating. Now remind yourself how good it feels when you come home and open the door and the house is in good order, tidy, and free of chaos. Even the time spent watching a television program in the evening can be put to use going through stacks of mail or papers. Everyone has those stacks and they get away from you and then stacks become mountains strategically stashed around the house “until you have time.”
5. Delegate. This isn’t a one man or one woman job. Everyone can help! Husbands, wives, children all can find age and ability-appropriate tasks. Many hands make light work, after all. Work together as a team and achieve as a team, then celebrate your win.
6. Maintain. Once your goal is met you’ll feel satisfied, comfortable, and accomplished. Hang on to that feeling. It’s much easier to maintain order and organization than it is to put it all back together again once the house gets out of control.
7. Be kind to yourself and don’t stop achieving. If you’re utterly exhausted after a day of work or errands and the last thing you care about is the state of your house, then go to bed and start again tomorrow. Just like a diet, you can have a “cheat day” in cleaning too.
When it’s all complete and you’re feeling pretty good about yourself and your home, enjoy your new sense of organization. Even if it takes the entire spring season to finish spring cleaning, that’s great! At least it got done and you can harness that fresh new feeling that spring, cleanliness, and order inspire. You can have the healthy body and organized home you desire. Make reasonable goals, be good to yourself, and start recreating you life today!
