What is it about spring that makes every woman in the world think that it is time to scrub the house down from ceiling to floor?
We know many women who do this, even the OGs (Organizationally Gifted) of the world. Their houses are immaculate, yet still, spring comes and they determine that it is time to do even more.
Then we have the OCP (Organizationally Challenged People) and somehow we just feel like we have to get the house cleaned up NOW.
After all it is spring! Time for spring cleaning! Right?
Which I think is really funny because we can’t remember when we’ve cleaned under the sofa. It may have been years since has been cleaned… But suddenly it is spring, and we think that we better drag the area rug outside and beat the piss out of it, or tear apart our closets.
I’ve even heard of Spring Cleaning Checklists! I’m not making this stuff up. So, for this Motivation Monday I am asking, and answering this question: Q. “Do we have to do spring cleaning?” A. NO WE DON’T… But many years ago we did…
The reason that we needed to do spring cleaning years ago was because our homes were heated with 1 of 2 things: coal or wood (sometimes both).
All of the windows and doors were sealed shut to keep the house warm and conserve heat. Could you imagine how bad it needed a thorough cleaning after the winter was over?
What happened to our homes of old was; a thick film of soot covered everything and in the spring our fore-mothers would have to do a thorough cleaning, ceiling to floor, litterally.
As soon as the weather permitted, and they knew their would be no need to light a fire any more, the windows and doors would be opened and everything that wasn’t nailed down would be dragged out of the house so it could be aired out, wiped down and shaken out.
Can you see why we don’t need to hold onto this ritual any longer? In my system that I teach, we have a schedule for getting the house cleaned up on a regular basis.
It gets done year round, it is a really nice way to live and not a ridiculous burnout cleaning once a year thing that never actually really happens in our world, and is not even necessary anymore.
I am sharing with you a bit of my system here, it will help you to stay focused.
Write down on an index card the days of the week as I have illustrated below.
You decide what to do and when, according to your life and schedule.
Here are the catagories:
*Rest/family day
*Once Over day
*Desk Day
*Errand Day
*Free day
*Family Work Day
Then plug in the categories to do these specific things that I have outlined, see my example below.
This might seem insignicicant but it really makes a difference. Of course there is a lot more to keeping thehouse clean, but this will definitly help. We put things off so often, sometimes it’s just because we don’t have any kind of schedule to follow.
Let me know what you think in the comments or email me: Kathy@thetidytutor.com
With Love,
Kathy
I have been with my Mother since last March when covid hit.
Now I am in the midst of moving from apt to Mother’s home. By April 15th. Huge downsizing. Sisters only want me to bring the very minimum to Mothers home.
I will only have a bedroom for my belongings. With expectations to be kept organized and not cause Mother any stress due to being cluttered etc.
I love your videos and so relate to what you say. I truly want and need help to stop clutterring, hoarding and become all God created me to be.
Any words of wisdom and advice?
Will the TTU help and Is this a good time to start in midst of all going on?
Praying it will all work out to do TTU.
Blessings and Joy!
Barbara
So glad I read this and watched the little video. I used to do this while trying out the Flylady system last year and for some reason I changed how I did things.. I think when I switched to a weekly self schedule for daily tasks.. and also emplimented it with each room, so I wasn’t all over the house each day, as often.
But when I WAS doing, and even though my schedule is kinda the same, because I’m doing it room by room, I just realized that my focus has been more on the room itself, getting the room all tidy, instead of the broader tasks like listed above, that for me, are much more helpful, and DID give me more help, when I got them done.
I do have each of those days within my tasks, but it was alot easier when the title read Desk day instead of bedroom. Or errands day instead of dining room n entryroom day… Even as I read it when I text it, my mind was focused on the main task that ALWAYS made a difference if it gone first, for that day and for me it goes along with the room.
Thanks for the much needed reminder!! I’ve been trying to tweek my weekly daily schedule and even though it was working, I wasn’t quite getting those key things done–my bedroom looks great and isn’t cluttered, but I have several things on my desk that I don’t seem to get to. And same for getting errands done. Those rooms look great but I don’t seem to have time for errands. Feeling much more positive about my upcoming weeks. Thanks!!