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 There is a better way to clean your house. It is
easy to explain, a bit harder to implement, and even harder to wonder why you
didn't do it this way a long time ago. Are you ready? Let's go.
First, there are three basic kinds of cleaning: neating
(which is usually done every day), cleaning (which is usually done
between once a day and once a week) and scrubbing (which is done less
often, usually monthly, semi-annually, or annually). Neating is NOT really cleaning at all, but it sure gives the illusion of
cleanliness. Neating is making the house look clean by picking up.
The best way to accomplish this daily task is to acquire a cobbler's apron with
two large pockets. The left pocket is for "keeps", smaller items
which are misplaced and need to be put in their "home". The
right pocket is for "garbage", items which can be deposited in a
wastebasket. First thing every morning, after you have your husband and
kids ready for work and school, breakfast done, and everyone out the door, put
that apron on and go to work. You begin at the front door, as that is the
most important place to have neat and work around the house from there.
Pick up the "keeps" and put them in the left pocket, deposit
"trash" in the right pocket. Large objects which are out of
place, will have to be carried to their rightful home, but small items can just
be put in your apron. Straighten pillows, open curtains, put magazines
away, collect empty soda cans, and make each room look as best as you can with
this first "sweep". When you get to
the bedrooms, make the beds (if you haven't already taught your children to do
that before they go to school - see Teaching
Children to Work), pick up stray items and deposit them in their homes, open
the curtains, and shut the closet doors. When you get to
the bathroom, straighten the items on the counter, close and flush the toilet,
straighten the towels on their racks, pick up stray items, and straighten the
rug. Leave the room looking as neat as you can. In
your own bedroom, do the same maintenance routine: make bed, open
curtains, pick up and hang stray clothes, and straighten the top of your
dresser. Do the same kind of chores with your bathroom. There is no
deep cleaning done, just neating. Last, tackle the
kitchen. Get the table cleared off and the dishes done or in the
dishwasher, close all the cupboard doors, wipe off the cabinets (this is a
cleaning chore which must be done to make the kitchen look neat), and push the
chairs in around the table. Now, walk around the house one
more time to make sure that your "neating" is done. Most
spouses, children or company do not see dirt and grim readily. They are
more aware of the neatness of your home. In the same way, you will find
that a neat home will be nicer to live in and easier to clean when you tackle
those "cleaning" jobs. The most important part of housework is
picking up. In a matter of minutes you can have that done each morning and
have a "castle" to live in the rest of the day.
Next time we will tackle
"cleaning" jobs and then after that "scrubbing" jobs.
Soon your house will always be neat and clean and there will still be time for
other projects.
Find more helpful ideas in
the "House
of Order" Handbook, Chapter 16 "Housecleaning
Methods".
Also see:
Stay-At-Home Housecleaning Plan,
Working Person's
Housecleaning Plan, and Express
Housecleaning Plan.
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