Keeping it clean

You just found out that you are having someone coming over in a few hours and your house/apartment is a mess. You stress out as the overwhelming task of sweeping/vacuuming floors, dusting and general cleaning has you overwhelmed and stressed out beyond your limits.

Maybe it is your illness itself that makes doing simple chores hard, or perhaps it is medicine side effects that sap your energy to clean. Either way the results are the same, a messy house. One thing that I have learned is that when house work piles up it is harder to complete necessary tasks that makes ones home presentable. That is why I have formulated a way to keep housework in check and not have to rush around last minute.

For me having a clean house lowers my stress.  It allows me to have company over without doing a last minute rush job and in general seems to keep my mood less hectic.  This list also helps when my mood isn't quite there for performing tasks. It allows me to already have items listed so that I can function o auto pilot.

• Keep a trash can in high traffic areas. I have a standard size trash can in my kitchen and then smaller ones in my bathroom, living-room next to computer desk and in the upstairs hallway. This allows me to throw items easier and not let them collect.
• Delegate chores to everyone in the household if you share living space. Knowing exactly what each person is responsible for make it easier to complete household cleaning shores.
• Organize to that everything has a place.
• Throw out or donate items that are no longer used.
• Resist the urge to push off cleaning. If something visibly needs done, do it. Procrastination is your enemy when it comes to cleaning.
• Create a daily cleaning list. This is helpful in keeping up with cleaning as each day you focus on different rooms or areas that done.

Here is my weekly cleaning list.

• Things done daily:
  • Dishes
  • Counter tops wiped down
  • Wipe down stove top, microwave, deep freezer
  • Kitchen floor swept and mopped
  • Vacuum rugs in living room
  • wipe down computer desk
  • put away items that need put away
  • Bathroom sink and counter top wiped down
  • Toilet wiped down
  • Make beds
  • Litter boxes scooped

• Monday:
  • Strip beds
  • Do laundry
  • Scrub bathroom (sink, toilet, tub)
  • Dust – living room
• Tuesday
  • Sweep and mop bedroom floors
  • Dust – bedrooms
• Wednesday
  • Clean out refrigerator
  • Clean out freezer
  • Scrub bathroom
  • Dust living room
  • Wipe down trash cans
• Thursday
  • Do laundry
  • clean up shelf in kitchen
  • wipe cupboards down
• Friday
  • Scrub bathroom
• Saturday
  • Scrub kitchen
  • Dust living room
• Sunday
  • Dust bedrooms
  • Sweep and mop bedroom floors

Because I take the time daily to do some general cleaning I can keep up on things. My daily cleaning lists, except doing laundry, usually takes about 30-45 minutes to complete. To give an example, the fact that I keep up on the bathroom means that I can do a complete scrub down in roughly 10 minutes or less.

If you find yourself struggling to with cleaning a list like mine might be helpful. It is so much easier to just see a written list of what needs done and then cross items off as they are completed. Your list might be different depending upon amount of people living with you, size of the rooms and how organized/disorganized you are. Just make sure that your do lists are 1. realistic as to time you have free, 2. Are simple to follow (group tasks by room) and 3. Doesn't overwhelm you.

Keeping up with cleaning means little to no time wasted running around trying to get things presentable before visitors arrive. And keeping a list handy is great way to motivate yourself to get things done.