With fall upon us, I feel the need to organize and super clean my home. It's that "nesting" we all get before the winter settles in. I remember quite vividly, my mother faithfully organizing and cleaning our family home both in the fall and spring. I have to honestly say that I have not been that faithful to my cleaning regiment. Oh, I do all that "extra" cleaning, such as washing windows, walls, curtains, etc. BUT I don't do it on a regular basis, so I'm quite sure that it's time!
The problem that I'm having with this whole "fall/spring" cleaning adventure, is that I don't want to dedicate a whole week to just clean, clean, clean. (Hey, I like a clean house, but really!) I would like to not have to worry about "did I clean this fall" or "did I clean this spring". Now, before you ask me "do you ever clean?", The answer is yes, I do basic cleaning every week around the house. My house is pretty much "company ready" at most times - just don't look too close, or under the beds or put your white gloves on and test me - I promise you will be sorry. So, how do I challenge myself to "get it done"!
Several months ago, I stumbled onto
Fly Lady. I have to say, that their idea of "keeping up" was quite intriguing, but part of their plan is for people who are in major need of controlling their chaos of dis-organization. That, I must proudly say, I don't have. I do like to keep things neat and tidy and I have a neat freak hubby, so that part is easy for me. The part that I need in their plan is to stay on schedule and never have to worry about having a major cleaning marathon.
Today, was the day to find Fly Lady again and start to follow their plan. Their mission is to set zones in your home and to follow a different zone each week. If you've checked out their site
HERE already, which you should do now if you haven't yet, you'll understand their theory. That theory being - if you stay on track, follow the zones, do your daily routines, you will always have a clean home. There will not be a "fall/spring" cleaning week or weeks in your life ever again. Obviously, you will be tweaking the zones and daily schedules to fit your lifestyle. For instance, their errand day is Thursday, mine is Wednesday.
This week's zone is "Living Room/Family Room/Den. Since I only have a living room, it will be a quicker chore for me to handle. I have chosen the 1st and 3rd full Monday's, the 2nd and 4th half-day Monday's and the 2nd and 4th half-day Wednesday's to accomplish my cleaning routine. When I mean full days, it may be only 4-5 hours and my half days may be only 1-2 hours. So it's not like I'm cleaning 24 hours a day. For me, following this type of schedule works. Will it consume my life? No, if I get off a day or two or maybe even a week - I can just start again wherever the zone is at that time. The zones are repeated each month so I too will have that sparkling clean home!
If you have a favorite way to organize your home or an awesome cleaning schedule that keeps you on track, let us know. We'd love to share your organizational skills and ideas.
Thanks for reading - off to enjoy my "clean" home or at least my living room!
-Julie-
