5 Secrets to House Cleaning Success
WITHOUT hiring a maid!
You CAN Do Anything for 15 min at a Time
Who Am I?
I'm a mom that can't remember anything. My family knows that I am like Dory from Finding Nemo. If I can find a few house cleaning secrets to help me actually stay on track, I just have to share them! I would love to see if it works for you too, so please take me on Instagram or comment below!
Struggling for years to find my way wasn't fun. But I found a few secrets to house cleaning that have helped tremendously. Take it from one crazy momma, save your sanity and start using these tips!
How I got here
I am the only child of a single parent. My job was always to keep our apartment neat and tidy. From the time I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, I was a latch key kid. My mom is amazing but strict. She worked full time to take care of me but liked a clean house. I never saw clutter or dirty dishes because it was not allowed. It was more extreme than anyone else I knew. I had to play with my toys in my closet..
So, when I had my own kids it got real. First of all, I am not my mother. She is brilliant, disciplined, and good at everything. I am a misfit. Red hair, freckled, awkward, and ADHD. Not fair, right?
Although I tried to live up to what I knew as a kid, I didn't know how. After all, my mom just told me once or twice and it was done her way for the rest of my life. No man to mess things up, no siblings to get into trouble with. If it was messed up, it was my fault. With two toddlers and a husband who was raised very differently, things piled up and with it, my confidence dwindled. Enter the FlyLady.
Don't forget to click the link to get your free printable of the Top 5 ToDo List as a quick and easy way to tackle your day which is one of the secrets to house cleaning!
Cleanliness is a form of self-respect
After my divorce, I spiraled. Depression ran deep with personal and financial fears dragging me down. It's no wonder the house piled up at times and I couldn't face it. I didn't know any of the secrets to house cleaning back then.
In fact, women aged 15-45 years old are twice as likely to experience major depression than men.
Once I set up routines, my attitude got better. I felt ready to make new friends. My kids saw a smiling mom and we had fun together.
My Best 5 Secrets to House Cleaning
“Okay, now with that out of the way, I’m super excited to share the top 5 secrets I discovered on my OWN path to achieving cleaning success. Let’s start with #1
House Cleaning Secret #1: Write out your Top 5
Before you can BE effective at house cleaning, you have to know what the priorities for the day are. Make a list of the Top 5 things you want to get done and order them from most important to least.
Why does this work? You can clearly see what you want to achieve and not waste time trying to remember all the things.
When we get under pressure or things don't go as planned, our brains naturally scatter to try to solve all of the problems. Having your Top 5 will make it easier to reassess the situation and get back on focus.
House Cleaning Secret #2: Plan Your Day
Start taking a few minutes each evening (I do this while watching tv with the family sometimes) to review your calendar and make your plan for the next day. This saves me again and again!
Like many busy Moms, I struggle to remember what day it is. When did I promise to bring snacks to baseball? Or even worse, I forget birthdays! Not the actual date, I know WHEN it is, I just forget that TODAY is that day. So much guilt and shame from being so busy that I just forgot the most important things.
You Can Do This
Moms are designed to weather the storms of life. From the moment you gave birth, you handled more pain and pressure than any man could. Remember how amazing you are and stand up! You are a warrior.
Check out my latest planners with built in cleaning trackers to manage it all.
House Cleaning Secret #3: Make Time for Routines
No one finds more time to do things. We all have 24 hours to do as we see fit. It is all about priorities. Do you have time to play on your phone? Are you watching mindless tv? Do you have time to play video games? Instead of trying to find 1-2 hours a day for house cleaning, spend a few minutes at a time to do a task on your list.
When it was just me and the kids, I got home late and tired but still had to cook and clean. One thing that worked for us was to do something productive on each commercial when we watched tv together. So, for the first commercial I would rinse the dishes and start loading the dishwasher, then the counters, and so on!
Find small nuggets of time that you can switch from lazy to productive.
House Cleaning Secret #4: Declutter
Studies show that your environment affects your mood and self-worth. When you are surrounded by clutter it creates mental chaos which leads to feelings of isolation and depression. The more things clutter your space, the harder it becomes to manage and clean it.
As FlyLady says, "You can't clean clutter."
By setting aside a few minutes a day, you can tackle big projects one box at a time. Clean out a drawer or a shelf. With each successful task, you build confidence and pride in yourself. Plus, it is easier to clean!
Start someplace where it isn't emotional like the bathroom or kitchen.
House Cleaning Secret #5: Consistency is the Key
I know you are probably like I was a few years ago. Working hard all week, tired when you get home so you eat something quick and watch tv. Then, on the weekends its marathon cleaning and piles of laundry instead of relaxing or fun with the family. This all leads to dissatisfaction and unhappy homes.
Once you decide to make changes, you have to stick to them. Dirty and clutter are a constant battle and the best defense is a good offense. That means a little cleaning every day. Doing a little even when you are tired will give you the time on the weekends to enjoy life.
