One of my most favorite times of the day is getting off work and coming home to a clean house. All of a sudden the possibilities of what the rest of the day will include are endless, but they DO NOT include dishes for what seems like the tenth time already this week, mountains of laundry (dirty clothes in baskets and clean clothes in baskets as well because honestly who has time to fold them?) and what seems like endless mundane chores.
There is a book called “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” that has inspired many people to do the Kon Marie Method. This method entails holding every single one of your possessions and only keeping the ones you love. This process seemed a bit daunting to me, though I know a few people who swear by it. So, I came up with my own process to help me on my journey. Here are some of the things I focused on.
Step 1
Enlist the help of everyone in the home. This is a crucial step to success. If you are the only one cleaning, the only one organizing can very easily become overwhelmed and resentful. Everyone should be responsible for their own space and help pitch in for common areas. Make a chore chart for kids, play some music, set a routine and don’t forget to role-model positive behavior. Having everyone on board can make all the difference.
Step 2
Identify your arch-nemesis. For me this was easy, dishes. The one task I absolutely LOATHE and DREAD doing. There was nothing worse than seeing the dirty dishes piling up and yet, I would still put it off. Now, come up with a plan to tackle this task. Have someone else do it (Lucky you!), find a way to make it fun, or just buckle down and like my brother would say “Get er’ done”. Knowing I had completed this task not only made me happy but also gave me a sense of accomplishment.
Step 3
Declutter clothes. That dress you wore to a wedding 5 years ago and haven’t touched since, put it in the donation bin. The clothes that don’t fit quite right, the ones that you’re keeping because you feel obligated, the ones that haven’t fit since high school. We all have them and its time to get honest with ourselves about the things we need. Getting ready in the morning goes faster and more importantly, less laundry. YAY!
Simple steps can make a huge difference in your home. Now, I don’t have to rush for 15 minutes when I know people are coming over. I don’t cringe at the thought of spending three hours folding clothes because I’ve let it pile up for so long. This process wasn’t easy but I’ll tell you what, coming home after work and not having to see those dishes, makes it all worth it.
A clean space helps us de-stress easier, increases our productivity, and frankly, makes life easier. Having a clean space to come home better helps us focus more at work as well. Focusing on the current moment, and the task at hand can help us be better co-workers, employees, and most importantly workers for our clients. So instead of worrying about the mess of laundry and constant chore lists, we can be PRESENT with our clients.