One of the things that have fallen by the wayside in American society, I’m sad to say, is housekeeping. A new book, "Changing Rhythms of American Family Life" published by the Russell Sage Foundation and the American Sociological Association reports that time spent cleaning continues to decline rapidly in America.
No one likes to have a dirty house, but when kids, cooking, and job all make demands of you, it’s easy to see why housekeeping goes to the back of the line – or falls out altogether. So, what do you do when you need to clean house, but don’t have the time? Change your standards.
Unreasonable standards
When you look back on your life, the things that will stay in your mind are some of the things related to homekeeping – your father’s homegrown tomatoes, your mother’s pot roast, your grandmother’s rugelach – not how your dad turned around the company’s ROI and your mother launched one of the most successful drugs in history for her employer. It’s home and hearth you remember, you pine for, you need.
Perfection is not the goal, though.
Many people think that they have to either be “Martha” or give up on home chores completely. It’s not an “either/or” situation. There is a middle ground and I want to take you there.
You can find the time -- and you can get the help
Time is there. You have to be able to see it, though, when you can. Get your family together tonight and ask them how they feel about the house when it’s messy. Chances are they don’t like it. Then, ask them how they feel when the house is completely clean. Most likely they’ll say they feel relaxed, happy, comfortable, de-stressed. See what housekeeping can do for you and your family? That’s why you need to involve everyone. Housekeeping is not a “mom” or “dad” or “mom and dad” job. It’s a “whoever lives in the house needs to help” job.
Second… don’t make housekeeping something to be endured
Keeping a reasonably clean house doesn’t require all day marathon cleaning week in and week out. Persistent, consistent cleaning on a regular basis is enough to get you through to the times when you can spend the time.
There are only two things you must absolutely do every day
1. Make your bed– and have the kids make their bed. Nothing makes a house feel messier than an unmade bed. It takes less than 30 seconds. Get your kids into the act. Tell them if they get out of bed when you go in to wake them up that you will help them make their bed.
2. Do the dishes. Empty the dishwasher and fill it with the dirty dishes every single day. This is five minutes of effort.
The 3-Step No-Time-to-Clean Cleaning Plan
1. Do a daily “Clean Sweep”. Set the timer and get everyone in a different room of the house. Or, give someone a mop or a vacuum. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Everyone go at it – straighten, put things away, give surfaces a quick dust, vacuum and/or mop.
2. Get a quick vac. I can’t tell you how much I love the “Eureka Quick Up" cordless stick vac. This is one handy gizmo. I can sweep my tile kitchen and hallways and do a quick touch up on carpets in less than 60 seconds. It has settings for both kinds of floors. I love it because I use it and it’s F-A-S-T. I won’t sweep with a broom, but I will sweep with this. Best of all, my seven-year-old son just loves it and volunteers to sweep!
3. Clean it when you see it. It doesn’t take but about 1 minute to clean a toilet. There is no reason why toilets have to be filthy. Run a brush around the rim and in the bowl. Whip out some all-purpose wipes and go over the exterior surfaces. There. Done. This is true of most all places in the house. Give each room a 1 minute cleaning when you go in there. 60 seconds – you can do that. When the kids are getting ready for bed, don’t just stand there waiting for them to brush their teeth, straighten up.
Do the math
OK…let’s add it all up:
30 seconds to make the bed
5 minutes to do the dishes
5 minutes to do a daily sweep
1 minute to spot vac with your stick vacuum
2 minutes (1 bathroom/1 bedroom) straighten
TOTAL: 13.5 minutes a day to have a house that you can relax in because it’s reasonably clean.
Where can you find the time?
Tools You Need for Quickie Cleaning
Think convenience here. Get the disposable mopping and cleaning wipes. You’ll use these because they’re instantly ready to go to work.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, PUBLICATION OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Cleaning Calendar -- the calendar that puts you in control of your housekeeping by making it faster and you more efficient. It's the cleaning system that lets you have a clean house AND a life! Find out more at "Everydayclean.com"
Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter on this site and have ideas just like these delivered directly to your in-box!
Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Calender -- the calendar that helps you end the power struggle with your house. Keeping a clean home is about knowing what to clean when. Virtually everything that needs to be cleaned is on this calendar in a year-round cleaning schedule that helps you keep your house clean easier and faster. Click here for more information.
Save to Del.icio.us
