The Netflix release of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo was perfectly timed to align with everyone being caught up in the fog of New Year’s resolutions. As such, it had people in a frenzy, flocking to donation drop-offs, indulging in overpriced storage boxes, and struggling to fold their clothing into tiny rectangles.
So what happens after the craze passes and your home goes back to the way it was? How do you sustain that level of clean? Here are four ways to simplify cleaning in your home in a post-KondoMari world.
Outsource
Marie Kondo herself is an excellent example of outsourcing– people hire her as a consultant to come into their homes and give them direction on how to organize. Maintaining that level of organization, however, can be challenging. That’s why it’s important to consider outsourcing while leaving the guilt behind.
Spending a day deciding what’s staying and what’s going is a wise investment of your time. From there, hire a removal service to come to take away your goods so you don’t have to plan a trip to the donation bin and you’re less likely to decide that maybe you should keep that broken lamp after all. Look for a junk removal company that allows you to text a photo for a quote and prioritizes recycling and eco-friendly practices (see more at https://www.junk-king.com/services/residential-junk-removal-services/).
Outsourcing to a cleaner is also ideal for those who struggle to keep on top of things. It’s hard enough to juggle work, family, self-care, and a to-do list a million miles long and still remember to dust and vacuum. Outsourcing to a cleaner ensures these tasks are done.
Designate Cleaning Zones
While it might take a day dedicated to cleaning to get everything back on track, the upkeep should be parcelled out into smaller, more manageable zones. For example, cleaning the bathroom on Monday and the kitchen on Tuesday. This helps create a sustainable habit and ensures that if Saturday cleaning day is replaced by Saturday baseball day, you don’t fall too far behind on your chores.
Having designated zones with a to-do list will also help identify what needs to be done in each room, so you can assign tasks to your family members for help. Lists clearly identify what needs to be done, preventing overwhelm. Additionally, for maintaining a clean and pest-free environment, consider seeking assistance from Knoxville pest control services by Waynes, ensuring a thorough and effective approach to pest management in your home.
Start Now
Don’t schedule your cleaning time for after all of the things you want to do; make it the task you must accomplish to move onto better things. If you come home from a long day at work, start cleaning before you sit down to relax on the couch. That way when you do sit down to relax, you know there’s nothing left to accomplish. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, get the cleaning done first thing in the morning, so there are no distractions later.
It doesn’t matter what time works best, just make that time your “now” and focus on getting the big rocks done before distractions take over.
Set a Timer
Setting a timer can be a huge motivator to get things done quickly. Additionally, it sets you up for success by giving you a metric by which to measure yourself. If you know that you’re only to focus on cleaning– no checking your phone or watching a show– until the timer goes off, then you hone your focus and improve your productivity.
This also serves as a great way to get the cleaning done when children are present. Get them what they need before setting the timer and let them know that you have to do your job until the timer goes off. Setting shorter timers for them can get them in the habit of being productive and helping with the cleaning process.
To simplify house cleaning, stop thinking about the process as a chore and start to focus on how to make it a habit. By doing so, you’ll create a sustainable cleaning process.