I'm literally writing this past 9 pm on a school night, though that doesn't really apply to me right now (insert sad face), but I truly felt this fit the FRUSTRATED part of the "frustrated" part of my blog title. This entry will be short and sweet...I know, right?! I never thought I'd see the day.
I had to share a home cleaning practice that works for me. Now, I kind of feel that I have the slight advantage to living with all things chaotic devoid devastation. As you know, my husband is overseas. He was stationed overseas prior to our move-out date. Yep, Abigail had to move a house of stuff with a one year old and four animals to the great groundhog harboring state of North Carolina. He was great; he took thirty days of leave prior to his arrival date to haul loads to NC. My parents came down three days prior to clearing to help with the rest. Lori, Jamie, and the very pregnant Morgan made sure my pull behind trailer was ready to go. So...yeah, a house of stuff was moved over three moves which means that organization on the receiving end was little to be desired. I was so grateful that everything was in the presence of groundhogs to care about the order in which it was received.
Fast forward to today. I am now in my house (<--a foreclosure that has been under remodel for quite some time, thanks to my amazing family--Papa, the contractor; Nana, the Clara keeper; Opa, the painter/Dairy Queen provider; Uncle Mutt, the floor layer; the Aunts plus their children, the movers/cleaners; Uncle Coco, the nursery assembler; Mamaw and Papaw Nina, the Clara entertainers. The project still isn't done, but family made what has happened happen).
Boxes are everywhere and partially unpacked, and my main priority is to clean these DAG'UM HARDWOOD FLOORS!! Do you know how many days I've been working on the floors? Do you know how many boxes are still unpacked? Do you know how many peepee diapers have been mistakenly left behind? TOO MANY. My girlfriend, Brandy, has come over twice now, and each time I have apologized for the state of the house; I've literally been in it a week. She's been great about overlooking the chaos. My method to unpacking/cleaning house had to change because what I was doing was not working. I was basically modeling what this viral mom shows to be the true reason why it seems like nothing actually gets done though we don't quit moving. But, tonight, I found my groove:
1: I followed my husband's advice and set a timer. I set it for thirty minutes. For thirty minutes, I was to do nothing but to put stuff where it goes.
2: I blasted music. I usually try to clean house to the background noise of the FoodNetwork, but I'm too addicted. Music, Pandora Christian Contemporary, keeps me pumped.
3. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP: I worked left to right. I started on the far wall in my kitchen and kept moving. If it needed wiping, I wiped it; if it needed placing, I placed it; if it needed scrubbing, I scrubbed it; if it needed assigning (items that have yet to find their home due to the move), I ASSIGNED IT!!! Do you know how much I got done in thirty minutes??? More than I've gotten done all week!!!! I can finally see my counters, things are where they need to be, decisions are being made, a process is taking place....yay; however, my floors are still dirty...sad face. NO SAD FACE! That's okay! Clean floors do not unpack three boxes and clear away clutter. The floors will have their thirty minute time, but not tonight, and that's okay.
I feel like if we all took a breath and just worked left to right for small intervals, tasks would get completed better. I was determined to clean the floors tonight, but tomorrow I would've woken up to clean floors plus dogs prints because those are inevitable when owning labs, and no counter space to make my coffee. Tell me, which scenario would start a better day? So, yeah, if you're feeling overwhelmed with a task, just work left to right. When I was placing my daughter's toy back in her playroom just to see that it needed to be cleaned as much as the kitchen did I feel the itch to straighten it up for a few minutes before returning to the "left to right process" taking place on the kitchen counters, ABSOLUTELY! Did I give in? NO!
On a better night, I could've repeated the thirty minute interval practice two more times, and so much would've been accomplished, but I'm happy with what's been done. My method prior to this, what I was explaining to Brandy earlier, was to bring a box from the basement and unpack it. That sounds simple enough, but it doesn't always get unpacked in the sense that things go where they need to go. Stacks occur, then clutter occurs, then anxiety builds up, then you become fixated on floors!!!!
No matter the frustration you have in front of you, just work left to right.
I so wish I had a before picture, but this is what can happen in just thirty minutes working from left to right. What seemed overwhelming is now complete. Breathe, set a timer, blast some Jesus love, and work left to right.
