BAN SPRING CLEANING! - CHALLENGE #19

"Oh, Honey . . . I just love cleaning up messes I didn't make. 

That's why I really became a Mom!"
 

 

Ok - maybe not, but I can assure you, I've been known to utter similar snide remarks on a bad day. Actually, I have quite a repertoire of clever cynicisms.  All of which have been totally wasted on my kids - they just don't see the humour, as it applies to them.  Go figure.

As was once explained to me, we don't always have to like what we are doing, we just need to do it.  Cleaning is sort of like that.  I recall as a teenager, thinking that I was so hard done by with all the "household" jobs that were expected of me.  Jobs like making my own bed, putting my dishes in the sink, setting the table, and washing or drying the dinner dishes.  Talk about unreasonable parents!  Not sure if I thought my Mom (with her 6 kids and full time job) was a tireless cleaning machine or what.  Probably, more like . . . I was just not thinking.  The longer I am a mother, the more I appreciate that Lady.  The incredible amount of resources we have at our fingertips were just a dream back in "her" day. No microwaves, steam irons, indoor clothes dryers, dishwashers, frost free fridges, or self-cleaning ovens.  Only wringer washers, floors that needed waxing, limited cleaning products, and nothing we would call, disposable - EVERYTHING was re-used.  She knew exactly what "recycling" was all about!  Now, depending upon when you were born, some of these conveniences may well have been around.  This is just a small snapshot of my childhood.  I shudder to think of my poor Grandmas.

Who says that life today has totally changed.  Kids (and some adults) these days still whine about how life is hard at home. I'll include myself in that mix!

 

Something to be said about that saying, "The More Things Change, The More Things Stay the Same."  I wore these as a teen and I'm wearing them again!!  

Well - considering that I am on the path to simplicity and joy (the joy thing might be stretching it a bit with cleaning) . . . what is one to do? 

  

If you check out all the different cleaning techniques, there's quite a range of them out there.   Personally, I have never been a fan of Spring Cleaning - what ends up happening is . . . you dread Spring.  Same with the Fall Cleaning.  Fall and Spring are my favourite seasons - can't think of a better way to ruin these times of year than by dedicating them to one or two weeks of killer cleaning sessions. The thing I've always found about seasonal cleaning - it often doesn't get done (even though the good intentions were there).  Things come up (insert any excuse here) and BAM - time flies by.  Before you know it, the block of time you have saved is gone and nothing has gotten done.  So - then what happens?  You end up deciding to do it the next season . . . and . . . surprise, surprise, it doesn't happen again.   "Suddenly", years have gone by.  For some things, that's ok, but eventually it gets a bit depressing looking at the cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling and realizing that they might actually be older than some of your children!

Years ago when my kids were quite young, my good friend, Kim and I decided to take on the task of getting our homes spit spot using a system that was quite popular back in the day. (Side Tracked Home Executives - aka The Slob Sisters). Even now, I think this is a terrific way to get things done, if you aren't particular about everything having to be done all at the same time.  Basically, you organize every thing you want cleaned (and I mean EVERYTHING) onto its own index card.  That's a lot of index cards!  You can set it up so that you do areas at the same time, or certain tasks together, or random - one day you might be wiping light switches in all the rooms and the next day, thoroughly cleaning one bathroom drawer.  How you set it up is entirely up to you. You just don't want to make the card too overwhelming to do - the point is that it's one quick thing to do and doesn't eat up too much time.

                                       

You file all the cards in a recipe or index box and once a day you pull out the card from the front and do whatever it is.  When you complete the job, you simply put the card at the back of the box and you are done!  Really quite simple and very manageable when you have a busy schedule.  If you take holidays or miss a day here and there, not the end of the world.  You may even decide to regularly take a set day off - that's completely up to you.  This system worked quite well for me for a very long time, until Yours Truly dropped her box on the floor.  Of course, I hadn't thought to number them, so that was a nightmare.  If you do decide to try this method - I suggest you number each card in pencil. Get the kids on board by having them help make up the cards.  They have good eyes - they may see things you miss (or want to miss).  In any case, it would give them a different perspective on all the things that need to be done to keep a house in order.

 

This really is quite a sane way to get things done without being overwhelmed (especially if you have little bambinos hanging onto your pant leg all day long).  The downside - initially it's a great deal of work going through each room and writing down each and every item you want cleaned.  It's amazing what can be cleaned, if you are so inclined.  It's also an eye opener about what things you just never think about cleaning.  The upside is that at least once or twice a year - everything gets cleaned!  Sure makes for an easier time of moving, if and when that day comes around.  It's pretty shocking how grossly dirty something gets, if it never ever gets cleaned.  That can easily happen if you are only randomly spot cleaning here and there (the YIKES - company is coming scenario) or things get done in a concentrated period of time (Spring or Fall Cleaning).  I realize some people like to do both Spring and Fall Cleaning but I think I'd rather look forward to poking my eyes out with a fork than doing all that cleaning TWICE in a year.
 

CAUTION:  POKING IN EYE  DURING CLEANING SEASON MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY BLINDNESS.

 

 

 

 

Some people have a high tolerance for mess - just for the record, I'm not one of those people.  However, I have had little kids and teens, so over the years, I've  had to learn to put up with more than my fair share.  Working full time and attending countless sporting activities has forced quite a lot of things to be put on hold at home.  But - now is the time with this Challenge to get back on an even keel with my cleaning - the thought of being viewed as a contender for the 'Hoarders' is enough to motivate me to clean, pitch and purge.  Now, THAT is one scary show!  Most of us are no way near that (hopefully) but it's surprising how quickly a mess can go from simple disorganization or untidiness to absolute filth.  
 

                                       Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

FYI - This is NOT my house but

I do have one storage room that I am currently working on that almost rivals it!

Over the years, life changes and it makes sense that our needs change.  Some seasons of our lives are easier and some are harder.  In response to that, I've also tried other cleaning systems to help myself stay on track - The Fly Lady being one of them.  She has a pretty amazing website.  Lots of stuff to read on there.  Too much for me - very easy to lose track of time! :)  She does like things done her way, but it is her website, so I guess that's her call. She achieves what she sets out to do, and those who are struggling to get "started" have found her a real answer to prayer.  Personally, I find her "my way or the highway" a bit grating but she really has some helpful stuff to share. 

I do love her purple rags for cleaning - my shower doors, mirrors, and french doors are amazingly clean.   www.flylady.net

In the last while, I've been learning (or maybe, just finally acknowledging) that I am someone that gets easily side-tracked - which is probably why the Side-Tracked Ladies' system is a good fit for me.  Guess I'll wait for the annual Calgary Fall snow storm to find some free time to resurrect my Card system again.  Things change when kids leave home, you move, etc. so it probably makes sense that the cards need to change, too.  I'm looking forward to getting back at it - this system is fairly thorough without being overly intrusive on one's time.

Whether it's the Card system, Fly Lady, Spring or Fall Cleaning, or whatever gets decided (or not), there's no rule saying that WE have to be the ones that get to 'do it all' (unless, of course, that's what you want).  Even pre-schoolers can get in the game - honestly, they'd probably have a better attitude about it than most of us. The job won't be perfect, but it's more important that it just get done.  We shouldn't be a martyr about this - it probably isn't even a good life lesson for them to see us doing it all. 
Family helps family - we need to allow
them an opportunity to pitch in.  After all, it is their home, too . . . Hey!  I think I HAVE become my Mother! :)   Of course, it probably won't be a pretty sight watching them roll their eyes and listening to their whining WILL test your sanity - but having a good sense of humour goes a long way (that, and a good pair of earplugs).
        
    HAPPY CLEANING! 

(OK - Did I just hear a . . . "WHATEVER" ?)                   
                                                                                                     
Food for Thought:   (Maxine's at it again!)

 

Can't believe I'm almost at 20 Challenges - that's a lot of weeks of working on self-improvement.  Making some good changes, too!  Now, that I'm heading back to school, old temptations sure to start up again - hope you can join me for the Hey Sweetie Challenge next week!

                             

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