Clean Your Home in 3 Easy Steps - A Refresher

The very idea for my book (originally titled The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning, but re-titled No-Hassle Housecleaning) came about when I was working as a bank teller. I'd worked for years as a freelance writer, but I really wanted to write a book. I'd tried to get a fiction book published, and discovered that it was very difficult. Maybe a non-fiction book about housecleaning would be better received.

So, there I was doing bank teller-ish type things, and I decided that I would write a book for all my fellow 'happy slobs' out there - people who wanted to be neater and tidier, but wanted it to be accomplished quickly and simply. Martha Stewarts we are not, but we do want to keep things nice and neat (ish).

Maybe you've read this blog for a while, maybe you've just found it. But, regardless of that - thanks for reading these words. Here is a summary of the basic 3 steps that make up No-Hassle (or, Happy Slob's) housecleaning methods. If you can count to three, you can totally tackle this. And if you have health issues, or are battling with fatigue or maybe old age is causing you to feel like you can't do as much as you once could around the house. Rest assured - the three steps really help you to feel like you've got a bit more control over the mess and clutter.

1. Cleaning bursts. These are just what they sound like - quick bursts of cleaning that you do once or twice a day to get the major stuff accomplished. Like handling that pile of dishes in the sink, or tidying up the bathroom. The areas you concern yourself with are the areas that you LIVE in the most. Makes sense, right? I thought so too. That's why it's step #1.  Here's a post that goes into more detail about cleaning bursts. Remember to set your timer! A good timer is a happy slob's best friend, since it reminds us that we only need to spend a certain amount of our precious time cleaning. It limits the misery!
2. Focus Room Cleaning. This is, again, just what it sounds like. You spend a little more time cleaning in one very specific area of your home. Maybe it's the bathroom, where you'll do a little deeper cleaning than is possible with only a cleaning burst. Again, use your timer and budget your time. If you can only 'afford' five minutes, that's awesome! Set the timer, do your best, and on with your life you go. All about focus rooms in this link. Helpful, no?
3. Clean-for-Alls. This is last on the list because you do these extra tasks only when you have time. As in, about once a week or so. Keep a notebook with you in your cleaning kit (here's how to make your cleaning kit) and keep track of real trouble areas around your home that will need more than just a few minutes during a burst or focus room cleaning. This will help you know what to tackle when you can afford some time to do a clean-for-all.

That is it. Start with a cleaning burst once a day, in either the morning or the evening. Then, add the opposite one to your day - a burst in the morning if you were doing one in the evening and vice versa.

Please remember that it's just house cleaning. Don't stress. And on the other hand, do all you can to fight our natural happy slob's desire to procrastinate. (Ooh, that should be my next post! I'm a master of procrastination, sadly...) Set your timer, and get to it. Post a comment to let me know how it's helped you and to share a tip or two with other slobbos from around the world.