Why doesn't the house clean itself?

When I clean the house, I wish I felt like this....

But, I feel like this...

 

Except.....

I'm not smiling...

Because there is nothing glamorous to cleaning.  Here are a few tips that help me survive....

1.  Start with 15 minutes.  I read in a Seventeen magazine when I was a teenager, "If you don't want to workout, do it for 15 minutes."  Usually, you'll get on a roll and have an awesome workout.  I think the same can go for cleaning.  Sometimes starting with 15 minutes gets me going.

2.  Zones.  I divide my house in zones. ie.  I have the kitchen zone, dining room table zone, living room zone, etc.  I clean one zone in between doing other things.  I keep tabs on my zones and make sure they all stay reasonably clean.  Keep in mind... Don't neglect the "car zone".  (If you don't have a housekeeper, this is the only zone you can pay someone to clean monthly... just saying.)

3.  5 or 10 minute increments.  If I'm super tired or feeling super lazy, I'll set a timer.  You'll be surprised how much you can get done in 5 minutes!  Keep in mind... doing a 5 minute increment before eating and after eating is 10 minutes of cleaning!  If the house is a disaster... Do an increment, then vacuum, increment, then clean the bathroom, increment, then dust.  All cleaning all the time.

4.  Clean every time you walk into a room.  When I was a new mother, I was so exhausted, I couldn't think of cleaning.  At those times... clean every time you walk into a room.  This is one way to conserve cleaning energy.  Remember, if it's not getting cleaner... it's getting dirtier.  If you feel bad or tired, you'll feel worse if the housework keeps piling up.  It's worth trying to put in the extra effort.

6.  Think about the time of day you have the most energy.  I have the most energy in the morning.  Once it hits 3pm, I am tired and I'm praying for my husband to come home. Try to get most of the cleaning done when you have the most energy.

7.  Cleaning on commercial breaks.  If I want to watch tv, I'll clean on commercial breaks.  I get what I want and I'm being productive.

Those are my cleaning tips.  I am not a great housekeeper by any means, but at least I can find ways to trick myself.  I hope they help others as well.