Hi everybody! Here’s a hack for cleaning a living room that has been trashed by a party. It takes just four steps of five to ten minutes each.
1. I know you’re too tired to clean after a party is over but before you go to bed push yourself just a little and do step number one. Grab a garbage bag and go around the room from left of the entrance all the way around to right of the entrance. This will take five minutes, REALLY! Dump all garbage and disposables into the bag, take the bag out to wherever you collect your garbage (i.e. in the garage, dumpster behind your building, etc.). Then pat yourself on the back and tell yourself how wonderful you are (that’s very important) and go to bed.
2. In the morning when you are rushing to go to work or school squeeze out another 5 minutes (10 if you are really slow in the morning like I am). Grab your laundry basket (a very useful tool for many things) go around the room again from left to right and put all dishware and items that don’t belong in the living room into the basket. Load dishware into the dishwasher and put other items WHERE THEY BELONG! Don’t put other items down and tell yourself you’ll get them later, because it just doesn’t happen! Tell yourself what a great job you did and go out the door. Now your living room looks neat even though it’s not clean. It will give you energy to see it that way and you won’t be embarrassed if someone drops by unexpectedly.
3. When you arrive home from work or school change into comfy clothes and grab cleaning supplies. Here are some suggestions:
A. Hang a plastic grocery bag on your arm for used wipes to be put in. Grab wet wipes and go from left to right wiping down all surfaces and spot cleaning furniture. Throw away the bag of used wet wipes. This way is the most expensive.
B. Grab a spray cleaner, grocery bag and a roll of paper towels and clean from left to right. Be sure to buff surfaces with a dry paper towel. If you have both wood and glass surfaces I like to use Pledge Multi-Surface spray. This is a medium cost.
C. Grab two rags (old wash cloths or t-shirts) and a sprayer of kitchen cleaner you made from concentrate. Again, use one rag for wet and one for dry for buffing. Go around the room as before throw the rags in the laundry for re-use. This is self-sustaining, green and the least expensive. Pat yourself on the back and do your activities for the rest of the evening. And yes, you can grab that much time because you ditz around at least that much texting, day dreaming, etc. You know you do! LOL!
4. Before you go to bed grab 5 minutes and your vacuum. Vacuum around the room from left to right. Put away the vacuum and stand in the doorway and smile at how proud you are of yourself. Then go to bed. All is well!
Note: Working from left to right ensures you don’t miss anything and you don’t have to waste time going back to pick up something you missed.
DR. MELODIE STERRETT
A life time of working in summer camps, colleges, and various ministries with young people and families, degrees in nursing, Bible, and a ph.D in counseling plus working in all aspects of a horse ranch form a basis for Dr. Melodie's down to earth practical ideas to solve a wide range of life problems. So go ahead and Ask Nana!
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