Right about now, I go into a cleaning frenzy. I want the whole house clean, decluttered, and organized for summer. I like breezy, wide-open areas with clear surfaces.
Let’s go! Let’s do this! And then, I feel overwhelmed. Don’t you?
I remember what to do when I feel overwhelmed by this kind of deep cleaning: remember that you can do one little project a day. Just one! Just today! I can do this!
Today, I thought about one room: the laundry room. Ours becomes so dusty from cleaning the lint trap, and we have piles of cleaning rags and supplies spilling out of what was once a tidy little cleaning bucket. So my 20 minute project involves creating my tidy little cleaning bucket out of the chaotic mess, and choosing 3-5 cleaning rags to keep. The rest, I can donate. I then organize the laundry products. Once I mop the floor, wash the rug, and wipe down the surfaces, I’m finished with that.
It makes everything so manageable when you think about small projects. And if your first project energizes you, you can move on to just one room more–maybe one child’s bedroom or the living room. Sure, your spring cleaning might take 10 days, but it’s manageable.
I’ve learned that living with flair means you set small, attainable goals. You don’t have to accomplish everything all at once–in cleaning or in life.