Tired of being tired? Over-scheduled and Under-appreciated? No time to yourself? Stop making excuses. You can have a clean (enough) home. You just have to want it. Want it enough to clean it. Challenge yourself to clean for ten minutes every day.
Now the dishes have to get washed every day and the laundry has to be done at least weekly, or you'll run out of pots and plates and tops and bottoms. So I am going to assume you are finding the time (or delegating) to these two tasks.
Give yourself ten minutes of cleaning time every day for the next two weeks. Set a timer (on your phone, the microwave, range, alarm clock, etc.) or buy a timer.
Day One: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Now clean the kitchen for ten minutes. Get rid of all the clutter that doesn't belong in the kitchen. Wipe down the appliances, cabinets, counter tops. Clean a shelf in the refrigerator or pantry. Do any one or more of these tasks, and don't stop until the timer buzzes. When it does, stop. Pat yoursself on the back. And go back to your over-schedulded under-appreciated life.
Day Two: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Now clean the path from the front door to the main living area. Put the shoes, coats, backpacks, pocket junk, mail, magazines and miscellaenous nonsense away. At least put it in the room it belongs. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Three: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Now clean the family room/living room/lounge. The main area your family spends it's life in. Put the junk away. Take it to the rooms it belongs. If you have collections of chatskis, par them down to sets of three. Put the rest away to rotate in and out. Less is more relaxing. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Four: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Now clean the area where you keep your computer and bills. Purge junk mail. Shred anything you don't want that has your name or financial information on it. Sharpen your pencils. Refill the paper in the printer. Wipe off the desktop. At the very least, gather up all the paper clutter, place it in a bag and put the bag neatly away, with a vow to go through it when you're watching TV each night. It might take several nights, but you'll get it emptied. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Five: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Now clean the main bathroom, the one that gets flushed the most. Purge the magazines, put the hair products and make up away. Close the shower curtain. Put out a fresh towel. Shine the mirror and stainless fixtures. Clean the sink. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Six: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Now clean the dining room. Zoom through and take everything that's been stashed there and deposit it in the room it belongs. Come back and clean off the table. Again, if there is paper clutter, put it in a bag and go through that while watching TV. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Seven: Early in the morning, sort the laundry and keep the washer and dryer spinning until it's done. Deliver all the clothes to the rooms they belong. If the owners are big enough, they can put their own clothes away. Make sure the last load you wash is white. After you start the washer, take the bottle of bleach and pour about 1/4 cup in every toilet you have. Close the bathroom doors and let everyone know not to use them while the bleach is soaking. Half an hour later, zoom through the bathrooms swishing the toilets and wiping them down with disinfectant. Flush and let the family know they are back in business. Do the dishes.
Day Eight: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Dust your home. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Nine: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Sweep or vaccuum your home. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Ten: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Clean your bedroom. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Eleven: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Clean another bedroom. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Twelve: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Clean out your purse. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Thirteen: After you've washed the dishes, set the timer for ten minutes. Clean out your car. Stop when the timer buzzes.
Day Fourteen: Early in the morning, sort the laundry and keep the washer and dryer spinning until it's done. Deliver all the clothes to the rooms they belong. If the owners are big enough, they can put their own clothes away. Make sure the last load you wash is white. After you start the washer, take the bottle of bleach and pour about 1/4 cup in every toilet you have. Close the bathroom doors and let everyone know not to use them while the bleach is soaking. Half an hour later, zoom through the bathrooms swishing the toilets and wiping them down with disinfectant. Flush and let the family know they are back in business. Do the dishes.
Don't expect to finish cleaning any room in ten minutes. The point is cleaning for ten minutes will make a difference. Your home will be cleaner and happier than if you didn't try at all.
