Cleaning basics

Now that you've been keeping your sink clean and your bed made, it's time to do a little more. Everyday this week I want you to sweep your hardwood and linoleum floors and vacuum the carpet. Pick a day this week to dust the whole house or dust one room per day. Don't forget to clean the sink and make up your bed. If you have kids, try giving them a dust rag and let them dust the big items. If their old enough, get them to sweep/vacuum their own rooms. Your home is a small community. They are part of the community so they get to help. Don't feel bad asking them to help. You are teaching them valuable life skills.

Declutter time

Think of one room that you really need to be able to use and you can't because of all the CLUTTER. Now everyday for a week I want you to spend 5-10 minutes decluttering. Set your kitchen timer and move as fast as you can. Come on, you can do it.

If you don't have any clutter-yea you-then pick a room to deep clean. Again use the 5-10 minute rule. Dust one day, clean the windows one day, wipe down the base boards one day, etc.

Now get moving and don't stop til the bell rings!

Where to start?

On Tuesdays we will focus on our homes. This week I want you to work on your kitchen and your master bedroom. I chose these two rooms because: in order to make nutritious meals at home you must have a clean kitchen and in order to have some sense of peace in our lives it helps to have our bedrooms be our place of rest and not chaos.

In the kitchen, your assignment is to keep your sink and counters clean. Set your timer for 10-15 minute intervals throughout the day until this area is clean. Try to keep it clean throughout the day by cleaning the dishes instead of just laying them in the sink. If that's not possible, then set aside your 10-15 minutes after each meal to do a quick clean up. Before bed take another 5 minutes to do a quick clean up and wipe down the sink as well.

In your bedroom, make your bed. Yes, it's that simple. Try to do this as soon as you crawl out of bed. If hubby is still in it, or a child or two, then try to have it made up before noon. It's amazing how much better a room looks with a well made bed.