A Routine Cleaning

I have a little confession to make. I suffer from a little OCD (a.k.a. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). My husband says this is because I like to Organize, Clean, and Do it again! Psychologists say that treating OCD involves the process of unlearning obsessive habits (which they call rituals) over a period of time. That same process can be reversed to help one develop better organizational skills. Basically, it is a matter of developing new habits. Think of something as simple as the act of brushing one's teeth before bed. We weren't born knowing that we needed to do that. Through being taught that behavior and then practicing it over and over, it has become like second nature.

Let's apply this to the process of housecleaning. I refer to this as a process because once something is cleaned, it seems to get dirty pretty quickly (especially when there are kids and pets around).

1. Put housecleaning time on the schedule. I find that those people who say they "will get to it" rarely end up doing so. Put cleaning time on the calendar and stick to it like an appointment (cancelling only in the event of an emergency). I also recommend not answering the phone during this time so as to prevent distraction of the task at hand. If answering the phone is a necessary, try to use a hands free device. Also, schedule the cleaning time when the family is at work/school or otherwise occupied away from home.



2. Alternate between a deep clean and an "in between clean" every other week. The extra things I usually tackle in a deep cleaning session are dusting, cleaning out the burners on the stove/oven, and polishing furniture and glass items. For the "in between clean" I pretty much spot clean the bathrooms and kitchen counters in addition to vacuuming.



3. Create a time schedule for daily tidying. Every morning, I spend about 15 minutes making the bed, lightly vacuuming in the kitchen and living room, and wiping down the counter in the main bathroom. Another good time to do this would be before going to bed. The key is picking a time that is easy to stick to. I find that daily tidying helps cut down on the amount of time I spend when I have to tackle the weekly cleaning.
   

Happy Organizing!