a necessary evil...

hi my friends... i sure hope that everyones week is off to a great start!! i don't know about ya'll but for me housekeeping is one of those things that is a necessary evil!! over the weekend while doing some blog hopping i stumbled upon a couple of fabulous blogs - 'geek chic' and 'home sanctuary' and just wanted to share with you an article that i just loved from the 'geek chic'!! it makes perfect sense and helps put those dreaded chores into perspective!! i think we would all rather be playing with the kids, scrapping or surfing the ‘net', than vacuuming or doing dishes and folding laundry. i have already started following her list and for me... it is the perfect solution!! hope you enjoy the list of helpful hints and it helps you as much as it has me!!

1. Do one load of laundry a day. Wash, dry, fold or hang, and put away. I prefer to do one load a day instead of spend one very long day managing the washer and dryer all day long, and that way I don’t end up with 8 baskets of clean-but-not-folded clothes surrounding me. Or more likely, four loads of laundry done, one wrinkling in the dryer, and another one souring in the washer. I can accomplish one load a day much more easily.

2. Set your timer, and spend 15 minutes cleaning your kitchen. Start with the kitchen sink. Do whatever you have to do to get the sink empty. Unload the dishwasher and put the dishes from the sink into it. Hand wash the dishes…whatever your situation is to get your sink empty, do it. But only take 15 minutes, and when the timer goes off, stop!

3. Now set your timer for 5 minutes and choose a room to clean. Dining room, living room, your bedroom – just pick one and go for it! Take a trash bag with you and clear out all the trash first. Then take a box or laundry basket and put everything that doesn’t belong in that room into the basket.

4. Set your timer for another 5 minutes and empty the contents of the laundry basket by putting them where they belong.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 twice more. Now you will have spent 45 minutes cleaning.

6. Set your timer for 15 minutes and take a break! This is really important. It allows you to recharge a little bit before moving on if you need to. It also gives you an incentive to get started. I know I often think, “UGH, I have this whole house to put back in order, it’s going to take FOREVER and I just don’t have the energy today!” But knowing that after just 45 minutes of cleaning (during which I always accomplish a lot more than I think I will), I can sit down and take a break, it makes it easier for me to get past the mental block of just getting started.

7. Swish the toilet brush in the toilet and wipe down your bathroom counter and sink every morning. It takes less than a minute to do and keeps the bathroom clean.

8. Spend an hour a week doing some quick dirt removal. I really love Flylady’s Weekly Home Blessing Hour . She sets her timer for ten minutes and sets out to accomplish 7 tasks: vacuuming (just the middle traffic areas of the floors), dusting, mopping, polishing mirrors & doors, purging magazines, changing sheets, and emptying all of the trash. I know you’re thinking, “But 7×10 is 70, and that’s MORE than an hour!” and you’re right! However, there are some tasks that don’t take a full 10 minutes.

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful for maintaining a neat and tidy home with minimal effort. Just doing a little bit every day keeps your place looking great!

kits used: little feet digital designs by janet carr - 'a year in the life' digital days of the weeks stamps
hinged frame in upcoming kit by lfdd