Whether we work at a paying job or have the privilege of staying home with the kids, as adults we're all busy trying to balance work and play. Within this balancing act, housekeeping often gets pushed aside as extra work that interferes with our "down time." Yet relaxing in a neat home is much more restful than sitting in a mess, so here are some tips to help you keep your home neater on just a few minutes per day.
Don't Put It Down; Put It Away!
Possibly the most overlooked and easiest rule to keeping a neat house is this one. It seems much easier to drop the briefcase by the front door or leave the loaf of bread on the counter. We think we will get to it later when we've had a moment to rest. Why not take thirty extra seconds to put the briefcase in the home office or ten more seconds to place put the bread in the drawer? Now you can sit down without the mess nagging at you to be put away.
To help get over in your hand, consciously decide to put the item away and count the extra seconds it takes to do this. How much time did it really take? Ten seconds? One minute? Do this until you have convinced yourself that it really isn't that much more difficult to put things away immediately. Compare this to the time it would take you to clean up after yourself after a week of leaving everything laying around.
Five Minute Pick-Up
How often do we set aside a morning or day to clean the house? It is often difficult or undesirable (in our minds) to schedule a large block of time for cleaning. But we are all able to find five minutes once a day to do a mad dash pick-up. Perhaps even two or three times. Either set a timer or watch the clock, but don't allow yourself to become distracted while you pick up and put away as much as you can. You shouldn't load yourself down and then put everything in a corner because you ran out of time. Pick up a few items at a time and put them away before picking up more. As long as you "Don't Put It Down; Put It Away" over the course of the day, you will have a noticeably tidier home in just a few days.
The psychological advantage of this tip is that you are less likely to procrastinate because of what appears to be a daunting task. You know you only have to work for five minutes before giving yourself a break, and then you also feel as though you've accomplished something. At the end of the five minutes, you may even feel motivated to continue cleaning!
Teach the Kids to Help
Both of the above tips work very well when applied by one person. Imagine the exponential benefits when your children have learned to "Put It Away" instead of expecting Mom to come behind them. Or how much neater a room will look when three people participate in a "Five Minute Pick-Up."
It is true that some time is required in the beginning to train your children to help, but they can begin putting their own toys away as soon as they are able to make their own mess. Even though a two year-old may not be much help during a "Five Minute Pick-Up," if he is encouraged to participate in a musical game of "Clean-Up" he will be a big help in just a couple of years. By teaching your children to help around the house now, you are also developing in them habits that they will take with them into the rest of their lives. Though this tip doesn't give immediate results, in the long run both you and your children will benefit.
These are only a couple of ways to help you maintain a neat home. Even if you aren't able to start off with a spotless house, these three tips taken together will have your home looking neater very soon, allowing you to relax in a more restful and peaceful environment.
Copyright October 2010
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louise_Van_Polanen
