I've decided that it would be best to make this week all about homemaking/homekeeping because it's what I've been doing this weekend and will be continuing to do for the rest of this month. I already have other posts written, and hopefully what I have to say might help someone else.
I am naturally 2 things: ocd about tidyness... and cluttered. I'm usually that person where the pile of stuff on a desk looks messy, but I know where everything is and don't you dare touch it... but I also dream of a clutter free workspace and like to obsessively straighten things.
My problem lies in the fact that I am extremely detail oriented. When I get going, I really get going, but it might be random things. I have been known to disassemble something to clean all it's little bits. But I might not get to something bigger. I also might be nearly done cleaning one room, but get distracted on a project in another, and nothing get finished right. It drives me crazy!
So this week I've made myself basically stay on task. The kitchen is the first thing I'm tackling with laundry thrown in (because I sort of suck at keeping up with that and need clean clothes). I'm forcing myself to stay on task. Even though whenever I take breaks and sit on the sofa to read or whatnot, and see something messy, I'm not letting myself deal with it, because I have the kitchen to clean. I tell myself that the next thing on the list is the living room, so to just remain patient.
I'm not a natural homemaker, and I'll explain more why tomorrow. But I'm learning that these are things I want to train my daughter to do, so I better teach myself first!
Do you have any suggestions for staying on task?
I too pop around from task to task because that's just how I am. BUT! I cycle through them. I might go clean some of the kitchen for 15 or 20 minutes, go clean up the living room for 15 or 20, update things online for 15 or 20, and then do some home repair stuff.
ReplyDeleteI find that allowing myself to cycle but keeping myself confined to specific areas means I don't get bored and those areas get clean.
I do keep several lists of things that need to be done. One list is long term projects broken down by task. For example, the kitchen remodel is broken down by everything I need to do to make it happen. I also keep an ongoing list of things I want to get done for the day. If something isn't done that day, it's added to tomorrow's list.
I also enlist the help of everyone that lives in my home. I may be a (mostly) SAHM but I'm not the maid damn it
Amanda, my goal is to get the house in an order where regular 10-15 minute tidying is easy. Currently we have too much stuff, and it's disorganized at that.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love what you say about not being the damn maid. I think kids need to learn to not only clean up after themselves, but to pitch into community area maintenance as well. It instills good habits and keeps the parents from going crazy!