What I’ve Learned

I am not going to say that my house is spotless, that my 30 day cleaning challenge was an unparalleled success. I won’t lie like that. But my house is much cleaner. I don’t feel overwhelmed by filth. And (maybe most importantly) I have a plan to continue forward with. No. Scratch that. I have a plan to carry me forward.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Keeping a house clean is a group effort. I need everyone who lives here to share in the chores. We all put away toys. We all take our plates to the sink. We all do a little bit every day. No one should have to do it all. Period.
• Doing a little each day is much easier than trying to do all the cleaning at one time. Fifteen or twenty minutes can and does make a difference.
• Having a plan makes getting done what needs doing much easier. It also makes it easier for everyone to help (at least everyone who can read).
• I am not Martha Stewart. I will never be Martha Stewart. I am okay with this, and my home is still beautiful.
• Being organized make it easier to keep my world clean. Being organized means that everything has its place so it’s easier to put things where they belong at the end of the day. Organized equals cleaner.

So what’s next? I keep working on the cleaning. I keep following my checklists and work toward having a clean home, toward feeling comfortable, toward not cringing in embarrassment when the neighbor rings the doorbell. (I’m actually feeling pretty good about this one.)

I feel accomplished, and I am happy to keep cleaning toward my goal.