Well, as I am sure that we are all on the same boat, last weekend I started the switch over from the spring/summer wardrobe and décor to the fall/winter ones. This super fun task is not my favorite, as I am sure you can read my sarcasm. Not only does my house look like World War 3 had occurred in it; but as I am switching out the storage boxes from the basement, and I am realizing that my home is not as clean and organized as I thought! UGH.
It is time to pull it together. My most dreaded season is next… winter… and the cold weather blues. No more outside evenings with cookouts and the warm sun rays. Sadly, I will miss them. And in my down and outedness (yes, that is another word I made up), I had still not reached my rock bottom. My dark and ominous realization then came to light…winter is around the bend. I soon had to accept the claustrophobic notion of winterizing my home. To put it frankly, very soon there will be no more crisp autumn breezes flowing through my windows, and I am racing the time clock on really giving my home a thorough deep cleaning one last time before the Jack Frost arrives and decides to stay for a while.
So, I am looking at one last cleaning before we shut down the house. Yikes, this is a major task! What to do… where to start… I need a game plan. To be honest, I am a control freak. In order to embark on this journey, I needed four very important things. First, a strategic list of the duties I had at hand. Second, the happiest, brightest, hot pink highlighter I owned to cross off my finished chores. Thirdly, the right frame of mind. And, last but certainly not least, something to keep me motivated so that I stayed with it. In the past, I have tried several things, but never really found anything that I could count on to work each time. I needed to figure this out desperately, but I was struggling as to what I could use to stay focused, so I did the next logical thing; I googled it.
The result, I actually found a website about this topic. The information was all about using your 5 senses to clean. Obviously, our senses are all used to let us know when it is time to get mean and clean. We see a mess, we clean it up. If there is a stench in the kitchen, it is time to take out the trash and wash those dishes in the sink. If the handle you just touched is sticky, it is time to wipe it down. I am sure you are all getting the idea.
Now, let’s look at the senses in a new light; a cohort in cleaning if you will.
The sense of sight
It is crucial when cleaning to not overwhelm yourself. Sure, it is easy to look around and feel like you alone are battling the world when it comes to deep cleaning your house, but take it one step at a time. Start with a small portion or corner. Then, gradually move on to the next section. On a personal note, I found this worked best for me. I split each room into four sections. Then, working each section as if it was its own individual room, I remove everything I could. I wiped the walls and windows. Then, I cleaned, dusted, and analyzed if that item belonged in that area. Finally, I vacuumed. I know that it seems like a lot, but it actually isn’t. I found that my cleaning time was cut in half. Even with distractions like my children, I had no problem picking up where I left off.
The sense of hearing
Cleaning with the television on is not a great way to multi-task. I as well have been guilty as charged. I always thought that I would powerhouse clean during my shows because I could listen and know what was going on. That did not work; I always ended up sitting on the couch engrossed in the show. Then, I made the agreement with myself that I would work during the commercial breaks, but that was a pipe dream. That never happened; I always found other things to do during that time such as getting snacks, or a quick bathroom break. So, I tried the suggestion of cranking up the music. I used my library playlist from my computer and went to town. It totally worked, I was energized.
The sense of smell
Well, we all know that stinky scents will motivate us to at least deal with where the stench is coming from, but smells can also be used to motivate, inspire, and energize. This was a new concept for me, so I thought it was worth a whirl. It turns out the scent of peppermint can do this. Spraying peppermint in the air where the cleaning needs to take place works. The smell is actually energizing. I tried a different minty scent in each room I deep cleaned. They were all a success! Here are my top 3 selections; I give them all 5 star ratings!
1. Basil Sage Mint Fragrance Oil
2. Eucalyptus Spearmint Fragrance Oil
3. Peppermint Fragrance Oil
How to Make Odor Eliminator Spray- I scented mine with Natures Garden’s Peppermint Fragrance Oil
The sense of taste
I know… this one threw me for a loop too. But, there is an actual correlation between what is going on in our mouth, and our drive to clean house. The main culprit is our salivary glands. As it turns out, anything that negatively effects the way things taste directly affects our activity level. Broken down, we need our taste to be spot on if we want the initiative to clean some house. However, have no fear; this is a really easy problem to solve. By chewing a piece of minty gum, (or having a piece of mint candy in your mouth) you can get a jump start on your tasks.
The sense of touch
I cannot be the only mom in the world that has picked up my children’s playroom and wondered what was the sticky layer on the toys and how did they get it there? Instantly, I get the sensation to remove every element of the room and scrub, disinfect, and repeat. I always thought that I did this as a way to prohibit the germs. Although, I am sure that something about my line of thinking still rings true, it also has to do with controlling our environment and keeping it less chaotic. The best resolution- get down and dirty with cleaning, but do not forget the latex gloves!
Interested in seeing it for yourself:
http://www.shelterpop.com/2011/09/02/clean-better/
Fragrance & Fun for Everyone
Inspire, Create, and Dominate!
Sparkles!!! Nicole
(Corporate Manager of
Natures Garden Candle Supplies)
www.naturesgardencandles.com