Hello readers,
How great it is to be getting back into my blogging. The same can be said for my cleaning. Let's just hope both lasts longer than the blink of an eye or a moment of passing gas.
Yes, it's the first of January and one would expect the common spring clean to take place, but for me (one who would rather stick hot coals in her eye balls than clean), this cleaning mania is not from year-end hussle but from a proactive choice.
After going away for a few days, with the dogs now learning the "scary" life of the outdoor wilderness (aka the back garden) during the day and night (a big step for us all), the dogs are now outside which means the house can be cleaner for longer. I also came back from holiday knowing the geysers and plumbing of the house were going to be fixed, which meant that if I cleaned, I could finally live in an at-least functional house. I wanted to clean, to change the energy of the house, the layout and get everything sorted. To focus on the now and make our living space the best it could be. (PS - we moved in two years ago and were not aware of the full extent of the damages/condition of the house.)
So even from the onset of arriving after a 6-hour journey from Durban, we started cleaning right away. It is now a few days later and we're still going at it. And on my journey to breaking my back and turning the skin of my hands into leather shoes from all the detergents used, I have gained a few tips to help you in your cleaning journey where you start at one end and never seem to leave that end... at all.... ever. More tips to follow as we get deeper into the journey of elbow grease and shiny surfaces.
So on your break between picking up dog shit and washing the Pronutro-encrusted bowl left by the kiddies, have a read and a laugh.
Tip 1: Don't start cleaning. Just don't. Simple. The more you clean the more you realise just how much more there is to go. Sometimes cleaning is surface level, other times it's like a car engine. You think there is one problem but upon further inspection, you find 10 more. So if you're not willing to open that can of worms, don't even start. Be prepared to clean and then realise there is more than meets the germ-seeking eye. Be prepared to dance, like the cha-cha... one step forward and two steps back.
Tip 2: Do not have black curtains in your bedroom or pretty much any room. This is not a strict rule but but black curtains keep in the energy, the staleness and stop energy flow. Keep it light and fresh.
Tip 3: Take breaks, smoke a shit load. Be inspired in these breaks. Don't just clean to clean, but clean to be creative. Try different objects in different places, different room layouts, different decor options, different uses for different things. Clean and be creative all in one big ball of "holy fuck, cleaning is actually quite fun".
Tip 4: Don't be hard on yourself. You'll be happy to know there are others who live further in the pig shit than you.
Tip 5: Do room by room or area by area. Start and finish something so you can see the change/transformation. You need gratification when cleaning and to feel like you have accomplished something. This little bit here and little bit there is like wearing a pair of pants with a hole in both the groin area and the buttock area. It doesn't work and leaves you feel incomplete.
Tip 6: Cleaning and maintaining a clean space and having dogs goes well together in the same way that ice loves the desert. If you're like me and the pups are your babies, remember that you can love them but you can also have routine. Reduce the stress of waking up to wee's and poo's on the floor or constant cleaning with the dogs sleeping inside. Set a routine and boundaries, have the pups outside, as hard as it may be. It's healthier for everyone.
Tip 7: Be a beggar sometimes. When cleaning and trying to make your house better, don't feel bad for asking others if they have any leftover paint, frames, wood, whatever. If they do, then great. If they don't, that's also fine. You'll be surprised how much money you save by just asking. And asking doesn't make you cheap, it makes you proactive.
Tip 8: The bath can be very handy with large sums of dishes when you're facing a tiny sink. After a big meal or catering (weird as it may sound), chuck all the dishes in one hot bath. They soak, rinse and wash so fast and it saves you constant counter space making and rerunning of water.
Tip 9: Washing floors on your knees (the typical South African way) far beats using a mop. Just saying. Moving around with dirt, hot water from the kettle (great for removing floors stains) and germs on your knees is fun. Who needs a spa mud treatment when this is free?
Tip 10: Don't fear empty spaces. If your house is a weird and enlarged space like mine and you're left with large spaces of nothing, don't worry. Face the emptiness and move on. There is a place for everything and everything in its place and there's no need to fill space with crap and fluffy teddy bears and broken hand-me-downs just because. Sometimes simple and decluttered is better. Try out different objects/furniture in different rooms and see what fits and sadly if the rest of the house is now cozy but there's a large empty space, it's okay. Rather get most spaces proportionally filled than scatter everything around.
Tip 11: Keep going. Rome was not built in a day and with dogs in and out, full-time work and having no domestic worker, it will take you a while. But little bit by little bit and if you start to become consumed, that's great. It's a process. No ... Aladdin and the genie is a movie and we cannot blink and wish for a clean house. So start and take it in your stride. If I can clean and last this long in a house that could have put me in a mental hospital by now, anyone can do it.
Back to cleaning I go....
Let me know your cleaning tips and stories by commenting below.
