I have some GOLDEN tips here for keeping your house clean and tidy, tips that have literally changed my life!
When I surveyed my Facebook group recently, the busy ladies in there said hands down they would LOVE someone to sort out their housework for them.
Desired much more than a private chef (that would have been my choice!)…
Even more sought after than 8 hours sleep a night…
It seems keeping up with domestic chores was a major energy suck for my community!
(BTW if you are struggling with sleep check out this blog post.)
So I decided to share the tips & tricks that allow me to keep a clean & calm-inducing home without having a massive to-do list or a panic attack every weekend.
Tip number 1:
Don’t take it all on yourself!
Quit thinking you should be able to do it all or that you’re not as ‘good’ of a woman, wife, partner, mother or just plain adult if you don’t.
There are only so many hours in the day and only so much energy in your tank by the end of it.
So if you’re trying to escape unnecessary anxiety or avoid burnout, you really have three choices here.
#1/ Pay for help.
You work hard. You might even earn a reasonable salary…
So there is NOTHING WRONG with giving some of that salary to another human each week.
#2/ Delegate.
I’m not talking about asking for help. I’m saying that this is a workload that SHOULD be shared.
Make some decisions and then follow through with your expectations.
(See how I schedule my housework with my free Weekly Cleaning Schedule).
#3/ Work less and own less.
Yes I know…
But if you really don’t NEED to work all those hours and days – then why are you?
Humans weren’t designed to be 24/7 slaves to the occupations we’ve invented.
Free up your schedule and you’ll free up your energy, your ability & your motivation to do simple things again that seem like a royal pain in the arse right now.
(Heard of #theslowmovement?)
Plus if you really don’t NEED those extra clothes, another lot of toys for the kids, or some more face lotion options… don’t buy them.
They are only adding to the number of ‘things’ you are responsible for and need to keep tidy and organised.
So think minimal and give your brain (and bank balance) a break.
Tip number 2.
I really should sign some kind of deal before saying this, but Enjo changed my life.
Yes, Enjo. As in “Enjo Enjo Enjo… a cleaning we will go!”…
Anyway, until I invested in the Enjo gloves, cloths, mops and window cleaners, I avoided cleaning my bathroom like the plague.
I rarely mopped, just occasionally swept the floors.
And I hadn’t cleaned my windows in YEARS.
As Usher said… “these are my confessions.”…
A major part of the problem (that I didn’t really consider before) was that I HATE the smell of cleaning chemicals… like HATE it.
Secondly I was never really sure of the best thing to use to clean all the different bits around my house. So I was forever buying, trying and DIYing different products for different things.
Which only equalled more clutter, more confusion and more smells!
Enjo uses only water (it’s the fabric and clever design that picks up dirt and bacteria effectively from surfaces…)
And there is a convenient set or cloth for each part of the house.
So after getting my beloved Enjo gear I put all the 9 or 10 different bottles, sprays and even the vinegar and essential oils I had been trying to use up on top of my kitchen cupboard where I didn’t touch them for 18 MONTHS until I finally threw them out.
Amazingly good for the environment, which is REALLY important to me…
I have my Enjo sets in handy spots that need cleaning regularly making a quick wipe up here and there really easy…
and I am now the proud owner of consistently sparkling bathrooms and would you believe it… see-through windows. (Even with a toddler!)
So Enjo. Get some.
Tip number 3.
Routines and standards – something I cover in depth in my Anxiety course Take Back Control.
I’ve set some small standards that I don’t compromise on, and created mini routines that make cleaning and tidying easy.
Without these I would still be stuck in a constant cycle of feeling guilty that I “should” be doing more and yet having no motivation to actually do it…
Mould would still be growing in embarrassingly obvious places and dust would be settling onto items I know should get cleaned more often.
(You can get my Simple Clean House schedule right here.)
The beauty of setting a small standard for yourself is that anything you do above that is a bonus…
and as long as you meet your little standard (assuming you don’t set it too high)… you can forgive yourself for not doing it all and get on with life knowing your house is in pretty good shape most of the time!
Ok time for the BONUS TIP…
One of the things that always freaks me out as a high-functioning, anxiety-prone introvert…. is the thought that someone could knock on my door at any moment giving me zero time to get my house clean and presentable. (Know that feeling?)
By following these tips, and having those mini routines and some simple standards, my anxiety about unexpected visitors is now WAY down…
Plus even if there is a little mess or dirt here or there, I’m not far off having it sorted because the housework load NEVER gets out of hand.
You know what they say… a calm house equals a calm mind.
Creating change around this can be a VERY rewarding thing for an anxious person – trust me!
If you’re not in my Facebook group yet – I share more tips, run free trainings, offer coaching and courses inside where you can rest assured, all the other women think and act just like you – scarily so in fact!
See you there.
Kelly x
kellyannmoriarty.com 