Like New Year's resolutions, spring cleaning is often something that we promise ourselves and then don't make good on. There are two common reasons this happens:
1. Too large/too vague of goals. I have talked about small goals before, and spring cleaning is another place where too broad or vague of goals can bog you down. Examples would be "I need to get my house clean" or "I have to clean the whole house this weekend."
2. Not knowing why you've made the goal. This is another common problem. You will make a goal because you "think you should." Does the goal really fit with your needs and values, though? Is it reasonable to pristinely clean your entire house if you have an active two year old? Or does it make more sense to focus primarily on organization instead?
The second point is especially important with spring cleaning. There are many reasons to give your house a thorough cleaning! These may include:
★A need to get organized (so that you can find things, to make your home more attractive, to make things look less cluttered…)
★A need to get rid of stuff (in order to live more simply, to make room for more meaningful purchases, to make money from your unwanted goods…)
★A desire to improve the "energy" of your home (by focusing on the principles of Feng Shui, by clearing out items with unpleasant memories…)
★The feeling that your living space affects your mental state (a clean house makes you calmer, an organized desk makes you more productive, a simplified kitchen makes you more likely to cook…)
…And many others! Your mix it up challenge today thus comes in three parts:
1. Grab a piece of paper & pen/open a text file and start brainstorming what your ideal living space looks like. Go wild here! You don't have to stick to a cleaning theme; if you have desires for a new washer and dryer, or a balcony herb garden, list those too! This will help define why you are making your spring cleaning goals. Write for at least five minutes.
2. Now pick two or three of the most important, and write down for each of those a list of what it will take to accomplish them. Be very specific here. If you want a less cluttered desk, list all the steps such as sorting through all the papers, putting the pens in a pen holder, dusting the surface, creating a new filing system, etc. If you want a garden on your balcony, list the plants you would want to grow, the garage sales or gardening stores where you would buy your supplies, and a schedule of planting and caretaking.
3. Pick one of these lists. Start it today!
If you're looking for a little more inspiration, head over to Simple Mom -- last week was Spring Cleaning Week over at their blog, and they have some great ideas and ebooks for you! Now mix it up, and challenge yourself to do some real spring cleaning!
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