Sure, when things get messy and/or overflowing enough we can all stop what we're doing and go on a cleaning binge to finally get that closet/cupboard/landing strip sorted out, donated, recycled or put away and organized. But what can be much much harder is the self discipline it takes to keep things organized daily. Since I've been living with someone for whom this does not come naturally I've been aware of what a pain it can be to seemingly have to be cleaning up all the time. It comes more easily to me because I know that once it's a habit I don't have to think about it:
How To: Build A Habit
When building a habit, it's important to start small and set manageable goals. Websites like fly lady help to reinforce these habits one month at a time by sending out daily emails. This is how I first started the habit of cleaning the kitchen up every night before bed. I've gone on to start that load of laundry each morning (there are a lot of us at home now), vacuum/mop once a week, clean the tub weekly and make the bed every day. Because they're habits, I just do them, I don't think about it so it isn't a struggle, but it took some time to build them. The benefits are that although I still need to do a deep cleaning every once in a while, the place is generally 'company ready'. I've had some challenges recently since there are 3 other people living with me, but I'm trying to keep my habits going. Here are some tips for building new, healthy habits for your home:
1. Commit for 3 weeks. According to scientific researchers, it takes approximately 21 days to build a habit, so choose your habit and commit to doing it every day (or the best you can) for 3 weeks.
2. Reward yourself. Of course in long term, the habit will be the reward because your place will be cleaner, but in the short term give yourself gold stars on the calendar or a some kind of special treat to keep you motivated.
3. Keep it Simple. Just pick one thing, or one series of things to start with. This way you're much more likely to do it successfully. So maybe start with making your bed every morning.
4. Be consistent. the bed is a good example because you can build the habit of just doing it when you get up. If you build your habit by doing it at the same time every day it's easier to do it on autopilot.
5. Tell Someone. It will keep you accountable.
6. Know why you're doing it. If, like in my case, my bf just does this because I'm nagging, it will never stick, you have to want to build the habit in order for the habit to stick. Have a vision of what your landing strip/bedroom/kitchen will look like when you've integrated the habit of keeping it tidy. Have a clear picture in your mind and imagine what it will feel like when things are organized and tidy.
Leo over at Zen Habits has written extensively on building habits that sustain us throughout our lives. From exercise to keeping house to accomplishing a life's goals.
Do you have tips for building better habits?
Image from Houzz.
Comments (10)
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I thought I longed for freedom from routine, but I do miss my Sunday night ritual of doing the laundry, changing the sheets, putting the trash out and picking up for the cleaning people before settling down to watch Sex & the City or The Sopranos. Once I started working from home, and then moved and changed trash days and changed cleaning people days my routine vanished. I must strive to bring it back! It brought calm to the end of my week, not the stress I have now.
view LilyC's profile
Thanks, I needed this post!
view sassydo's profile
I agree with number four - I make my bed every morning and because it's a built-in part of my morning routine I would no more skip it that I would skip my shower (I pull back the covers to air while I'm in the shower).
I think the morning is a good time to incorporate a new habit because everybody has a morning routine and if you ever skip part of that routine it gets your day off to a bad start, so you're more motivated to not skip anything.
Although obviously if part of your routine is very time consuming, it'll be very tempting to skip it in favour of another hour in bed :)
view idontdobeige's profile
Great post! Building habits for cleaning is really the easiest way to do it. That is what worked for me.
I find too, that with cleaning, doing something daily both keeps me in the habit, but also makes it easier to do in general.
Picking up three stray socks off the floor and putting them in the hamper as part of my daily morning tidy is easier than living with loads of clothes strewn over the floor all week and then a marathon pick up and laundry session when you just can't take it anymore.
Following routines makes things pleasant most of the time, not just after the grueling clean up session.
My belief if that some things need to be daily habits, and others should be weekly habits.
If you combine both sets of habits your home can stay clean without too much daily effort the majority of the time. (Everyone has off days and emergencies, etc., so I don't say all the time).
Here is my weekly cleaning schedule here:
http://www.household-management-101.com/weekly-house-cleaning-schedules.html
Here is my daily cleaning schedule here:
http://www.household-management-101.com/house-cleaning-schedule.html
I have made these a routine which makes it easier to get them done. I slowly worked up to this, I wouldn't suggest trying to make it all a routine at once.
Just pick one thing at a time to make a routine, and once that is done start the next. At least that is what works for me!
view Taylor at Household Management 101's profile
I am the same way - I live in a studio so the bed is my focal point so I make sure I make it every day. I also clean out my shelves before bed because I look at them when I sleep (they're across from my bed). I usually throw my purse in there, my belt, my glasses, sometimes the work I've brought home with me. This way my place is company ready.
My new habit I'm trying to work on is washing the dishes right after eating so my kitchen always looks clean. :) That way I'm never caught with dirty dishes when company comes by. It's been a rough first week (very on and off) but of course if it's easy, it's not worth doing! :P
view alisaan's profile
Does anyone else here really hate Fly Lady? I got fed up about where I read the four-step process for making your sink shiny, the premise being that if you spend a lot of time cleaning something, you'll want to keep it clean. ??? I don't *want* to become obsessive about it! I want things to fall into place easily so I don't have to think about it. I want to clean less, not more!
So with that in mind, here's my approach.
1. Start small. If making your bed's too much, try, say, putting your shoes in the closit when you come home. Practice that until it becomes second nature. Then in 21 days (I actually heard habits are formed in 40 - well, whenever it becomes second nature) pick something new to work on.
(It's also a good way to get in shape. If you can't do 20 pushups in the morning - just do five. Once you get in the habit, more will come easier.)
2. Do it when it's easy. I disagree that if it's easy, it's not worth doing... if it's easy, I'm more likely to do it. Squeegee the shower, wipe up spills as they happen, wash dishes before the food gets caked on. Wipe the mirrors while they're steamy, so you don't have to spray anything on them.
3. Provide a distraction. Call a friend, listen to music or an audio book.
4. Examine why you don't like certain chores. I hate vacuuming because it's heavy and noisy, so I should probably invest in a hand-held. I started doing smaller amounts of laundry more frequently for the same reason. I also find many household cleaners to be irritating, so I use all natural cleaners... mostly baking soda.
5. Clean where it counts, whether it's what company will see, or where you'll be spending your time. I only make my bed on weekends, because that's when I'm in my bedroom. There's a time to just close the damn door.
6. Don't sweat it if it's not perfect. Someone on this forum said that when you die, it's very unlikely you'll regret not cleaning more.
view whytephoenix's profile
as for doing dishes right away - best thing ever! i do mine as soon as i use them - it takes less than 5 minutes to do - and i never have to worry about having dirty dishes out or an unusable sink. living in a tiny apartment = no dishwasher - and my sink is about the size of a single bar sink.
now if only my two roommates would realize this and provide me with the same courtesy i provide to them.....
view sneakers's profile
Hi Mr. Faux--I'll speak for myself in that I totally know to pick up after myself and basically what needs to happen to keep a space clean and how great it feels when it's clean, but I also get lazy, get distracted and get busy and it all goes tumbling down. Sometimes I need a reminder and it's always nice to know I'm not the only one.
view laure's profile
whytephoenix - Yes, I think Fly Lady is kind of scary! She has some good tips but her site made me NOT want to get better about cleaning up. As for your #4 - great tip. For example, I didn't like doing laundry because our laundry room was creepy-looking. So I put a cute white table and a white rug in there and it looks a little less so.
view Where You Hang Your Hat's profile
Does anyone know where the wallpaper in the pic is from?
view lyndarthemerciless's profile