Cleaning Lessons I Learned from the 1964 “Mary Poppins” Movie That I’ll Use Forever
It’s so fun to revisit, as an adult, the things you loved as a child. From the schoolyard in your hometown that suddenly seems so small, to your favorite novel from college that means so much more now that you’re a mother with children of your own (I’m looking at you, Poisonwood Bible), reflecting on past things with a new perspective is an eye-opening and enriching experience.
This is exactly what happened to me when I re-watched the 1964 Mary Poppins movie (you know, the one with Julie Andrews) with my 6- and 8-year-olds. I found out that I still remembered the words to every single song (haha!), and also that Mary Poppins knew a thing or two when it comes to taking care of children and cleaning — both points that would have gone mostly over my head as a child myself.
Turns out the famous “spoonful of sugar” scene is full of more wisdom than I thought. Two lines in particular stood out to me as I was watching (and singing!) with my kids. Here’s what they are, and how they’ve affected the way I approach cleaning since I heard them (again).
“Good enough is as good as appeased.”
I love this phrase because it helps me let go of perfectionism. In my case (and maybe many of yours), perfectionism not only makes a job take longer, but it also keeps me from starting it in the first place (hello, procrastination). But Mary Poppins reminded me that good enough is, well, good enough.
Remembering this keeps me from spending so long ensuring that my results are perfect that I end up cutting into time that would be better spent elsewhere. For instance, I recently went through all my desk drawers. I only had a certain amount of time and I wanted everything decluttered and organized without the project spilling over to the next day. I got through the categorizing phase and when I got to organizing my tech (mostly cords), I could have been derailed trying to categorize them by type, and so on.
Instead, I decided to toss all the cords and cord accessories into one drawer. I figured that if I needed a cord, at least I knew where to go. The accessories were easy to pick out from the cords. By deciding that good enough is as good as appeased, I was able to finish the job and move on with my day.
“A job well begun is half done.”
This reminds me that setting myself up for success is a huge part of completing a task well, and that starting off on the right foot can even make the job go faster.
One way I like to apply this is setting up boxes for a decluttering project. It’s tempting to just start going through a space, such as a junk drawer or the closet, but taking the time to make boxes labeled “Donate,” “Relocate,” “Toss,” and “Keep” not only makes the project more efficient, but it also keeps everything organized during the decluttering session.
Taking the time to clean in the right order is another way to apply this saying. For example, dusting the toilet before wiping it down keeps you from chasing a trail of soggy dust around the toilet. While dusting might seem like an extra step, it makes the entire job easier. The result of dusting first and then wiping is a much cleaner toilet. Plus, dusting first — beginning well — makes the task far less frustrating.
Introducing my kids to the weird and wonderful world of the Mary Poppins I grew up on was great. I didn’t expect to come away with lessons on cleaning, but I found out that Mary Poppins has plenty to offer the adults watching it, too.