I have followed this channel for the past 8 years when I was in deep depression, lonely and isolated and could not take care of my home and children..It motivated me a lot during these dark testing times to keep my home clean .Now much happier and stronger , I still watch every video because it feels like the old friend who supported you in hard times.Always love to see Melissa.
Really great story. Melissa feels like a great friend to me also and I've only been aware of her videos for about 6 months. I can follow her messages and talks perfectly. . She is a great presenter. Just enough motion and use of body/ hands to not be boring nor distracting. Her voice is clear and not demeaning or insulting. She uses alot of vocabulary and stays away from excessive use of the words basically, actually and amazing which so many people can't seem do. Im very thankful for her videos. I have learned a lot.
As a former messy person who still hates to clean here are my tips 1) declutter…you just can’t clean with clutter 2) touch things once , clean as you go, always leave a room clean and walk out with something that needs to be put away 3) when ever you purchase something put it in its place and set it up right away 4) 5 min quick cleans 5) set up some weekly cleaning routine so it never gets out of control 6) invite ppl over … you will get your ho,e cleaned quick
@@mo1mocha89 it’s amazing how everything looks clean and beautiful especially if they are overnight guests ( if they are dinner guests you tend to stash things in closets or the garage
My cleaning tips- don’t do the whole day clean!!!! I use to make Sundays my “cleaning day” & spent half the day cleaning my home!!! Now I do a (30 minutes before bed usually) a quick clean & tidy!!! Now I wake up to a neat & tidy home- that requires minimal cleaning on a daily basis and so easy to maintain!!! 😁😁😁
Good idea! I've tried to do big cleans, and all it did was stress me out and exhaust me. Now I do it by bits - I do the dishes while I'm waiting for something to heat up, I take out the trash between other things, I vacuum parts of the apt. at a time...makes it so much easier.
My Mother would always devote a whole day to cleaning and I absolutely hated it! Especially in the summer as we could not have any fun on that one wasted day per week! Thank goodness we have come up with more modern methods these days. I assign myself a few tasks each day and my rule is all must be done by noon. My home is constantly vacuumed, clean, and organized as a result. On laundry day--I only do that task and it does not take long at all. Non-negotiables: My bed is always made as soon as I step out of it and I run the vacuum in my bedroom so it looks fresh. I divide dusting into two sessions one half of the house on one day and one half on the other. Dusting is my most dreaded task. I buy almost all no-iron clothing so that is minimal. I empty the dishwasher before I go to bed and wipe down kitchen counters so my kitchen is ready in the morning--NEVER leave dishes in the sink. For me, this works as I am semi-retired and single.
Hello when my now adult children were small 7 yrs old and older we would use the time of commercials on our favorite television shows to move toys to the bedroom or vacuum the living room, small blocks of space but they still seen improvement and got to watch their television shows. 😂
Great tips. Here is a tip from an educator for helping your daughter. Instead of saying “please put your clothes in the hamper,’ say “Your clothes are on the floor.” By now she should know that isn’t where they belong. Then observe. She most likely will put them in the hamper. If not, ask “What do we do with our clothes after we put on our pajamas?” By pointing out the “mess” but not telling her what to do, she can take the next step. I learned this technique in a class I took and it was a game changer. So once you have trained her you can just point out what isn’t right. I say to my son, “There are towels on yet bathroom floor” or “Your things were left on the counter.” Then he sees what isn’t “lining up” with how he knows they should be and feels more empowered.
I had always been a horrendous housekeeper; until about 3 or 4 years ago; when I started washing ALL dishes as I used them. During cooking, snacking, etc. It didn't matter! A dirty dish, pan, utensil in the sink became inexcusable!!! Now; my kitchen is clean at any given moment!!! It's such a thrill!!! 😉
As someone with ADHD, the start of this video made me anxious. But the last point really hit home. I get easily overwhelmed when I think of all the cleaning ahead of me, but I know I can only do so much at once. Instead, I set aside 20 minutes a day to call my best friend and clean. The time flies, and I can relax knowing that I did something productive. It's relieving to know even a cleaning expert can't be 100% all the time!
The body double technique is super helpful for a lot of us with ADHD… for me it’s not… but I do have to have videos or audiobooks going. They are something to keep the rabbit trails in my head busy so I can get things done.
I have 5 kids & have always made them do their chores. I took time to explain things to them & help them till they got it figured out. They never got it. I feel like I’ve been on repeat my whole life! I finally did a chore chart & if everything wasn’t checked off daily they didn’t get screen time. It’s amazing what they can get accomplished for screen time! 🤣
My daughter would not put her clothes in the hamper. I told her if you don't put your clothes in the hamper you will do your own laundry. She has been doing her own laundry since she was 8. She's 24. Sometimes we forget how many chores children are capable of learning at young ages. I enjoy your channel and I purchased your book! Thanks!
The habit that has helped me the most is my nightly reset. An hour before bed I get the coffee ready for the next morning, empty my dishwasher (I always run mine after supper once I’ve made lunches for the next day), get my “stuff” ready for the next day, do a final check of each room to ensure it’s tidy and any windows, doors or locks are secure, turn off lights and then do my nightly pamper routine. I go to bed knowing that the morning will bring a calm start to my day. A video I would love to see you do is a “WHERE DO I START” video. You walk into a space and it is so bad you don’t know where to begin. So bad you don’t know how to apply the 3 wave system. So bad you want to close the door and walk away. Any helpful ideas or approaches?
I LOVE that nighttime routine you have. I feel like it's a great description for people to read, I am glad you shared it. To tackle a room like that, you have to deal with the clutter first. Wave one may take a day, so spend a day just doing wave one. Start at the first 'hour' of the room, and work your way around. That's how you have to do it. Chunk it down. And remind yourself you CAN do it.
@@cleanmyspace thanks. It’s overwhelming but I guess it’s like eating an elephant….one bite at a time. It’s an elderly relatives house who has passed away. During quarantine she couldn’t have visitors other than home care. No one knew the house was in that big of a mess. Home care did not contact anyone to let them know the situation. It’s so sad. Thanks again for the advice and encouragement.
I always like to wash dishes as soon as finished meal .my partner and I do them together and I love a shiny sink .If kitchen are bathroom are clean that's the main thing
The best cleaning tip you have ever given me Melissa is to spray on the cleaning solution, whatever it may be, and leave it to soak and do it's job then come back to clean. The difference of those few minutes is amazing! Thank you from Australia.
I do that but it dries because i forget about it and I have had to spray my kitchen counters three to four times total before because I kept forgetting 😭😂
Thank you Melissa for your help and honesty. I’m working everyday on my bedroom closet. I use 3 hrs or more or less. I’m doing it and very proud of myself. It was a catch all. School photos, …3 kids - separate photos kdgn thru 8th grade = 9X3=27, plus class photo 9x3=27 again, for total of 54. Plus, 2 yrs of Spring photos (1 child private school) and this child had both 8th grade photo and in January- grad photo. Well, they fit in 1 Amazon box. At present time, they are now neatly in box, in order. Not worth time putting computer.
Loved the video Melissa. I'm glad to hear you are already talking to your daughter about cleaning at 4. I grew up in a clean house. My mom, my 2 sisters & I had dance parties every Saturday morning. I was almost 9 when I realized we were polishing our hard wood floors. We raced to see who could put the toys away the fastest. She made cleaning fun and we didn't know it was work until much later, by then it was in us. Your daughter is blessed to have you. Happy Mother's Day.
Somebody said to me years ago: "Always take a payload." Translated, this means, if you are going from one place to another -- inside/outside, room to room, whatever -- no matter how trivial the purpose or short the journey, look around you for something where you are that needs to go where you are going.
One thing that really helped me is the 5 minute rule, if it’ll take me less than 5 minutes to do it I just get up and do it. It helps to get me motivated to do more cleaning afterwards too!
One thing I learned from a lady with fibromyalgia was for example when after you use the bathroom take a moment to do one little cleaning job. She breaks steps down into simple task. You're also saying to your bathroom, you have served me well and let me do a little something in return as a thank you.
Thank you Melissa for sharing all your knowledge and expertise, I binged watched your channel for the last few weeks and I have to say: as someone with depression, who owns a dog and marries a man with ADHD next week, our home is always very dirty and messy. Cleaning is the number one task that flies off the window when we go through a depressive episode, so things get out of hand really fast. Your advice is very useful to us, because IT WORKS. We now know how to deodorize textiles (dog blankets, the couch, towels, you name it) dust properly, use less products and now know how to effectively do our laundry. It’s still overwhelming and I wouldn’t say our house is as clean as I’d like it to be, but now we *actually clean* and get *good results*. Thank you so much, big hugs from Spain ❤️❤️
I have been going through bad depression and I don't even want to get out of bed much less clean but before going through this depression I was keeping my house clean and I felt so much better with that being said after watching your video while l am laying here in bed it's now wanting me to get my self up and start cleaning because I know it will make me feel so much better with a clean house.
Hi Southerngal, are you feeling better? I like Mel Robbins if you want to listen to youtube as you clean. She has the 5 second rule. Count down 5 seconds, set a timer for 5 minutes as others have commented and see what you can do. Keep going if you feel like it, or stop after 5 minutes. I'm going to try it myself, lol. Anyway, hope you're feeling better. :)
@@AmbrosiaK Thank You l just lost another family member on Wednesday morning, l lost my bff it will be a month tomorrow. I have lost 6 loved ones so far this year 😥. But I do want to thank you for getting back with me. God Bless You 🙏💖. Hope You Have A Wonderful Day 🌹.
@@southerngal7582 Sorry for you losses. I know how you feel about losing a best friend, me too, but 6 people would be hard for anyone to endure. Make sure you have support, even professional. The house can wait! Another idea is Leslie Sansone. She has exercise youtube videos. Not a real bff, but she feels like it and has helped me feel much better. All the best
Watching cleaning and organizing videos is a massive help to me to start cleaning / getting things organized. I live alone, but prefer cleaning with others around - which makes cleaning a bigger chore than it really is. Having someone in the background chatting about their cleaning experiences helps. Sometimes motivation is just finding a way to make space for something that works for us individually
Setting a time limit resonated the most with me. It helps me stay focused if I know within 20 minutes or 40 minutes, I should be done. I like to do a load of laundry and try to clean up the bathroom or the kitchen before the load finishes.
Good idea about the laundry - I have to go out to a laundromat - and put the clothes in on the way to run errands, then return and put them in the dryer. I used to leave them in the dryer and go out again, but I discovered they dried quickly, so now I hang out and read until they are done.
You said "I do my best, and forgive yourself for the rest, I stop comparing to standards I'm never going to meet". That is the exact phrase I needed to hear to start this monday; and I am not only talking about cleaning. Just about everything. Thank you.
My late husband was a neat freak, but, learned to live and accept me for what I was-a lazy housekeeper. I would spend 3 days cleaning nonstop the entire house, and then, I wouldn't clean again for months. Sure, I would dust, if I saw it was getting dusty or mop the floors and vacuum, and I always cleaned the bathroom and kitchen (cluttered but I don't want to cause food poisoning) but I wouldn't clean all the time. A year would pass before I would dust and declutter my late husband's dresser drawer. I eventually did do stuff, like clean out, and rearrange all the closets and stuff, but, again, cleaning was a once in awhile thing. I was always embarrassed when people came by, but it's me. I HATE HOUSEWORK!!!!!!!!!!!!! My ex-husband used to make me clean all day, wash and iron all his clothes when we first got married on my days off and say if I didn't do it, I didn't love him which of course I told him that was bs, and then when I worked on the weekends, he would get bored and reclean the house and then tell everyone I was lazy and he had to do it. I think that's why I turned against housework more than I was already to begin with.
My non-negotiables are: bed made, a tidy kitchen, daily organizing/decluttering of kitchen desk or work area, tidying family room before bed. My ideal is to do a quick clean of each bathroom (daily maintenance) and vacuuming the kitchen floor, but these don't always happen.
Your videos are really great. I just wanted to make a suggestion… and I realize it could be a sensitive topic! But it comes from my heart: how we speak to our children matters ( I have three grown children.)To make a command (even with “please”) or a request doesn’t invite the child to think for herself. Rather, we can ask a question, like “where does the trash go?” or “where do dirty clothes go?” which will lead to the child having an “aha” moment which is exciting and self-empowering and leads to initiative and self-directed habits. Cuz mom and dad won’t always be there!
For me, beds must be made as soon as getting up! I just keep on top of everything so I am never overwhelmed and it is just good life habits to teach my children! ❤️
@@deeb2056 well said..suggest not to make your bed as soon as u get up.open up the sheets for a few hours and then put them back.As an allergy sufferer,this was recommended by my doctor and it truly made a difference.
@@deeb2056 Technically they are not bed bugs that everyone has. Once you have bedbugs you know. They are very hard to get rid of and they bite. Some people get a reaction from them.
I do not have a junk drawer. If you never start one you never have to deal with it later! In my observation the junk that people keep in a kitchen junk drawer usually belongs in a tool box, an office/pencil case, or the trash.
I’m so glad you talked about having your kids clean up after themselves. So many of my friends will make excuses for their kids not helping and then complain about how hard it is to keep up. My kids started putting away toys when they were only 2 and responsibilities were added as they got older.
I taught my 1 year old even before his first birthday how to put away his toys. Of course I still need to ask him to do it, but I'm so proud of myself for teaching him that right off the bat. Babies are smarter than we give them credit for
Mum always said “we couldn’t afford servants, so we made babies.” I can hear all the indulgent parents whining, but here’s the thing; by the time I was 12, I could cook, clean and run a house. I was also taught to be fugal. These life lessons are invaluable. I’m glad I had those chores. It kept me busy. It made me contribute to a house with two working parents and it set me up for independence when I moved out. Later, I taught these lessons to my husband and he’s now a cooker and cleaner. He’s happy he knows these skills and I shocked the crap out of his Mum.
My tip is set a timer for 5 minutes. I tidy for 5 minutes. Usually by the end of timer I have the motivation to keep going for a few more minutes.. and next thing I know, I’ve been cleaning 20 min to an hour- thanks to a 5 min timer (although sometimes I only do 5 min and I tell myself something is better than nothing)
I do something similar. I set a timer for 20 minutes and work in a room for 20 min. Then move on to the room by it and work there for 20min I continue going around In a circle room by room and will usually do the circuit twice. Sometimes I want to stay longer in one room but I don't. I will look forward to getting back to that room and it will give me drive to continue going around to the other rooms until I come to that room again.
I set a timer for 5 minutes, too. Love it. I often clean for more than 5 minutes, but knowing that I only have to clean for 5 minutes make it easy for me to start. And it is amazing how much progress you can make in only 5 minutes.
Great video! I recently started clearing out our fridge every week before putting our groceries away. Wiping out the drawers and shelves really quickly and getting rid of anything that can’t be used the following week. It’s been such a game changer.
I started with the refrigerator in pretty good shape. But the night before the next day is trash pick up, I go through and make sure to dump anything that is a must dump, I said tomato, a stupid cucumber that will never be used, that kind of stuff. And I wipe it out. So when I bring in groceries I have everything organized in my refrigerator where on one shelf where all the various sugar-free strawberry things and blueberry preserves and all those little things. At the bottom and another shelf will be all the pickles relish olives things like that. So once I started doing that it made things so much and of course the very top shelf on the left would be milk, as much wine from Trader Joe's as I can stuff in there,. Sorry. Confession time. Ha ha ...
I live by Ohio! My non negotiables are making the bed, clean living room, no dishes in the sink. Someone told me the best of advice, it’s easy to clean a clean house. So true. I would say use stuff that works! Nothing worse than cleaning and it doesn’t look clean after, and you have to do it again! Good video! Thank you 🙏
I never made my bed.... until I was 40. Then I decided to do it every morning (mostly). I feel self respect when it's time for bed and we have a neat one waiting for us. It's been almost 20 years now.
Some other ideas: use "phone time" to clean things you don't do daily (washing windows, getting rid of cobwebs, re-organizing spices, etc.) Also, keep cleaning tools near the place you'd use them (sprays in the bathroom with a brush and a rag, spray in the kitchen where you can clean the counter, stove, etc. quickly.) My "non-negotiable" is to keep dirty dishes in the dishwasher immediately, and to unload the clean ones and put them away quickly. I want the kitchen space clear and ready for action when I need it. Tools: best buy was a cordless powerful vacuum. I can grab it, go through and clean the entire house in 15 minutes, dump the dust and feel great. Tool I don't need: mops. I have just found that two rags, a basin of water and cleaning liquid and my own two feet works best. I wring out the rags, toss them on the floor, and "skate" around the dirty floor, getting exercise as I clean. I do one pass with the soapy rags, then a pass with the clean water or vinegar rinse rag, and the floors are done in a couple of minutes--less time than finding the mop and bucket. Rags are easy to wring out, and mops are not, plus they usually require replacement parts, get smelling between cleaning, etc. Watch out for space monsters (furniture or appliances meant to "save time" or "be comfortable" but they really become obstacles or take up your work/movement space.) Develop a place where occasionally used items live (not in your prime action space.) I also keep laundry going all day, and the clean clothes are put in the TV room so when we are watching, we are folding. A bar mounted on the wall near the laundry lets me hang items on hangers--either to dry, or to be ironed if need be. I've given up on sponges, and now use terrycloth rags for all cleaning, tossing them into the laundry when finished. Also, for tiresome jobs, get a system going and do it in a binge. I'll set up an ironing board, put on a movie or tv show or audio book, and iron 20 or 30 items all in a row, which is more efficient than taking out the ironing board and heating up the iron every now and then for one item. I bake 8 loaves of bread, wrap them in foil and a ziplock bag and freeze them, so we can always have "fresh-baked homemade bread" just by pulling them out and heating them up. Washing wool sweaters, darning holes, hemming pants, can all be done in a "binge." My failure: keeping the papers in my home office tidy. I spend so much time there, but can't seem to keep it organized.
Totally! The bed is literally the focus in the room, when its not looking nice the whole room just looks dirty, the eyes are drawn to the messy bed and then fall on other things potentially out of place. Drives me nuts lol
@@poollife777 Thank you for mentioning that - I always air out my bed sheets while I am getting ready for the day - I make the bed shortly before I go out.
I only have one true non-negotiable and that is making the bed. I started the habit about 8 years ago when I was having a medication issue that made me not feel so great. I'd be exhausted at the end of the day and had so much trouble sleeping because I felt miserable. When I changed my sheets I noticed how much happier I was when I was feeling miserable and went to bed. I was more comfortable right away and fell asleep easier. The next morning I started making my bed and I've never stopped. At the end of a long day, it I find it a nice comfort to have a tidy bed to crawl into. The reward at the end of the day is so worth the effort I make at the beginning of the day.
I wrote myself a cleaning roster where I complete specific jobs on certain days. That way, I don’t become overwhelmed or exhausted and the house stays relatively clean all week. I do these tasks first chance I get and then relax. This system works well for me. For example: Monday - run robot vacuum upstairs - run robot mop upstairs - do a load of washing Tuesday - run robot vacuum downstairs - dust downstairs Wednesday - clean ensuite - Change and wash all towels Thursday - dust upstairs - run robot vac upstairs Friday - run robot vac downstairs - run robot mop downstairs - clean downstairs toilet - change and wash bedding Daily tasks: Always put dirty items straight into dishwasher (no double handling), run dishwasher, unpack dishwasher, wipe down kitchen benches, Tidy up any clutter on surfaces.
@@albathomas8596 Hi Alba. I LOVE both of my robots. I have a Neato vacuum and an iRobot M6 mop and they both work really well. It has really revolutionised my cleaning experience! Which robot vacuum do you have?
My best motivational tip I live by when I'm moving like molasses and I have literally -1,000,000 energy but I know I'll feel better when my environment is tidied up: set the timer for 20 minutes. Then GO. work work work until the timer is up. I always feel so happy with what I got done, then I usually am inspired to finish the rest. 💜💜💜 *my non-negotiable: I ALWAYS 'put the kitchen to bed' - - meaning I clean and clear all the counters, rinse the sink, pour hot water down the drain, put dishes away, sweep & mop (I have a teeny tiny little kitchen & I use a quick swish of the microfiber mop)
Before my daughter was a year old I taught her to keep things neatly in their places; she never crept but begin walking at 9 months old. I started by teaching her to pick up her toys after playing and put them into a basket; not leaving them scattered on the floor. She's now 34 and still has that habit; she keeps her home and office very neat and tidy!
I always do a quick tidy daily which includes, scanning, decluttering, fluffing, dusting, wiping, spraying whatever that room needs. I start in the kitchen then living room, dining room, bedrooms, family room, laundry room, bathrooms....then I'm done and have a shower ready for the day. Each room takes no more than 2 to 5 minutes because it's a daily tidy. In every room I have a basket hidden in a closet or corner for those things I want to get rid of and every week I collect each basket ask my daughter, family friend if they need I and then send it to salvation army or shelter if I feel it can be used or needed elsewhere. Cleaning is an easy ritual just keep on top of it and it doesn't become monotonous and you won't hate it.i feel.cleaning is like you putting on lipstick 💄 if you want it to look nice and be a reflection of you, it's gotta be done. Xo 💗
I had an unkempt junk drawer my whole life. I finally sorted it, got various containers of various size to put in the junk drawer. It is perfect now! Made such a difference. Now I can find the batteries, tools, tape, scissors etc. instantly. It's made such a difference and has been easy to maintain.
Great video! My non-negotiable items: make bed, no dishes in the sink, everything in the living room tidied up by bedtime. Your remarks about mess attracting mess are so true. Going right now to deal with bathroom surfaces.
Great video! I do not like dirty dishes, bathroom counters or toilets! It's an everyday task. I added in bed making and its helping me feel better when I get in bed at night.🤗😁
I think a huge piece for moms like us is making sure that our kids are helping and that they create good habits for themselves when they leave a room they take their dish or other toys or putting things back, it's important for us to not be overloaded.
It’s amazing what 10-15 minutes can do! I put on inspirational TH-cam videos and clean and then I stop and do something else. It feels like I got a lot accomplished. My non-negotiables are: clearing kitchen sink, making the bed, cleaning bathroom sink, vacuuming, and cleaning the toilet
I just finished reading the Marie Kondo book, and one thing I really have started doing is (and might seem weird but)... thanking things. Thank the books, old ski sweater, the glassware whatever you're donating for serving you well, giving you memories, a smile when you bought it, or whatever comes to mind before you put it in the donation box. Same with laundry, the kitchen sink, your shoes, as you fold, scrub, replace the laces thank these items and the process for giving you support and comfort every single day. This one new habit has already started to make my space and life feel less emotionally cluttered, more balanced and joyful.
If I have quite a few tasks to do, I start with a list on my phone, then I split it down into days and then I allocate a time to how long each task will take. This makes me feel like I'm more in control, and I love deleting things when I've done them. It means nothing gets forgotten about. 😊
I have a TV show that is on 5 days a week, on network television. So, it has commercials. I looked it up and the show's actual run time is 33 minutes, but with the commercials, they take up the remaining hour. So I have 27 minutes to fill. Easy to put something in the laundry, start the dishes or put them away...sweep the floor, feed the cat. It seems to be enough time where the house stays pretty clean.
Great video. My non-negotiable is making the bed. My two tips/cleaning hacks: 1. If it takes less than a minute to put it away, put it away. 2. For people like me who are rubbish at folding washing and putting it away, put it on your bed. This way you can't go to bed until it's been put away!
Thank you for your videos, some excellent hints and tips. As I am now in my mid 70s, my housecleaning regime has changed. My husband helps as much as he is physically able, we have a set routine in the kitchen and he is the chef! I like to have the bed made after breakfast as we live in a warm climate so I like it to air first. We are both tidy, thank goodness, but my craft desk and computer desk are usually a bit messy. Hubby of course has a spotless desk! I try to make afternoons free to do my own thing, not cleaning as life is way too short. If I go out in the mornings I find not much gets done other than the necessary before I leave home. My home is always tidy and hard floors swept or vacuumed daily. Dusting is my real bugbear so surfaces are fairly clear. We always have a bag in the laundry for stuff for the opportunity shop, rarely does anything get retrieved. and we don't bring much in to replace these items, who needs so much stuff anyway!
Ever since I was young, I’ve always been a neat and tidy person. I guess I was just wired that way, and now that I’m an adult it’s still remained that way. I just feel better when my surroundings are orderly. Even when I worked full time and became a new mom, I kept my home clean. Now that I’m retired, I have a routine of fixing my bed first, then the other bedrooms I tidy up and then clean every bathroom daily. This way the rooms and bathrooms don’t get too messy and it doesn’t take too long to clean. The kitchen is always clean because I don’t like to cook where it’s in disarray. The living room and formal dining room are always tidied up too, but they don’t get much daily use. I just feel better when my surroundings are neat. Of course, there are times when we have to be somewhere and I can’t do my routine. That’s fine, I don’t stress about it too much. All in all, we all have to live in our space and be happy in it.☺️
thank you for this. as a 56 year old with woman with bad adhd (still??!!) I struggle with cleaning daily. I especially love ABE!!! needed that reassurance.
I've been watching for a few years now and love these all-encompassing videos. For me, Melissa talking about things previously covered in other videos reinforces the habit factor. I'd like to think that putting these topics all together and encouraging us to keep going, even when things aren't going right, is like helping a four year old learn a new habit: repetition is a good thing. And that's why I'm still here! Thank you to Clean My Space for helping me clean mine 💖
Whenever I need motivation or when my home gets messy and disorganized, I go watch a Clean My Space video. Helps me “Clean My Space” every time :) and feels great when I do! For example- today I decided to start my motivation by cleaning my instant pot which then triggered me to watch this video on cleaning habits. I cleaned and organized while I listened. And now my house looks great! Thanks Melissa! You’re the best! FYI- I found you during the quarantine and you always have solutions to my cleaning diliemnas!
Since 2020, I haven't taken a 'real' vacation. Quit my job of 22 years, accepted a job with a new company and more money! I used the week inbetween to get things done that I had to put off. Deep cleaning both sheds and throwing out a lot! Took clothes and purses to Salvation Army. Replaced boards on trash platforms with cedar. Got all the little things done and kept track of each chore done! Over 25 things...all done and I had 2 days to relax before new job.
I edit all the time since I was small with my toys🙂.my mum was very happy with that😆 and I still keep editing now at my home.it really makes your home feel clean even if you still haven't done any cleaning. And I set my self a time limit that really helps you mentally because you don't want to waste a whole day cleaning.
Timelines! I set myself 15 minute windows to perform as many routine tasks like picking up / putting away, dusting (I live on the edge of a windy desert!) and taking out trash. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done (mostly).
I work and study at home, plus I have a child, so I have a lot of quality stuff. It is highly organized and I’m not throwing any of it away because it saves me money and time not having to buy things. I use what I have. What robs me of time most is the weekly 10 loads of washing and cooking with fresh produce from scratch. I’m embarrassed to say I often have to get a cleaner in. I cook healthy for my child and spend time reading to him, teaching him, and playing with him. He is my priority.
I really struggle with house cleaning and have for most of my life. I can get stuff like laundry done no problem but the minutia of cleaning is what puts me off. The habit I am trying to build right now is to load or unload the dishwasher in the morning. I am single and live alone so running it everyday just isn't practical. I was doing really well and now I I'm in a slump but I hope to get back to it soon and keep building the habit. Thanks for the great information!
I do that with my daughter. Ever since she could walk I basically showed her how to throw her clothes either down the laundry schute or directly into the hamper after bath time. I still mention it and she does it with zero issues/asking, so hopefully one day she’ll just do it without me saying a word lol
This is the best video I've seen. I have a big dirty house that I have been procrastinating cleaning. I wanted inspiration to get me started and you did the trick! My favorite tip is the declutter/and messes are magnetic tips. Yes! my bathroom counter was a cluttered mess and I didn't want to clean it. As soon as I cleared off the clutter I felt myself motivated to clean it. THANKS! I look forward to watching more of your video's. I just watched this one so far.
Your junk drawer visual example reminded me of something that helped us. We recently had to join three households into one. With a combined accumulation total of more than 80 years, we had numerous individual “junk” drawers. We discovered that sorting all the like items together as a family allowed us to actually use the items more often. We have a battery/matches/lighters drawer near the flashlight/candles drawer. We have a tool drawer and an office supply drawer. It also allows us to throw away or donate anything unnecessarily redundant or that has outlived is usefulness. And limits the amount of those items to the space of the assigned drawer. This way anyone that needs it can find it and know that it works. Thanks for letting me share that!
Using the "S Pattern" and cleaning "Top ro Bottom, Left to Right" have changed things for me! I know it's technique but it's helped a ton! (Riley is 4!!! 🥰)
I have a cleaning schedule for almost every day (I have cleaning days off!) when we clean a part of the house each day with specific tasks. Each cleaning day takes less than 1 hour and it motivates not to clean alone. Also, it removes the guilt of leaving something a bit messy (like water marks, stains, etc.) because I know it won't become like a heed and stain/thing to clean,m because I know I won't forget about it. With ADHD, it's hard to keep up on cleaning on the spot all the time. I used to clean stuff on the spot to avoid having doing deep cleaning and scrubbing (which I'm unable to do for health reasons), which was nice as it doesn't take much energy but it was taking too much time - 3 mins 20 times a day makes a lot of time! I thought it was good for me as I would forget to clean otherwise but it actually didn't work out for me. Now with a schedule, I know everyday where I need to clean and what tasks and because once done, it's over, I don't need to remember to clean before next week nor feel guilty if a place is a bit messy because it will be dealt with in due time. A big weight was pulled off my brain like that!
The best thing I've done so far for my tiny (TINY) apartment kitchen was to get rid of my junk drawer. I hung up the things I needed to keep and converted the drawer into spice storage. It worked so well that I cleaned out the second drawer that I'd been using for silverware and utensils, stuck those in a couple of jars, and put the rest of my everyday spices into that drawer. Helps my adhd self to avoid the out-of-sight-out-of-mind problem. Can I ask where the purple tank you wear in the clutter waystation segment is from? It's so pretty!
I always just try to leave a room nicer/tidier than before I entered it. Even if that’s just picking up a lone sock, dog toy or putting 5 dishes in the dishwasher. It really words for me! Also editing piles! Love it 😁
I am quite over the top when it comes to cleanliness. But I have to admit that sometimes I can't keep up with a lot of things and spaces that I need to clean up around the house. So the best habit that I've come up with is to make sure to be mindful about cleaning immediately the little mess that I made. Yes, right at the very moment I contributed it. That way, it wouldn't get accumulated and be added up with more messy things to be cleaned up. That situation can be very overwhelming. But in case you have the entire house that's really, really in need to be cleaned up? I don't really clean all those rooms and spaces all at once. Each day, I designate a room where I can clean it thoroughly, until I'll be completely finished cleaning the last room in the next few days. Just make sure that you maintain the cleanliness of those rooms that you have already cleaned up. Cleaning should be a therapeutic thing and not a punishment. Enjoy!
I like to do little bits of cleaning more often. 5-10 minutes a few times a day. Helps keep things more manageable and avoids it getting overwhelming. Then I’ll spend a couple hours more thoroughly cleaning floors and bathroom on the weekend.
I empty the dishwasher first thing in the morning. My favorite is that I do 1 load of laundry a day. At night before bed I load the washer and put the soap in then I just press start as I head to make my coffee. I vacuum every night too. And clean up before bed with no dishes in the sink either.
We always make our bed, it just starts the day right. We also believe in putting things away right away so it’s not in our way all day long. Great advice… thank you 😊
This was a very good video. I actually do ALL of these, because I am an experienced 40+ year housewife 😉 I'm impressed by how thorough this was. This was a good review for me. I actually had 5 things that I did EVERY single day in my old home. I am going to review and make a list for my new home. I think I may be doing this list pretty much on autopilot by now. My grown son doesn't care about making his bed either! . . . and he has his own place, so I'm fine with that. This is different from most videos that stress bed making. I like that this doesn't copy everyone else. 😊 I have my "special" cleaning tool that I love, MY BROOM! Brooms ARE inexpensive, require NO maintenance, use NO electricity, and are EASY to use. I also have a 16-month-old grandson and when he's at my house; I have him help clean-up his toys. My son says he's too young, however, he helps me clean-up; I do have to encourage him a lot and do a lot of modeling, however, he does it!
Thank You this was so helpful. I easily get anxity and overwhelmed snd this seems like s great way of reducing that and allocating time is a super idea. I cant wait to try it and let you know how it goes.
I do my cleaning in bursts. I'll wash dishes (no dishwasher) while waiting on the kettle to boil etc. The "way station" and the "horizontal spaces" are what I'm going to tackle..Thanks!! Love love love your videos. My daughter can't understand how I sit watching cleaning videos 🤣. Love them!!
I already have the way station concept!!! I have too many way stations!!! They are a problem . I am the stack queen ! I “stack”stuff I’m not ready to part with but removed it from a drawer,room or closet to a chair or surface or corner of the top of the washer dryer. Then it lives there too long! I have several tasks that are “ musts” for that day. They are done first and rarely are not accomplished. I do have Routine tasks like kitchen clean up after each meal . Then I have memos- a call I should make and those are time consuming, trying to wait on hold , etc. my 4th category,, after Routine , must , and memos is is options. I learned long time ago that my to do lists were way too long and some tasks stayed on the list too long. Now, the most important things and the routine things for the day get done and “Options” can just wait. And wait. Once I get a room cleaned , I try to keep it maintained , easily done quickly. Decluttering , recycling, reorganizing are definitely goals I work toward. reorganizing is the real time consumer , but once accomplished, I feel like I’ve treated a miracle- why didn’t I do that before kind of feeling! ☺️
Cool I have always followed that three way system without even knowing it was a thing! My personal rule that have changed my life is that i have divided different areas and object for different days like if i start from the left side or whatever i clean a very small space but everyday so its not hard but beeing consistent keeps it clean most of the time, somethings takes just seconds and im done for the day👌🏼 i also have a rule that every third day i choose 3 ”areas/objects” to clean instead of one, i do this in every room and those days were theres litterally nothing to clean i dust of, thats more of a hard cleaning day cause i dust of litterally everything from top to bottom, even inside things for exemple drawar: 1. I take everything out 2. Clean the inside of the drawar 3. Throw away what i dont need 4. Put everything organised back inside (sometimes even clean the objects on the object if thats dusty too.) But its one room at a time and its only once a month so it never really piles up that much still its a busy but rare day so i just get my shit to together and do it, day after that i wipe the floors I also vaccum the kitchen almost everyday like you just such an quick fix with a huge difference! Also im a maid so i know how to clean fast. the amount and time preassure i have at work my house is nothing compared to that lol but i love your videos just got a new subsciber🙏🏼
Having people over creates an immediate incentive and things get done that get put off. Have people over for brunch, lunch, dinner or tea/coffee. Volunteer to host events. Have parties. My non-negotiables: 1.uncluttered rooms and spaces bc I really prefer not to be cleaning nor looking at knick knacks 2. Making the bed. 3. Dishes done after meals. 4. Bathroom inspections and toilet swishing and drying sink w microfiber cloth each time I use bathrooms. (Our climate corrodes metals and this habit keeps me happy and the hardware sparkling.) 4. Kitchen garbage and recycling evening removal.
I like the time limit idea. I keep me from feeling overwhelmed. I also like the idea of putting stuff in a separate space for three months to see if you really need it and if you don't use it you can get rid of it. It reminds me of something a friend once told me that had moved several times. She said that every time she moved if she had any boxes still unpacked after six months, she would not even open the box and just toss/donate the whole box. One of my non-negotiables is the dishes. When I don't do them and let them pile up, they drive me crazy.
Oh Melissa I have missed you!bi starting watching over 7trs ago off and on your tips are amazing! I'm a natural hoarder and easily attached to all sorts of stuff. I get overwhelmed by seeing all my stuff but you are so inspiring to me. I'm home recovering from COVID and you inspired me to get up and clean and declutter my nightstand! That in and of itself made me breath a little easier!
Have learned so much from your systems. Thank you so much. Left to right, Top to bottom, 3 wave clearing, now Abe, and more. They all help. My home has never been cleaner, thanks to your systems. You have changed my life.
I just realized one coping mechanism I've been using to declutter my space is to box things up and hide them. Not everything needs to be "handy". Unless you use it every day, put the less frequently used things away. Clutter begets bigger clutter.
Although I'm disabled I try to keep tidy - it's the only way for me to cope. Recently I had my niece staying for a few weeks. She's in her 50s and OMG I never knew anybody so slovenly in my life. My cleaner was away for a few weeks (her hols and Jubilee weekend bank hols). She came a few days after my niece left and spent 3 hours to clean my (small) house. I'd almost forgotten what a clean & tidy house looks like.
The OHIO resonates the most with me. Mainly due to my mother. She had two main cleaning rules (that went sorta hand in hand). They were the only touch it once (or OHIO) and never leave the room empty handed. If I was leaving the living room and there was a sweatshirt on the couch and an old water glass, I was to pick both up and put them in their respective places. Because of this, I rarely have clutter around our house. Also, my husband and I always clear our dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher (not leaving them in the sink) right after eating. It is easy to just want to relax, but we find it is so much more relaxing to have them done. We also do a joint speed clean every friday afternoon prior to doing our fun stuff (dinner, happy hour, pool time). We divide and conquer picking up the house, surfaces wiped down, vacuum, etc. It is so liberating to go into your weekend with a fresh house and you don't stress if you want to invite friends over last minute. Literally only takes us maybe 30-40 minutes with both of us focused.
I agree with your husband, I can't stand an unmade bed... This is probably crazy but when I get home from work I will make the bed to just get back in it in a few hours. It's something about getting in a made bed.
The thing that has changed our house is daily five minute decluttering and cleaning. It has made a huge difference. We use Dana K. White's saying, "Make something better today."
Hi Melissa, Very encouraging thank you. I've been following you and one other vlog for a few years now. Have sifted through many others , but I find yours and one other work best for me. My life changed drastically last October when my husband suddenly and unexpectedly died. Been an awful time, but fast forward to thus August and I have recently settled into a two bedroom detached bungalow closer to my son and his family. My husband and I were planning on downsizing and moving from Lancashire to Cheshire ( UK ) where our son is. Slowly putting my life and new home back together. Many thanks Melissa. Susan 💖
Good list! My number one non-negotiable is that I get the dishes done at least once each day. I started consistently doing that on August 13, 2020 at the age of 64, and it's been life-changing. Habit number 6 really resonates with me. I love a good tool. I have purchased many mops looking for one I like and have yet to find one. A while back I got my first hand held cordless vacuum, and that's been so helpful for keeping up (somewhat) with cat and dog hair, but I think I'll invest in a good cordless stick vac. Good tools make life so much easier!
I have a pretty decent cordless stick vacuum and I can’t live without it! I have 2 kids, a German Shedder, and 3 cats! The amount of dirt (I live in the country- no sidewalks or paved roads) is insane. It’s a complete life saver! Let me know if you are interested and I will let you know the exact model I ordered from Amazon. I’m in love❣️❤️
I have really bad anxiety, and mess makes it worse. It wasn't until I reached my 40's that I realized this though. Biggest breakthrough for me and cleaning was learning that I didn't have to do it all at once. It can be very overwhelming walking into a kitchen that looks like a bomb had just gone off (2 teenagers). I used to think that I would have to stay in there until the whole room was spotless, but now I've learned to break it up into smaller jobs. Load the dishwasher, clean off the counters, sweep the floor etc. If you don't have time/energy to do it all just start with one and go from there. Doing something is better then doing nothing.
Always open to suggestions and time savers. I am retired now, and I have more time free, then younger years, working full-time and raising kids and all the rest. I used to work all week, come home, cook dinner and whatever else needed doing the most. Then I would collapse. On weekends, I'd throw in the wash, put out the trash, then clean my bath rm and kitchen from top to bottom, Sundays, I'd try to leave open for family stuff, but often times end up working in the yard. NOW, I am 70, and my husband helps me more then ever. We do all the non-negotiables, each day. after that we do our own thing. Smaller house smaller yard helps too. I think of doing other stuff like taking down curtains to wash, or cleaning a rug, as a project to get to, and ask for his help. He always does help, even goes to the store, takes over the kitchen some nights to cook, and puts out the trash. I am grateful for his help, but we sometimes take a day off from all of it and just declare it a do nothing day!!! Make a pizza, stay in pj's, read, listen to music, etc. also very important as life is not all about cleaning. One thing I always did was keep a bottle of spray disinfectant upstairs and in the kitchen and bath. Also have an ordinary vacuum. The secret is getting new filters often, that keeps it running well, and emptying it each time.
I am new to your channel. So happy to have found you! These cleaning habits are great. My #1 is to always tidy the kitchen before going to bed. All dishes loaded in dishwasher, sink cleaned, counter tops clear and wiped down, and a quick floor vacuum with my cordless vac. Makes for a wonderful start to my day each morning to walk into a clean kitchen, open the curtains and start my coffee pot. Aaah 😌
I usually make my bed when I come in from my walk. Before bed I have the kitchen cleaned up. Right now I am in the middle of making one of my rooms a swing room. Going through boxes from years ago shared from my folks and grandma. It's a slow process and fills like everything is messy right now. But, I still have a made bed and a clean kitchen when I wake up
I like the saying leave it where you found it and you’ll find it where you left it! Nothing bothers me more but when someone else in the house will use the scissors or the tape and not put it back. So a place for everything really works for me! It sounds like you are teaching your daughter good healthy habits! Nice video! 🧡
I know you’ve made a ton of videos covering the same thing but please remember. We Love It. My house has gotten pretty bad with new baby and all. My wife is pretty overwhelmed with everything. Watching your videos and listening to you talk about cleaning has made this new dads cleaning experience so much easier. Thank you and keep making videos.
I have followed this channel for the past 8 years when I was in deep depression, lonely and isolated and could not take care of my home and children..It motivated me a lot during these dark testing times to keep my home clean .Now much happier and stronger , I still watch every video because it feels like the old friend who supported you in hard times.Always love to see Melissa.
I'm glad you're feeling better. ❤️
God bless you my dear. I’m glad you’re feeling better.
@Colleen From NH God bless and keep you and give you His strength, comfort and peace. 🙏🏻Many of us have been where you are my dear.
God bless you! Thank you for sharing your experience. As someone who experiences depression myself, I relate to this. I hope you are doing well!
Really great story. Melissa feels like a great friend to me also and I've only been aware of her videos for about 6 months. I can follow her messages and talks perfectly. . She is a great presenter. Just enough motion and use of body/ hands to not be boring nor distracting. Her voice is clear and not demeaning or insulting. She uses alot of vocabulary and stays away from excessive use of the words basically, actually and amazing which so many people can't seem do. Im very thankful for her videos. I have learned a lot.
Nothing better than a clean and organized home, does wonders to my brain sanity
As a former messy person who still hates to clean here are my tips
1) declutter…you just can’t clean with clutter
2) touch things once , clean as you go, always leave a room clean and walk out with something that needs to be put away
3) when ever you purchase something put it in its place and set it up right away
4) 5 min quick cleans
5) set up some weekly cleaning routine so it never gets out of control
6) invite ppl over … you will get your ho,e cleaned quick
#6 is the 1 lol
@@mo1mocha89 it’s amazing how everything looks clean and beautiful especially if they are overnight guests ( if they are dinner guests you tend to stash things in closets or the garage
Having people over is my secret too 😂 fastest way to clean your house.
Number 2 ✋ so agree with you 👏
It's really make different for best 👌
YES these tips WORK. Though I'm guilty of getting overwhelmed and letting one or two of them slide, then it ALL slides.
My cleaning tips- don’t do the whole day clean!!!! I use to make Sundays my “cleaning day” & spent half the day cleaning my home!!! Now I do a (30 minutes before bed usually) a quick clean & tidy!!! Now I wake up to a neat & tidy home- that requires minimal cleaning on a daily basis and so easy to maintain!!! 😁😁😁
Good idea! I've tried to do big cleans, and all it did was stress me out and exhaust me. Now I do it by bits - I do the dishes while I'm waiting for something to heat up, I take out the trash between other things, I vacuum parts of the apt. at a time...makes it so much easier.
My Mother would always devote a whole day to cleaning and I absolutely hated it! Especially in the summer as we could not have any fun on that one wasted day per week! Thank goodness we have come up with more modern methods these days. I assign myself a few tasks each day and my rule is all must be done by noon. My home is constantly vacuumed, clean, and organized as a result. On laundry day--I only do that task and it does not take long at all. Non-negotiables: My bed is always made as soon as I step out of it and I run the vacuum in my bedroom so it looks fresh. I divide dusting into two sessions one half of the house on one day and one half on the other. Dusting is my most dreaded task. I buy almost all no-iron clothing so that is minimal. I empty the dishwasher before I go to bed and wipe down kitchen counters so my kitchen is ready in the morning--NEVER leave dishes in the sink. For me, this works as I am semi-retired and single.
Hello when my now adult children were small 7 yrs old and older we would use the time of commercials on our favorite television shows to move toys to the bedroom or vacuum the living room, small blocks of space but they still seen improvement and got to watch their television shows. 😂
Mee tooo
Great tips. Here is a tip from an educator for helping your daughter. Instead of saying “please put your clothes in the hamper,’ say “Your clothes are on the floor.” By now she should know that isn’t where they belong. Then observe. She most likely will put them in the hamper. If not, ask “What do we do with our clothes after we put on our pajamas?” By pointing out the “mess” but not telling her what to do, she can take the next step. I learned this technique in a class I took and it was a game changer. So once you have trained her you can just point out what isn’t right. I say to my son, “There are towels on yet bathroom floor” or “Your things were left on the counter.” Then he sees what isn’t “lining up” with how he knows they should be and feels more empowered.
Great advice! thank you
I had always been a horrendous housekeeper; until about 3 or 4 years ago; when I started washing ALL dishes as I used them. During cooking, snacking, etc. It didn't matter! A dirty dish, pan, utensil in the sink became inexcusable!!! Now; my kitchen is clean at any given moment!!! It's such a thrill!!! 😉
As someone with ADHD, the start of this video made me anxious. But the last point really hit home. I get easily overwhelmed when I think of all the cleaning ahead of me, but I know I can only do so much at once. Instead, I set aside 20 minutes a day to call my best friend and clean. The time flies, and I can relax knowing that I did something productive. It's relieving to know even a cleaning expert can't be 100% all the time!
I am glad you stuck through to get the messaging! Anyone who tells you they are doing it perfectly 100% of the time...I wouldn't trust them 😝
I listen to an audiobook while I clean! 🤓
The body double technique is super helpful for a lot of us with ADHD… for me it’s not… but I do have to have videos or audiobooks going. They are something to keep the rabbit trails in my head busy so I can get things done.
@@tgeee That is truly a great idea!!! A way to catch up on a book and be productive at the same time!
This is my struggle as well. Glad to not be alone, it truly lessens the shame.
I have 5 kids & have always made them do their chores. I took time to explain things to them & help them till they got it figured out. They never got it. I feel like I’ve been on repeat my whole life! I finally did a chore chart & if everything wasn’t checked off daily they didn’t get screen time. It’s amazing what they can get accomplished for screen time! 🤣
My daughter would not put her clothes in the hamper. I told her if you don't put your clothes in the hamper you will do your own laundry. She has been doing her own laundry since she was 8. She's 24. Sometimes we forget how many chores children are capable of learning at young ages. I enjoy your channel and I purchased your book! Thanks!
The habit that has helped me the most is my nightly reset. An hour before bed I get the coffee ready for the next morning, empty my dishwasher (I always run mine after supper once I’ve made lunches for the next day), get my “stuff” ready for the next day, do a final check of each room to ensure it’s tidy and any windows, doors or locks are secure, turn off lights and then do my nightly pamper routine. I go to bed knowing that the morning will bring a calm start to my day.
A video I would love to see you do is a “WHERE DO I START” video. You walk into a space and it is so bad you don’t know where to begin. So bad you don’t know how to apply the 3 wave system. So bad you want to close the door and walk away. Any helpful ideas or approaches?
I LOVE that nighttime routine you have. I feel like it's a great description for people to read, I am glad you shared it. To tackle a room like that, you have to deal with the clutter first. Wave one may take a day, so spend a day just doing wave one. Start at the first 'hour' of the room, and work your way around. That's how you have to do it. Chunk it down. And remind yourself you CAN do it.
@@cleanmyspace thanks. It’s overwhelming but I guess it’s like eating an elephant….one bite at a time. It’s an elderly relatives house who has passed away. During quarantine she couldn’t have visitors other than home care. No one knew the house was in that big of a mess. Home care did not contact anyone to let them know the situation. It’s so sad. Thanks again for the advice and encouragement.
I always like to wash dishes as soon as finished meal .my partner and I do them together and I love a shiny sink .If kitchen are bathroom are clean that's the main thing
The best cleaning tip you have ever given me Melissa is to spray on the cleaning solution, whatever it may be, and leave it to soak and do it's job then come back to clean. The difference of those few minutes is amazing! Thank you from Australia.
Most cleaning solutions say to leave for 10 minutes then wipe off anyway. I read the directions on the back, I'm a compulsive reader.
I do that but it dries because i forget about it and I have had to spray my kitchen counters three to four times total before because I kept forgetting 😭😂
@@DearReaderReadAloud how about setting a timer?
I do that with the tub, spray/let soak. Or greasy plates, pots spray the dawn, come back after you load laundry.
Thank you Melissa for your help and honesty. I’m working everyday on my bedroom closet. I use 3 hrs or more or less. I’m doing it and very proud of myself. It was a catch all.
School photos, …3 kids - separate photos kdgn thru 8th grade = 9X3=27, plus class photo 9x3=27 again, for total of 54. Plus, 2 yrs of Spring photos (1 child private school) and this child had both 8th grade photo and in January- grad photo. Well, they fit in 1 Amazon box. At present time, they are now neatly in box, in order. Not worth time putting computer.
Loved the video Melissa. I'm glad to hear you are already talking to your daughter about cleaning at 4. I grew up in a clean house. My mom, my 2 sisters & I had dance parties every Saturday morning. I was almost 9 when I realized we were polishing our hard wood floors. We raced to see who could put the toys away the fastest. She made cleaning fun and we didn't know it was work until much later, by then it was in us. Your daughter is blessed to have you. Happy Mother's Day.
@Manka great
That's the right way to teach children do small jobs they can do with fun👌👍
What a great idea! What other tasks did she mask and how?
Why am I crying 😭
Somebody said to me years ago: "Always take a payload." Translated, this means, if you are going from one place to another -- inside/outside, room to room, whatever -- no matter how trivial the purpose or short the journey, look around you for something where you are that needs to go where you are going.
One thing that really helped me is the 5 minute rule, if it’ll take me less than 5 minutes to do it I just get up and do it. It helps to get me motivated to do more cleaning afterwards too!
One thing I learned from a lady with fibromyalgia was for example when after you use the bathroom take a moment to do one little cleaning job. She breaks steps down into simple task. You're also saying to your bathroom, you have served me well and let me do a little something in return as a thank you.
Thank you Melissa for sharing all your knowledge and expertise, I binged watched your channel for the last few weeks and I have to say: as someone with depression, who owns a dog and marries a man with ADHD next week, our home is always very dirty and messy. Cleaning is the number one task that flies off the window when we go through a depressive episode, so things get out of hand really fast.
Your advice is very useful to us, because IT WORKS. We now know how to deodorize textiles (dog blankets, the couch, towels, you name it) dust properly, use less products and now know how to effectively do our laundry.
It’s still overwhelming and I wouldn’t say our house is as clean as I’d like it to be, but now we *actually clean* and get *good results*.
Thank you so much, big hugs from Spain ❤️❤️
Kiki, I am so glad you have learned so much in such a short period of time. And congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
I have been going through bad depression and I don't even want to get out of bed much less clean but before going through this depression I was keeping my house clean and I felt so much better with that being said after watching your video while l am laying here in bed it's now wanting me to get my self up and start cleaning because I know it will make me feel so much better with a clean house.
Hi Southerngal, are you feeling better? I like Mel Robbins if you want to listen to youtube as you clean. She has the 5 second rule. Count down 5 seconds, set a timer for 5 minutes as others have commented and see what you can do. Keep going if you feel like it, or stop after 5 minutes. I'm going to try it myself, lol. Anyway, hope you're feeling better. :)
@@AmbrosiaK Thank You l just lost another family member on Wednesday morning, l lost my bff it will be a month tomorrow.
I have lost 6 loved ones so far this year 😥.
But I do want to thank you for getting back with me.
God Bless You 🙏💖.
Hope You Have A Wonderful Day 🌹.
@@southerngal7582 Sorry for you losses. I know how you feel about losing a best friend, me too, but 6 people would be hard for anyone to endure. Make sure you have support, even professional. The house can wait! Another idea is Leslie Sansone. She has exercise youtube videos. Not a real bff, but she feels like it and has helped me feel much better. All the best
@@AmbrosiaK Thank You So Much For The Help.
Watching cleaning and organizing videos is a massive help to me to start cleaning / getting things organized. I live alone, but prefer cleaning with others around - which makes cleaning a bigger chore than it really is. Having someone in the background chatting about their cleaning experiences helps. Sometimes motivation is just finding a way to make space for something that works for us individually
Setting a time limit resonated the most with me. It helps me stay focused if I know within 20 minutes or 40 minutes, I should be done. I like to do a load of laundry and try to clean up the bathroom or the kitchen before the load finishes.
Good idea about the laundry - I have to go out to a laundromat - and put the clothes in on the way to run errands, then return and put them in the dryer. I used to leave them in the dryer and go out again, but I discovered they dried quickly, so now I hang out and read until they are done.
You said "I do my best, and forgive yourself for the rest, I stop comparing to standards I'm never going to meet". That is the exact phrase I needed to hear to start this monday; and I am not only talking about cleaning. Just about everything. Thank you.
My late husband was a neat freak, but, learned to live and accept me for what I was-a lazy housekeeper. I would spend 3 days cleaning nonstop the entire house, and then, I wouldn't clean again for months. Sure, I would dust, if I saw it was getting dusty or mop the floors and vacuum, and I always cleaned the bathroom and kitchen (cluttered but I don't want to cause food poisoning) but I wouldn't clean all the time. A year would pass before I would dust and declutter my late husband's dresser drawer. I eventually did do stuff, like clean out, and rearrange all the closets and stuff, but, again, cleaning was a once in awhile thing. I was always embarrassed when people came by, but it's me. I HATE HOUSEWORK!!!!!!!!!!!!! My ex-husband used to make me clean all day, wash and iron all his clothes when we first got married on my days off and say if I didn't do it, I didn't love him which of course I told him that was bs, and then when I worked on the weekends, he would get bored and reclean the house and then tell everyone I was lazy and he had to do it. I think that's why I turned against housework more than I was already to begin with.
My non-negotiables are: bed made, a tidy kitchen, daily organizing/decluttering of kitchen desk or work area, tidying family room before bed. My ideal is to do a quick clean of each bathroom (daily maintenance) and vacuuming the kitchen floor, but these don't always happen.
Yes, me too. It really helps! ☀️
Same here! I vacuum my whole entire house 🏡 twice a week
Your videos are really great. I just wanted to make a suggestion… and I realize it could be a sensitive topic! But it comes from my heart: how we speak to our children matters ( I have three grown children.)To make a command (even with “please”) or a request doesn’t invite the child to think for herself. Rather, we can ask a question, like “where does the trash go?” or “where do dirty clothes go?” which will lead to the child having an “aha” moment which is exciting and self-empowering and leads to initiative and self-directed habits. Cuz mom and dad won’t always be there!
For me, beds must be made as soon as getting up! I just keep on top of everything so I am never overwhelmed and it is just good life habits to teach my children! ❤️
Your not supposed to make your bed ....let it cool down. Everyone has bed bugs and they multiply quicker in heat. Vacuum your mattresses regularly.
@@deeb2056 well said..suggest not to make your bed as soon as u get up.open up the sheets for a few hours and then put them back.As an allergy sufferer,this was recommended by my doctor and it truly made a difference.
@@deeb2056 Technically they are not bed bugs that everyone has. Once you have bedbugs you know. They are very hard to get rid of and they bite. Some people get a reaction from them.
I pull back the duvet, open the windows and air the bed for half hour. I also brush down the bed sheet or use a lint roller before making the bed.
I really dont understand why making the bed is such a big deal.
I do not have a junk drawer. If you never start one you never have to deal with it later! In my observation the junk that people keep in a kitchen junk drawer usually belongs in a tool box, an office/pencil case, or the trash.
I’m so glad you talked about having your kids clean up after themselves. So many of my friends will make excuses for their kids not helping and then complain about how hard it is to keep up. My kids started putting away toys when they were only 2 and responsibilities were added as they got older.
My kids do a great job of this. It's MY HUSBAND! Hopeless!
I taught my 1 year old even before his first birthday how to put away his toys. Of course I still need to ask him to do it, but I'm so proud of myself for teaching him that right off the bat. Babies are smarter than we give them credit for
Mum always said “we couldn’t afford servants, so we made babies.” I can hear all the indulgent parents whining, but here’s the thing; by the time I was 12, I could cook, clean and run a house. I was also taught to be fugal. These life lessons are invaluable. I’m glad I had those chores. It kept me busy. It made me contribute to a house with two working parents and it set me up for independence when I moved out. Later, I taught these lessons to my husband and he’s now a cooker and cleaner. He’s happy he knows these skills and I shocked the crap out of his Mum.
@@lmiller6603 Mine too. I'm the only one at my house that does any cleaning.......
They should be atleast 4 or 5 when they are old enough to follow instructions
My tip is set a timer for 5 minutes. I tidy for 5 minutes. Usually by the end of timer I have the motivation to keep going for a few more minutes.. and next thing I know, I’ve been cleaning 20 min to an hour- thanks to a 5 min timer (although sometimes I only do 5 min and I tell myself something is better than nothing)
I do something similar. I set a timer for 20 minutes and work in a room for 20 min. Then move on to the room by it and work there for 20min
I continue going around In a circle room by room and will usually do the circuit twice. Sometimes I want to stay longer in one room but I don't. I will look forward to getting back to that room and it will give me drive to continue going around to the other rooms until I come to that room again.
I love setting a timer!!! It motivates you to get it done and over with! Xx
I do something similar, I imagine my mother has just called to say she will pop in in 5 minutes!
Good idea!
I set a timer for 5 minutes, too. Love it. I often clean for more than 5 minutes, but knowing that I only have to clean for 5 minutes make it easy for me to start. And it is amazing how much progress you can make in only 5 minutes.
Great video! I recently started clearing out our fridge every week before putting our groceries away. Wiping out the drawers and shelves really quickly and getting rid of anything that can’t be used the following week. It’s been such a game changer.
I started with the refrigerator in pretty good shape. But the night before the next day is trash pick up, I go through and make sure to dump anything that is a must dump, I said tomato, a stupid cucumber that will never be used, that kind of stuff. And I wipe it out. So when I bring in groceries I have everything organized in my refrigerator where on one shelf where all the various sugar-free strawberry things and blueberry preserves and all those little things. At the bottom and another shelf will be all the pickles relish olives things like that. So once I started doing that it made things so much and of course the very top shelf on the left would be milk, as much wine from Trader Joe's as I can stuff in there,. Sorry. Confession time. Ha ha ...
I’ve been doing that as well and it really is one of those cleaning habits that may be small but has a huge impact!
The fridge can be a nightmare so yep a discipline of weekly cleaning is a must. I must instigate it
I live by Ohio! My non negotiables are making the bed, clean living room, no dishes in the sink. Someone told me the best of advice, it’s easy to clean a clean house. So true. I would say use stuff that works! Nothing worse than cleaning and it doesn’t look clean after, and you have to do it again! Good video! Thank you 🙏
Thanks for watching Janice!
I was born and raised in Ohio. Haven’t been back for about 30 years! How time goes by…. I agree with you… so true!! 🌸
that;s so true that it is easy to clean a clean house!
Yes I like that. Clean a clean house. How motivating!!
I never made my bed.... until I was 40. Then I decided to do it every morning (mostly). I feel self respect when it's time for bed and we have a neat one waiting for us. It's been almost 20 years now.
Jordan Peterson...101
..make your bed 😂
Some other ideas: use "phone time" to clean things you don't do daily (washing windows, getting rid of cobwebs, re-organizing spices, etc.) Also, keep cleaning tools near the place you'd use them (sprays in the bathroom with a brush and a rag, spray in the kitchen where you can clean the counter, stove, etc. quickly.) My "non-negotiable" is to keep dirty dishes in the dishwasher immediately, and to unload the clean ones and put them away quickly. I want the kitchen space clear and ready for action when I need it. Tools: best buy was a cordless powerful vacuum. I can grab it, go through and clean the entire house in 15 minutes, dump the dust and feel great. Tool I don't need: mops. I have just found that two rags, a basin of water and cleaning liquid and my own two feet works best. I wring out the rags, toss them on the floor, and "skate" around the dirty floor, getting exercise as I clean. I do one pass with the soapy rags, then a pass with the clean water or vinegar rinse rag, and the floors are done in a couple of minutes--less time than finding the mop and bucket. Rags are easy to wring out, and mops are not, plus they usually require replacement parts, get smelling between cleaning, etc. Watch out for space monsters (furniture or appliances meant to "save time" or "be comfortable" but they really become obstacles or take up your work/movement space.) Develop a place where occasionally used items live (not in your prime action space.) I also keep laundry going all day, and the clean clothes are put in the TV room so when we are watching, we are folding. A bar mounted on the wall near the laundry lets me hang items on hangers--either to dry, or to be ironed if need be. I've given up on sponges, and now use terrycloth rags for all cleaning, tossing them into the laundry when finished. Also, for tiresome jobs, get a system going and do it in a binge. I'll set up an ironing board, put on a movie or tv show or audio book, and iron 20 or 30 items all in a row, which is more efficient than taking out the ironing board and heating up the iron every now and then for one item. I bake 8 loaves of bread, wrap them in foil and a ziplock bag and freeze them, so we can always have "fresh-baked homemade bread" just by pulling them out and heating them up. Washing wool sweaters, darning holes, hemming pants, can all be done in a "binge." My failure: keeping the papers in my home office tidy. I spend so much time there, but can't seem to keep it organized.
Your husband is absolutely right about making a messy bed every morning! It sets the stage for a productive day!!
Totally! The bed is literally the focus in the room, when its not looking nice the whole room just looks dirty, the eyes are drawn to the messy bed and then fall on other things potentially out of place. Drives me nuts lol
I make my bed 🛌 now every single day
I used to not make my bed -now I make it every day, and when I come home tired from work, it is such a lift to see a nice tidy bed.
@@poollife777 Thank you for mentioning that - I always air out my bed sheets while I am getting ready for the day - I make the bed shortly before I go out.
I only have one true non-negotiable and that is making the bed. I started the habit about 8 years ago when I was having a medication issue that made me not feel so great. I'd be exhausted at the end of the day and had so much trouble sleeping because I felt miserable. When I changed my sheets I noticed how much happier I was when I was feeling miserable and went to bed. I was more comfortable right away and fell asleep easier. The next morning I started making my bed and I've never stopped. At the end of a long day, it I find it a nice comfort to have a tidy bed to crawl into. The reward at the end of the day is so worth the effort I make at the beginning of the day.
I wrote myself a cleaning roster where I complete specific jobs on certain days. That way, I don’t become overwhelmed or exhausted and the house stays relatively clean all week. I do these tasks first chance I get and then relax. This system works well for me.
For example:
Monday - run robot vacuum upstairs
- run robot mop upstairs
- do a load of washing
Tuesday - run robot vacuum downstairs
- dust downstairs
Wednesday - clean ensuite
- Change and wash all towels
Thursday - dust upstairs
- run robot vac upstairs
Friday - run robot vac downstairs
- run robot mop downstairs
- clean downstairs toilet
- change and wash bedding
Daily tasks:
Always put dirty items straight into dishwasher (no double handling), run dishwasher, unpack dishwasher, wipe down kitchen benches,
Tidy up any clutter on surfaces.
How do you like your robot mop? I love my robot vacuum! Thanks
@@albathomas8596 Hi Alba. I LOVE both of my robots. I have a Neato vacuum and an iRobot M6 mop and they both work really well. It has really revolutionised my cleaning experience! Which robot vacuum do you have?
My best motivational tip I live by when I'm moving like molasses and I have literally -1,000,000 energy but I know I'll feel better when my environment is tidied up: set the timer for 20 minutes. Then GO. work work work until the timer is up. I always feel so happy with what I got done, then I usually am inspired to finish the rest. 💜💜💜
*my non-negotiable: I ALWAYS 'put the kitchen to bed' - - meaning I clean and clear all the counters, rinse the sink, pour hot water down the drain, put dishes away, sweep & mop (I have a teeny tiny little kitchen & I use a quick swish of the microfiber mop)
Before my daughter was a year old I taught her to keep things neatly in their places; she never crept but begin walking at 9 months old. I started by teaching her to pick up her toys after playing and put them into a basket; not leaving them scattered on the floor. She's now 34 and still has that habit; she keeps her home and office very neat and tidy!
Thanks
Wonderful.
Thank You For Everything You Do, And For All The People You Help & Motivate,Like Me!
..and thank you for being a part of it Vicky :)
I always do a quick tidy daily which includes, scanning, decluttering, fluffing, dusting, wiping, spraying whatever that room needs. I start in the kitchen then living room, dining room, bedrooms, family room, laundry room, bathrooms....then I'm done and have a shower ready for the day. Each room takes no more than 2 to 5 minutes because it's a daily tidy. In every room I have a basket hidden in a closet or corner for those things I want to get rid of and every week I collect each basket ask my daughter, family friend if they need I and then send it to salvation army or shelter if I feel it can be used or needed elsewhere. Cleaning is an easy ritual just keep on top of it and it doesn't become monotonous and you won't hate it.i feel.cleaning is like you putting on lipstick 💄 if you want it to look nice and be a reflection of you, it's gotta be done. Xo 💗
I had an unkempt junk drawer my whole life. I finally sorted it, got various containers of various size to put in the junk drawer. It is perfect now! Made such a difference. Now I can find the batteries, tools, tape, scissors etc. instantly. It's made such a difference and has been easy to maintain.
Thanks for your great advice. My own favorite, “Don’t put it down, put it away.”
Great video! My non-negotiable items: make bed, no dishes in the sink, everything in the living room tidied up by bedtime. Your remarks about mess attracting mess are so true. Going right now to deal with bathroom surfaces.
Great video! I do not like dirty dishes, bathroom counters or toilets!
It's an everyday task.
I added in bed making and its helping me feel better when I get in bed at night.🤗😁
I think a huge piece for moms like us is making sure that our kids are helping and that they create good habits for themselves when they leave a room they take their dish or other toys or putting things back, it's important for us to not be overloaded.
It’s amazing what 10-15 minutes can do! I put on inspirational TH-cam videos and clean and then I stop and do something else. It feels like I got a lot accomplished.
My non-negotiables are: clearing kitchen sink, making the bed, cleaning bathroom sink, vacuuming, and cleaning the toilet
I just finished reading the Marie Kondo book, and one thing I really have started doing is (and might seem weird but)... thanking things.
Thank the books, old ski sweater, the glassware whatever you're donating for serving you well, giving you memories, a smile when you bought it, or whatever comes to mind before you put it in the donation box.
Same with laundry, the kitchen sink, your shoes, as you fold, scrub, replace the laces thank these items and the process for giving you support and comfort every single day.
This one new habit has already started to make my space and life feel less emotionally cluttered, more balanced and joyful.
Andrea
Thanks for reminding me of that Marie Kondo habit of thanking things for their place in our lives.
If I have quite a few tasks to do, I start with a list on my phone, then I split it down into days and then I allocate a time to how long each task will take. This makes me feel like I'm more in control, and I love deleting things when I've done them. It means nothing gets forgotten about. 😊
I have a TV show that is on 5 days a week, on network television. So, it has commercials. I looked it up and the show's actual run time is 33 minutes, but with the commercials, they take up the remaining hour. So I have 27 minutes to fill. Easy to put something in the laundry, start the dishes or put them away...sweep the floor, feed the cat. It seems to be enough time where the house stays pretty clean.
Great video. My non-negotiable is making the bed.
My two tips/cleaning hacks:
1. If it takes less than a minute to put it away, put it away.
2. For people like me who are rubbish at folding washing and putting it away, put it on your bed. This way you can't go to bed until it's been put away!
Thank you for your videos, some excellent hints and tips. As I am now in my mid 70s, my housecleaning regime has changed. My husband helps as much as he is physically able, we have a set routine in the kitchen and he is the chef! I like to have the bed made after breakfast as we live in a warm climate so I like it to air first. We are both tidy, thank goodness, but my craft desk and computer desk are usually a bit messy. Hubby of course has a spotless desk! I try to make afternoons free to do my own thing, not cleaning as life is way too short. If I go out in the mornings I find not much gets done other than the necessary before I leave home. My home is always tidy and hard floors swept or vacuumed daily. Dusting is my real bugbear so surfaces are fairly clear. We always have a bag in the laundry for stuff for the opportunity shop, rarely does anything get retrieved. and we don't bring much in to replace these items, who needs so much stuff anyway!
Ever since I was young, I’ve always been a neat and tidy person. I guess I was just wired that way, and now that I’m an adult it’s still remained that way. I just feel better when my surroundings are orderly. Even when I worked full time and became a new mom, I kept my home clean. Now that I’m retired, I have a routine of fixing my bed first, then the other bedrooms I tidy up and then clean every bathroom daily. This way the rooms and bathrooms don’t get too messy and it doesn’t take too long to clean. The kitchen is always clean because I don’t like to cook where it’s in disarray. The living room and formal dining room are always tidied up too, but they don’t get much daily use. I just feel better when my surroundings are neat. Of course, there are times when we have to be somewhere and I can’t do my routine. That’s fine, I don’t stress about it too much. All in all, we all have to live in our space and be happy in it.☺️
thank you for this. as a 56 year old with woman with bad adhd (still??!!) I struggle with cleaning daily. I especially love ABE!!! needed that reassurance.
I've been watching for a few years now and love these all-encompassing videos. For me, Melissa talking about things previously covered in other videos reinforces the habit factor. I'd like to think that putting these topics all together and encouraging us to keep going, even when things aren't going right, is like helping a four year old learn a new habit: repetition is a good thing. And that's why I'm still here! Thank you to Clean My Space for helping me clean mine 💖
Whenever I need motivation or when my home gets messy and disorganized, I go watch a Clean My Space video. Helps me “Clean My Space” every time :) and feels great when I do! For example- today I decided to start my motivation by cleaning my instant pot which then triggered me to watch this video on cleaning habits. I cleaned and organized while I listened. And now my house looks great! Thanks Melissa! You’re the best! FYI- I found you during the quarantine and you always have solutions to my cleaning diliemnas!
Since 2020, I haven't taken a 'real' vacation. Quit my job of 22 years, accepted a job with a new company and more money! I used the week inbetween to get things done that I had to put off. Deep cleaning both sheds and throwing out a lot! Took clothes and purses to Salvation Army. Replaced boards on trash platforms with cedar. Got all the little things done and kept track of each chore done! Over 25 things...all done and I had 2 days to relax before new job.
I edit all the time since I was small with my toys🙂.my mum was very happy with that😆 and I still keep editing now at my home.it really makes your home feel clean even if you still haven't done any cleaning. And I set my self a time limit that really helps you mentally because you don't want to waste a whole day cleaning.
Timelines! I set myself 15 minute windows to perform as many routine tasks like picking up / putting away, dusting (I live on the edge of a windy desert!) and taking out trash. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done (mostly).
As long as my 3 bathrooms and kitchen are clean to include their floors… I’m happy!
I work and study at home, plus I have a child, so I have a lot of quality stuff. It is highly organized and I’m not throwing any of it away because it saves me money and time not having to buy things. I use what I have. What robs me of time most is the weekly 10 loads of washing and cooking with fresh produce from scratch. I’m embarrassed to say I often have to get a cleaner in. I cook healthy for my child and spend time reading to him, teaching him, and playing with him. He is my priority.
I really struggle with house cleaning and have for most of my life. I can get stuff like laundry done no problem but the minutia of cleaning is what puts me off. The habit I am trying to build right now is to load or unload the dishwasher in the morning. I am single and live alone so running it everyday just isn't practical. I was doing really well and now I I'm in a slump but I hope to get back to it soon and keep building the habit. Thanks for the great information!
live alone as well, do most dishes by hand, easy to say when you are single though.
I do that with my daughter. Ever since she could walk I basically showed her how to throw her clothes either down the laundry schute or directly into the hamper after bath time. I still mention it and she does it with zero issues/asking, so hopefully one day she’ll just do it without me saying a word lol
This is the best video I've seen. I have a big dirty house that I have been procrastinating cleaning. I wanted inspiration to get me started and you did the trick! My favorite tip is the declutter/and messes are magnetic tips. Yes! my bathroom counter was a cluttered mess and I didn't want to clean it. As soon as I cleared off the clutter I felt myself motivated to clean it. THANKS! I look forward to watching more of your video's. I just watched this one so far.
Your junk drawer visual example reminded me of something that helped us. We recently had to join three households into one. With a combined accumulation total of more than 80 years, we had numerous individual “junk” drawers. We discovered that sorting all the like items together as a family allowed us to actually use the items more often. We have a battery/matches/lighters drawer near the flashlight/candles drawer. We have a tool drawer and an office supply drawer. It also allows us to throw away or donate anything unnecessarily redundant or that has outlived is usefulness. And limits the amount of those items to the space of the assigned drawer. This way anyone that needs it can find it and know that it works. Thanks for letting me share that!
Routine is most important to me when it comes to cleaning. Also, working in short amounts of time. Thank you!
Great 👍 video eaves Corinth ms
Using the "S Pattern" and cleaning "Top ro Bottom, Left to Right" have changed things for me! I know it's technique but it's helped a ton! (Riley is 4!!! 🥰)
I have a cleaning schedule for almost every day (I have cleaning days off!) when we clean a part of the house each day with specific tasks. Each cleaning day takes less than 1 hour and it motivates not to clean alone.
Also, it removes the guilt of leaving something a bit messy (like water marks, stains, etc.) because I know it won't become like a heed and stain/thing to clean,m because I know I won't forget about it. With ADHD, it's hard to keep up on cleaning on the spot all the time.
I used to clean stuff on the spot to avoid having doing deep cleaning and scrubbing (which I'm unable to do for health reasons), which was nice as it doesn't take much energy but it was taking too much time - 3 mins 20 times a day makes a lot of time! I thought it was good for me as I would forget to clean otherwise but it actually didn't work out for me.
Now with a schedule, I know everyday where I need to clean and what tasks and because once done, it's over, I don't need to remember to clean before next week nor feel guilty if a place is a bit messy because it will be dealt with in due time. A big weight was pulled off my brain like that!
First timer here. I like your idea of editing. Even the word choice sounds productive and positive, rather than chore-like and punishing.
We keep a cordless vacuum in the dining area. So much easier than logging out the big vacuum and dealing with its cord.
The best thing I've done so far for my tiny (TINY) apartment kitchen was to get rid of my junk drawer. I hung up the things I needed to keep and converted the drawer into spice storage. It worked so well that I cleaned out the second drawer that I'd been using for silverware and utensils, stuck those in a couple of jars, and put the rest of my everyday spices into that drawer. Helps my adhd self to avoid the out-of-sight-out-of-mind problem.
Can I ask where the purple tank you wear in the clutter waystation segment is from? It's so pretty!
Please put a picture of your draw so that I can buy one,as I am looking for one spices storage box.. 👍🙏
I always just try to leave a room nicer/tidier than before I entered it. Even if that’s just picking up a lone sock, dog toy or putting 5 dishes in the dishwasher. It really words for me! Also editing piles! Love it 😁
I am quite over the top when it comes to cleanliness. But I have to admit that sometimes I can't keep up with a lot of things and spaces that I need to clean up around the house. So the best habit that I've come up with is to make sure to be mindful about cleaning immediately the little mess that I made. Yes, right at the very moment I contributed it. That way, it wouldn't get accumulated and be added up with more messy things to be cleaned up. That situation can be very overwhelming. But in case you have the entire house that's really, really in need to be cleaned up? I don't really clean all those rooms and spaces all at once. Each day, I designate a room where I can clean it thoroughly, until I'll be completely finished cleaning the last room in the next few days. Just make sure that you maintain the cleanliness of those rooms that you have already cleaned up. Cleaning should be a therapeutic thing and not a punishment. Enjoy!
I like to do little bits of cleaning more often. 5-10 minutes a few times a day. Helps keep things more manageable and avoids it getting overwhelming. Then I’ll spend a couple hours more thoroughly cleaning floors and bathroom on the weekend.
Little bits make a big difference! For sure!
I empty the dishwasher first thing in the morning. My favorite is that I do 1 load of laundry a day. At night before bed I load the washer and put the soap in then I just press start as I head to make my coffee. I vacuum every night too. And clean up before bed with no dishes in the sink either.
Loading the dirty laundry and soap at night to wash first thing in the morning is the best!
I unload the dishwasher while I wait for coffee to brew.
We always make our bed, it just starts the day right. We also believe in putting things away right away so it’s not in our way all day long. Great advice… thank you 😊
This was a very good video. I actually do ALL of these, because I am an experienced 40+ year housewife 😉 I'm impressed by how thorough this was. This was a good review for me. I actually had 5 things that I did EVERY single day in my old home. I am going to review and make a list for my new home. I think I may be doing this list pretty much on autopilot by now. My grown son doesn't care about making his bed either! . . . and he has his own place, so I'm fine with that. This is different from most videos that stress bed making. I like that this doesn't copy everyone else. 😊 I have my "special" cleaning tool that I love, MY BROOM! Brooms ARE inexpensive, require NO maintenance, use NO electricity, and are EASY to use. I also have a 16-month-old grandson and when he's at my house; I have him help clean-up his toys. My son says he's too young, however, he helps me clean-up; I do have to encourage him a lot and do a lot of modeling, however, he does it!
And it's quiet! I love my Swiffer.
@@niritzagofsky7473 I use a “swiffer”also. . . or actually the swifter knock-off from Dollar Tree
He’s not too young. He’s modeling behavior he sees as important. Good start for him.
Thank You this was so helpful. I easily get anxity and overwhelmed snd this seems like s great way of reducing that and allocating time is a super idea. I cant wait to try it and let you know how it goes.
I do my cleaning in bursts. I'll wash dishes (no dishwasher) while waiting on the kettle to boil etc. The "way station" and the "horizontal spaces" are what I'm going to tackle..Thanks!! Love love love your videos. My daughter can't understand how I sit watching cleaning videos 🤣. Love them!!
I already have the way station concept!!! I have too many way stations!!! They are a problem . I am the stack queen ! I “stack”stuff I’m not ready to part with but removed it from a drawer,room or closet to a chair or surface or corner of the top of the washer dryer. Then it lives there too long! I have several tasks that are “ musts” for that day. They are done first and rarely are not accomplished. I do have Routine tasks like kitchen clean up after each meal . Then I
have memos- a call I should
make and those are time
consuming, trying to wait on hold , etc. my 4th category,, after Routine , must , and memos is is options. I learned long time ago that my to do lists were way too long and some tasks stayed on the list too long. Now, the most important things and the routine things for the day get done and “Options” can just wait. And wait. Once I get a room cleaned , I try to keep it maintained , easily done quickly. Decluttering , recycling, reorganizing are definitely goals I work toward. reorganizing is the real time consumer , but once accomplished, I feel like I’ve treated a miracle- why didn’t I do that before kind of feeling! ☺️
Cool I have always followed that three way system without even knowing it was a thing! My personal rule that have changed my life is that i have divided different areas and object for different days like if i start from the left side or whatever i clean a very small space but everyday so its not hard but beeing consistent keeps it clean most of the time, somethings takes just seconds and im done for the day👌🏼 i also have a rule that every third day i choose 3 ”areas/objects” to clean instead of one, i do this in every room
and those days were theres litterally nothing to clean i dust of, thats more of a hard cleaning day cause i dust of litterally everything from top to bottom, even inside things for exemple drawar:
1. I take everything out
2. Clean the inside of the drawar
3. Throw away what i dont need
4. Put everything organised back inside (sometimes even clean the objects on the object if thats dusty too.)
But its one room at a time and its only once a month so it never really piles up that much still its a busy but rare day so i just get my shit to together and do it, day after that i wipe the floors
I also vaccum the kitchen almost everyday like you just such an quick fix with a huge difference!
Also im a maid so i know how to clean fast. the amount and time preassure i have at work my house is nothing compared to that lol but i love your videos just got a new subsciber🙏🏼
Having people over creates an immediate incentive and things get done that get put off. Have people over for brunch, lunch, dinner or tea/coffee. Volunteer to host events. Have parties.
My non-negotiables: 1.uncluttered rooms and spaces bc I really prefer not to be cleaning nor looking at knick knacks 2. Making the bed. 3. Dishes done after meals. 4. Bathroom inspections and toilet swishing and drying sink w microfiber cloth each time I use bathrooms. (Our climate corrodes metals and this habit keeps me happy and the hardware sparkling.)
4. Kitchen garbage and recycling evening removal.
I like the time limit idea. I keep me from feeling overwhelmed. I also like the idea of putting stuff in a separate space for three months to see if you really need it and if you don't use it you can get rid of it. It reminds me of something a friend once told me that had moved several times. She said that every time she moved if she had any boxes still unpacked after six months, she would not even open the box and just toss/donate the whole box. One of my non-negotiables is the dishes. When I don't do them and let them pile up, they drive me crazy.
Oh Melissa I have missed you!bi starting watching over 7trs ago off and on your tips are amazing! I'm a natural hoarder and easily attached to all sorts of stuff. I get overwhelmed by seeing all my stuff but you are so inspiring to me. I'm home recovering from COVID and you inspired me to get up and clean and declutter my nightstand! That in and of itself made me breath a little easier!
Have learned so much from your systems. Thank you so much. Left to right, Top to bottom, 3 wave clearing, now Abe, and more. They all help. My home has never been cleaner, thanks to your systems. You have changed my life.
I just realized one coping mechanism I've been using to declutter my space is to box things up and hide them. Not everything needs to be "handy". Unless you use it every day, put the less frequently used things away. Clutter begets bigger clutter.
My brain stopped when you said Riley is 4... How on earth did she get that old? 🤯
Crazy right?! It's like it was just yesterday.........
Honestly same...shook
And when she said “crap!” 😅
That's what I was thinking. Like how did 4 years go by? I only remember you being pregnant.
My exact thoughts!!
I wish I had a junk drawer
I have a junk island. And it’s big.
I need to deal with the clutter.
Thank you for the video.
Although I'm disabled I try to keep tidy - it's the only way for me to cope. Recently I had my niece staying for a few weeks. She's in her 50s and OMG I never knew anybody so slovenly in my life. My cleaner was away for a few weeks (her hols and Jubilee weekend bank hols). She came a few days after my niece left and spent 3 hours to clean my (small) house. I'd almost forgotten what a clean & tidy house looks like.
The OHIO resonates the most with me. Mainly due to my mother. She had two main cleaning rules (that went sorta hand in hand). They were the only touch it once (or OHIO) and never leave the room empty handed. If I was leaving the living room and there was a sweatshirt on the couch and an old water glass, I was to pick both up and put them in their respective places. Because of this, I rarely have clutter around our house.
Also, my husband and I always clear our dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher (not leaving them in the sink) right after eating. It is easy to just want to relax, but we find it is so much more relaxing to have them done. We also do a joint speed clean every friday afternoon prior to doing our fun stuff (dinner, happy hour, pool time). We divide and conquer picking up the house, surfaces wiped down, vacuum, etc. It is so liberating to go into your weekend with a fresh house and you don't stress if you want to invite friends over last minute. Literally only takes us maybe 30-40 minutes with both of us focused.
I recently read Atomic Habits and that helped me in terms of scheduling, motivation and getting the job done.
I agree with your husband, I can't stand an unmade bed... This is probably crazy but when I get home from work I will make the bed to just get back in it in a few hours. It's something about getting in a made bed.
Thank you SO much for not having a TH-camr fake voice and speaking regularly. I love it!!!
Every three months to six months check our stuff if it’s required to use or to donate to good will. Thanks again 🙏
The thing that has changed our house is daily five minute decluttering and cleaning. It has made a huge difference. We use Dana K. White's saying, "Make something better today."
Hi Melissa, Very encouraging thank you. I've been following you and one other vlog for a few years now. Have sifted through many others , but I find yours and one other work best for me.
My life changed drastically last October when my husband suddenly and unexpectedly died. Been an awful time, but fast forward to thus August and I have recently settled into a two bedroom detached bungalow closer to my son and his family.
My husband and I were planning on downsizing and moving from Lancashire to Cheshire ( UK ) where our son is.
Slowly putting my life and new home back together. Many thanks Melissa. Susan 💖
Good list! My number one non-negotiable is that I get the dishes done at least once each day. I started consistently doing that on August 13, 2020 at the age of 64, and it's been life-changing. Habit number 6 really resonates with me. I love a good tool. I have purchased many mops looking for one I like and have yet to find one. A while back I got my first hand held cordless vacuum, and that's been so helpful for keeping up (somewhat) with cat and dog hair, but I think I'll invest in a good cordless stick vac. Good tools make life so much easier!
I have a pretty decent cordless stick vacuum and I can’t live without it! I have 2 kids, a German Shedder, and 3 cats! The amount of dirt (I live in the country- no sidewalks or paved roads) is insane. It’s a complete life saver! Let me know if you are interested and I will let you know the exact model I ordered from Amazon. I’m in love❣️❤️
I have really bad anxiety, and mess makes it worse. It wasn't until I reached my 40's that I realized this though. Biggest breakthrough for me and cleaning was learning that I didn't have to do it all at once. It can be very overwhelming walking into a kitchen that looks like a bomb had just gone off (2 teenagers). I used to think that I would have to stay in there until the whole room was spotless, but now I've learned to break it up into smaller jobs. Load the dishwasher, clean off the counters, sweep the floor etc. If you don't have time/energy to do it all just start with one and go from there. Doing something is better then doing nothing.
Always open to suggestions and time savers. I am retired now, and I have more time free, then younger years, working full-time and raising kids and all the rest. I used to work all week, come home, cook dinner and whatever else needed doing the most. Then I would collapse. On weekends, I'd throw in the wash, put out the trash, then clean my bath rm and kitchen from top to bottom, Sundays, I'd try to leave open for family stuff, but often times end up working in the yard. NOW, I am 70, and my husband helps me more then ever. We do all the non-negotiables, each day. after that we do our own thing. Smaller house smaller yard helps too. I think of doing other stuff like taking down curtains to wash, or cleaning a rug, as a project to get to, and ask for his help. He always does help, even goes to the store, takes over the kitchen some nights to cook, and puts out the trash. I am grateful for his help, but we sometimes take a day off from all of it and just declare it a do nothing day!!! Make a pizza, stay in pj's, read, listen to music, etc. also very important as life is not all about cleaning. One thing I always did was keep a bottle of spray disinfectant upstairs and in the kitchen and bath. Also have an ordinary vacuum. The secret is getting new filters often, that keeps it running well, and emptying it each time.
I am new to your channel. So happy to have found you! These cleaning habits are great. My #1 is to always tidy the kitchen before going to bed. All dishes loaded in dishwasher, sink cleaned, counter tops clear and wiped down, and a quick floor vacuum with my cordless vac. Makes for a wonderful start to my day each morning to walk into a clean kitchen, open the curtains and start my coffee pot. Aaah 😌
Definitely trying that junk drawer box tip! Love that idea, hate my junk drawer. 🙂
I usually make my bed when I come in from my walk. Before bed I have the kitchen cleaned up.
Right now I am in the middle of making one of my rooms a swing room. Going through boxes from years ago shared from my folks and grandma. It's a slow process and fills like everything is messy right now. But, I still have a made bed and a clean kitchen when I wake up
I like the saying leave it where you found it and you’ll find it where you left it! Nothing bothers me more but when someone else in the house will use the
scissors or the tape and not put it back. So a place for everything really works for me!
It sounds like you are teaching your daughter good healthy habits! Nice video! 🧡
I know you’ve made a ton of videos covering the same thing but please remember. We Love It. My house has gotten pretty bad with new baby and all. My wife is pretty overwhelmed with everything. Watching your videos and listening to you talk about cleaning has made this new dads cleaning experience so much easier. Thank you and keep making videos.