There's mold in my sink or slime or who knows what...
? If you've been decluttering with me up to this point, what may be left are the jobs no one wants to touch.
In fact, either the grossness of it, the size of the job, or the lack of decision in matters has caused you to put it off until now...
so what do you do? 1.
Gloves - Put on your rubber gloves, hold your breath, play your favorite music and dive in.
If it's dishes...
Bleach will kill any germs.
Add some to some water, soak your dishes, wipe them off when softened and then proceed to wash in dishwater or the dishwasher as always.
2.
Big jobs.
Start with one box.
Set a timer.
Ready...
set...
GO, get it out of there.
Most BIG jobs are "I need to get rid of things" jobs.
DO IT.
The items serve you no purpose boxed up, closeted up etc.
All they are doing is stressing you out.
I happen to be with a hoarder myself.
I've had to learn to get excited with him when he brings home treasures.
Make a point of putting out the few that I really love and then the next am...
getting rid of what I don't.
It's so important.
He can bring in loads in a day.
I literally have to get rid of as much as he brings in.
He LOVES to collect.
He LOVES the thrill of getting new things and if I don't learn to get rid of things, our life will be horrible and for a long time it was.
I'd try to talk him into getting rid of things or throw them away in front of him.
He'd drag EVERY thing back in.
My serenity and home became a place I wanted to get away from It still is to an extent.
He does love the serenity when I clean.
I just can't let him see me do the dirty work of giving things away.
It's FAR too stressful for him.
3.
A little at a time.
Don't set unrealistic goals.
I have a cleanup project that is getting better each day.
I once cleaned the house of my uncle who hoards as well.
It was waist high throughout.
It was load after garbage load and it was very tiring.
But slowly it came together and now his home is lovely absolutely lovely.
But it took at least a month of 5 hours+ a day.
Be happy with each new progress.
Make a new habit of keeping up with new messes.
Set a daily time to declutter and clean and it will fall together.
A closet here a cabinet here.
Enjoy the way it looks and treasure it.
Keep it that way.
Don't let it fall apart.
4.
Be kind to yourself.
I worked all day yesterday.
As I cleaned my husband acquired.
At the end of the night after dinner, I laid down for a moment which became all night.
That's okay.
Let your body rest.
Just DON'T LET IT BECOME A HABIT.
Get up the next morning.
Do the dishes you let go and get back into routine asap.
Don't let such things happen often or it will become habit not to do them.
But when they do happen.
Work around it and get back on schedule asap.
5.
Don't forget your goals.
In the process of cleaning, and seeing how long it takes, sometimes the goal starts to seem impossible because you're still a ways from it.
You have to adopt the glass half full philosophy.
Keep your goal in front of you.
As you get every new project done, see your goal becoming a reality versus expecting things too soon and giving up.
Make sure that in everything you do, that at least once a day you do something where you can see progress TOWARDS your goal.
It might be fun to have a posterboard with your old mess on the left, your dream home on the right.
Your old self on the left, your dreamself on the right and each day do a task then draw a graph in the middle with the line continuing to go up.
Use is as a reminder of how far you've come and that you're getting closer every day!! Every recovery, every person that won the Olympics, every perfect body, even plastic surgery isn't right away.
Every accomplishment took daily repetitive effort.
NOTHING happens overnight.
It's a matter of focus and work but the end results are so worth.
Also, over time your body develops habits which make things so much easier.
It's the initial training that is the hardest.
6.
Watch the improvement in your self esteem soar.
I felt prettier yesterday- simply from getting things done.
You will do.
I MADE myself groom.
Literally days still come where my mind says " just brushing your hair will do" and if I had, I'd have felt like a slob all day.
Don't let yourself talk yourself out of what you want in your life.
That inner voice of laziness is hurting you!! It is keeping you from the dreams you desire.
Whoop it into shape.
Take control and fight for your dreams;) Precisely BECAUSE my body wanted to be lazy.
I MADE myself take more grooming efforts than normal.
I lathered myself in amazing lotion.
I painted my nails a brilliant gold, I did my makeup gorgeously and I spritzed perfume on.
And do you know what.
My inner thoughts telling me I didn't have time were WRONG.
My inner thoughts that told me it was too much hassle were SO WRONG.
I felt good, my husband was thrilled and that boost of energy made me on fire.
I cleaned all day and got more done than I had in a LONG time so, my rule...
when your body wants to slack on something, DO IT MORE!! What you procrastinate about is likely the thing holding you back the most.
Do it! Much love always.
Enjoy the transformation into a lovely housewife.
Remember how I said it would earn you respect.
You'd be amazed at how my man treated me yesterday.
I was adored.
It felt good and get this...
he even did a project and worked all day at it.
One I've been begging him to do for YEARS.
On his own.
I said nothing.
But it felt heavenly.
As you become the amazing housewife, you will be amazed at the change in your man as well.
Like I said, you will get more respect, more love, more affection.
The women in the past knew what they were doing.
Enjoy the journey.
Kristin