Day 9: Clean Your House

This is the ninth day of our 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. Start with Day One here.

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We’ve arrived! It’s cleaning day! I know you’re as excited as I am! Can I get a little woot woot?

The older I get, the more of a clean freak I become. But I wasn’t always that way, and even now, keeping things neat and tidy certainly does not come naturally to me. It is still something I have to work at every single day. It is still something I have to gear up to do. It is still work.

To me, cleaning my house is worth the effort. I spend a lot of time at home, probably more than most people. I am more productive, more peaceful, more creative, more engaged, more fun when my house is clean. I enjoy my life and space so much more when it is tidy. So I clean. And today, so will you.

 

And as silly as it sounds, I truly do get excited about cleaning. It’s a chance to have a fresh start, to put everything to rest, and to feel like you’re in control of your domain. Spending some time working from home, I’ve gained a strong appreciation for all of the things your home can be: your office, your rest space, your sanctuary, and your social space, all in one. Keeping it clean, organized, and beautiful is important to all aspects of your life.

In fact, your home should be your retreat: the space you find most welcoming and restful. It shouldn’t be a place of chaos, but a place of respite.

For those of you who are worried about trying to deep clean your whole house in one day, stop! We are going to tackle a big chunk of it today, but not quite all of it. There will be selective areas that we ignore until later. But our bathrooms will sparkle, our countertops will shine, and our main living areas will be clean.

So let’s get started!

Woot! Cleaning is totally my favorite thing to do. With my husband and two children it is sometimes difficult. My goal is to get a whole lot more organized. The checklists are very helpful, so thank you and God bless! —Yvette

My personal strategy is to start with the room I dread cleaning the most: the bathroom. I then do the kitchen, since that is my next least favorite, and from there work my way through the rest of the house. After I’ve cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen, made the beds, and picked up any clutter (I throw it all in a basket for the kids to help put away), I find it more efficient to do things like dusting, window cleaning, vacuuming, and mopping throughout the whole house all at once, not room by room.

 

The idea here is to clean as much of your main living space as you can today.

 

I am a neat freak who struggles to keep things tidy! But I have two toddlers, so I’ve made my peace with it for now. Gotta go … time to clean! —Alisha

At the end of the day your countertops should sparkle! Your floors should glisten! Your couch cushions should be fluffed and in their proper place!

Today is the day, so without further ado, let’s get cleaning!

I’m looking forward to this challenge … or rather, I’m looking forward to the end of the day when the challenge is complete! —Carrie

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