• So, you’re sitting on the couch trying to enjoy Netflix.  But you have this sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach because you notice some garbage on the small table to your right.  There are also some toys on the floor; a couple of pairs of shoes kicked around. You think of the dirty dishes in the sink piling up even though you can’t see them at the moment.  How can you enjoy any quiet TV time with all these distractions??  Let’s get busy for just a few minutes so we can come back and really focus on that true crime documentary or strangers dating for five minutes before getting married.

    First, get some music going. I have YouTube music playlists for everything. Yep, even one for cleaning.  Sometimes, I cheat and listen to a true crime podcast while I clean.  My favorites are Crime Junkie, The Deck and Unsolved Mysteries.  Anyway, I digress. 

    Next, set a timer on your phone.  Give yourself 20 minutes.  Do you only have 10 minutes? Ok, let’s work with that.

    Now, put that phone down and with all distractions. We’re going to work for those few minutes.  I have a basket to put all misplaced items in.  This can be a laundry basket.  I also have a grocery bag to put stray trash in.

    Since I only have 10-20 minutes, I’m only going to concentrate on one room.  I look to the corner to my right and that’s where I start. I move around the room right to left and don’t move to another area until the one I’m working on is finished.  I only move to my left.  This keeps me from backtracking and taking unnecessary steps and wasting time.  Once I’ve gone completely around the room bagging trash and put all items in the basket that don’t belong in the room, go to the middle of the room to do the same thing there.

    The room is now basically clean of clutter.  Now, I’ll pick up the items that belong in the room but are not in their correct place.  I put each item where it goes and fold blankets or fluff pillows if I’m in the living room, for instance. Once everything is straightened, we can see if something has spilled that needs to be wiped.  This is a quick way to make a big difference in your living space. 

    Now, imagine what you could do with this method and 30 minutes or even 45 minutes.  It could be life changing.  Just start small for 10-20 minutes. 

    Then, reward yourself with Netflix on a clean couch!