The Cleaning Conundrum
I don’t know about you, but cleaning has never been my forte. Growing up, it was either my super-tidy grandmother scrubbing every nook and cranny, or my pack-rat of a mother hoarding clutter in every spare inch of the house. Me? I was happily oblivious, letting the dust bunnies multiply under my bed while I focused on more exciting pursuits.
But then I hit my late 20s, and the reality of being a responsible adult came crashing down. Suddenly, I couldn’t hide behind messy roommates or claim ignorance anymore. I had to face the dreaded task of cleaning my own home, and let me tell you, it was not pretty.
I tried the Saturday morning cleaning marathon approach, but that just left me in tears and my house looking marginally better for a day or two. I’d dread having friends over, terrified they’d judge the state of my floors or the grime in the bathroom. It was a never-ending cycle of guilt, frustration, and resentment toward the simple act of cleaning.
Grandma to the Rescue
That is, until I shared my cleaning woes with my dear grandmother. Bless her soul, she took one look at my cleaning routine and let out a scandalized gasp. “You’re not supposed to do that!” she exclaimed. “I don’t even do that. You’re supposed to do a little bit every day.”
Over a delicious home-cooked lunch at her pristine condo, Grandma laid out a new plan for me. “Wake up, and set a timer for ten minutes. Put on your favorite song or podcast, and spend those ten minutes cleaning a different area of your house each day. If you feel like continuing after the timer goes off, great, but make sure you do at least ten minutes.”
I was skeptical, to say the least. Ten minutes a day? How could that possibly make a difference in my disaster of a home? But Grandma assured me that consistency was key, and that this approach would be far more manageable than my previous all-or-nothing cleaning marathons.
A 10-Minute Transformation
Eager to please Grandma and finally conquer my cleaning demons, I decided to give her method a try. That Saturday, I powered through one last four-hour cleaning frenzy, rewarding myself with a well-deserved chicken sandwich and a glass of wine when I was finished.
And then, on Sunday, I set my timer for ten minutes and got to work. I swept the main floor, changed the trash bag in the kitchen, and wiped down the bathroom counter. The next day, I mopped the room with the litter boxes and puppy pads, cleaned the stovetop, and did a load of laundry. Tuesday saw me changing the bedding, wiping the toothpaste spots off the mirrors, and reorganizing the shelves.
It. Was. Working.
Now, let me be clear: my house is not going to be featured in a magazine anytime soon. I’m not a minimalist, and the idea of an overly-clean, pristine home gives me severe anxiety. But I no longer have to play gatekeeper, restricting when friends and family can come over. I don’t wake up to unpleasant smells or a mountain of chores. And I get to spend my Saturdays doing things I actually enjoy, rather than scrubbing every surface in sight.
The Power of Consistency
If you, like me, have struggled with the dreaded task of cleaning, I highly recommend giving Grandma’s 10-minute-per-day method a try. Of course, you may need to adjust the time based on the size of your living space – a studio apartment might only need 5 minutes, while a mansion could require 15 or 20.
And don’t forget, this is just for daily maintenance. I still set aside a few hours every month or so for a deep clean, but it’s actually enjoyable now. I turn on a podcast, put on my cleaning playlist, and make peace with my home. No more four-hour torture sessions.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab a timer, crank up your favorite tunes, and get to work. Before you know it, your house will be sparkling clean, and you’ll be wondering why you ever dreaded cleaning in the first place.
Oh, and if you’re ever in Nottingham, be sure to check out Adam Cleaning – they’ve got your back when it comes to making your home shine.
