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Greetings!
Greetings! This month, I am going to focus on a challenge that many of us face: How to stay motivated when it comes to the daily grind of house cleaning. While many of you may have been "born-clean", the rest of us often struggle with getting -- and staying -- motivated to tackle the tasks required to keep our homes clean, clear and calm. In fact, I believe that is why a lot of you discovered the Clean Team in the first place. You were looking for a way to get your home under control and you found our Speed Cleaning strategy. Along the way, you picked up some of our products, to make your efforts even more efficient. But as you well know, even the best systems and tools in the world won't work unless you are motivated. And that can be one of the hardest things to come by, especially during these busy days leading up to the holiday season.
If you find yourself struggling with daily home maintenance
tasks, let me offer you this gift: 7 Tips for Staying Motivated, as outlined in our feature article, 'Tis the Season.
Speaking
of the 'season', New Year's is right around the corner. Are you someone who sets New Year's
resolutions? Next month we will be talking about resolutions, and I'd
love to know what you are resolving to do in the new year. Send me your
resolutions to jeff@thecleanteam.com,
so we can share them next month! | |
'Tis
the Season for Staying Motivated
 As you well know, the
secret to keeping your home clean is the daily maintenance.
If you have a spouse, or children, or even a pet who shares your living space, weekly
cleaning alone isn't going to cut it. The good news is that spending just a few minutes each day on home maintenance tasks can save you a bundle of time on your weekly cleaning chores.
Despite the time-saving benefit of daily maintenance, however, many of us struggle to consistently put in those 15-20 minutes. There are the born-clean types, of course, who are just fine with this. Wiping up the counters and sorting through up the clutter is as natural to them as flossing their teeth each night. But for the rest of us mere mortals, it's
not so simple. If you are in need of some motivation to keep your home up to
holiday-standards all year long, here is my gift to you: 7 Ways to Stay
Motivated!
Tip
#1. Take Before & After Photos
The
next time you set out to tackle that long-neglected space, take a series of
before photos. Get some close-ups of the dirt and grime. Take some nice
panoramic shots of the clutter mountains. Then get down to business. When you
are all finished and the room is sparkling, take another series of
"after" shots. Pick out a few of your favorite before/after shots and put them
somewhere that you will see often -- whether that's hanging on the refrigerator, or in a file on your computer.
Tip
#2. Make a Sticker Chart
Hey,
it works for preschoolers, so why not for reluctant house cleaners? The key is
to keep it simple. Make a list of 3-5 tasks that you must complete each day:
loading and unloading the dishwasher, putting away the laundry, sweeping the
kitchen floor, making the beds, etc. None of these tasks alone should take more
than 5 or 10 minutes, tops. For every task you complete, give yourself a star (or
a simple check-mark). When you fill in your chart faithfully for one week,
reward yourself with a little treat -- a latte at Starbucks, or a 5-minute
chair massage. Nothing that breaks the bank, but a little something that keeps
you focused on the reward of a clean home, in more ways than one!
Tip
#3. Set It in Your Schedule
This
tip probably doesn't sound quite as much fun as the sticker chart, but one way
to stay motivated is to take the effort out of cleaning. And a big part of that
effort is just finding the time. Whether you work outside of the home or not,
your day is likely jam-packed with activities and responsibilities. By the time
the kids are finally in bed, the last thing you want to do is clean a toilet.
Which is why it's so important that you schedule a time for your 15 minutes of
daily home maintenance. Don't just leave it to chance, since chances are it won't
get done. While you are at it, I strongly suggest scheduling your
"homework" in the morning, when energy levels are at their highest.
Tip
#4. Use the Buddy System
If
you struggle to stay motivated all by yourself, consider asking a friend to
help you stay accountable to your goals. Check in with each other every day.
All it takes is a short email or phone call. When you feel that your motivation
is slipping away, a quick pick-me-up from a friend is a great way to get back on
track.
Tip
#5. Banish the Negativity
Those
of us that struggle to keep up with our homes probably suffer from a lot of guilt
and shame. "What's wrong with me that I can't do this? Sally down the
street has 5 kids and a full-time job and her house is always spotless!"
Pretty soon you've got a full-on pity-party going on, with no time left for
cleaning anyway. Instead, try to replace that negative self-talk with simple,
positive affirmations, such as "I can take care of my home in just 15
minutes a day." Or "Maintaining my home is simple and
enjoyable."
Tip
#6. Simplify Your Life
Maybe
the problem isn't your motivation, but your lifestyle. If you
truly can't find 15 minutes a day without compromising something, you probably
have too much going on. For one month, try paring back your life to the
absolute necessities. If you find you have more time -- and more energy -- at the
end of that month, then that's a good indication that your priorities needed to
change a bit.
Tip
#7. Find Your Sensory Currency
It
can be something as small as blasting your favorite song, or burning a vanilla-scented candle. Everyone has a sensory currency -- something that makes you
feel more optimistic. Maybe you need to throw open the windows for a few
minutes in order to air out your house. Or perhaps you need to put up a pot of your
favorite tea. As your tea steeps, you can quickly wash up the dishes and clean the
countertops.
What
are your best tips for staying motivated to clean and unclutter your home? Please send me your tried-and-true suggestions so I can share them with our readers next month.
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Reader Mailbag
I love hearing from our readers. If you have a question or comment, please send me an email at jeff@thecleanteam.com. Tell me about your New Year's resolutions, your best tips for staying motivated, or your favorite Clean Team product.
I've been using Red Juice for well over ten
years, and it STILL amazes me to watch gunky, greasy junk just wipe up with
no effort at all. It the stuff from which miracles are made!
~Janey L.
***
Your Rust Remover is an absolutely
amazing product! I was recently at a home for the first time, where there is a
serious iron problem in their water. Their tub/shower unit was solidly
orange...the worst I have ever
seen. First, I cleaned it with Tile Juice; then rinsed, and applied the Rust
Remover. After a couple applications, the rust was COMPLETELY GONE. The
homeowner was speechless, and nearly in tears (happy ones) over how phenomenal
her shower looked.
I can't say enough about this
product---I just wish I'd taken before and after photos to prove
it!!
Thanks so much for your commitment
to the best!
~ Naomi [one of our pro-cleaners]
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Thanks for reading us this month! Come visit us on the web at www.thecleanteam.com. Of course, we still welcome your phone calls (1-800-238-2996) or a FAX (1-209-223-7994).
Sincerely,
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Jeff Campbell
The Clean Team Catalog |
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