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Greetings!
Happy New Year! I want to wish each and every one of you
a new year filled with peace, prosperity and good clean fun! You know, the beginning of a new year is a
wonderful time to take stock of our accomplishments from the
past year and to chart a course for even greater achievement in the coming year.
For many of us, resolution- or goal-setting is a good opportunity to clarify the
changes we want to see in our lives over the next twelve months.
Of course, we all know the
familiar story of that New Year's resolution that gets taken up with great
gusto on January 1, only to be set aside and forgotten by January 30. In fact,
I recently read that less than 5% of people keep their resolutions for the entire
year! If you are resolute in learning to keep your home clean and "company
ready", I can help you be in that top 5% of go-getters.
I look forward to working
together for another wonderful year. Please let me know if I can be of
assistance on your way. Send me your emails jeff@thecleanteam.com. P.S. Be sure to check out our 20% off special on Stain Assassin this month. Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for more information. | |
5 New Year's Resolutions for
2010
 Did you know that Getting Organized is the fifth most popular New Year's resolution in 2010? (Franklin
Covey) Are you vowing to clean up your home's act? Whether it's
decluttering, organizing or cleaning routines -- or all three -- that you are
committing to, knowing where to start is half the battle. Let's break it down
with the five building-blocks of a clean, clear home -- something all of us
can be committed to in 2010.
1. Clear the Clutter
If
your kitchen is covered in clutter, then what
should be a quick 10-minute wipe-down, mop and polish turns into an
hour-long session of sorting, tossing and reshuffling. By the time you have
cleared the space, you have lost energy and focus -- but still have a dirty
kitchen! Sound familiar? Clutter not only robs of us clear spaces, it prevents
us from having clean spaces, too. That's why clearing the clutter -- and committing
to maintain it on a daily basis -- is the first building block of any clean
home. To learn more about facing the clutter monster, check out this article on
Clutter Personality Types.
2. Get Organized
Organization is the second building block of a
clean home, but you must be careful not to fall into the trap of trying to
organize your clutter. Organizing before you unclutter is like shoveling during a blizzard.
Any progress you make will be wiped out before you can even stand back to
admire your handiwork. On the other hand, once your belongings are pared down
to what you need, love and use, organizing should be a breeze -- and hopefully
lots of fun, too. For some helpful tips on getting organized, refer to this
article on the 9 Commandments of an Organized Home.
3. Learn how to speed
clean.
With an uncluttered and
organized home, it's time to get busy with the task of learning some new
cleaning skills. Sure, most of us know how to clean a toilet. But can you do it
in 60 seconds or less? Do you know how to work your way clockwise around a
room, moving from top to bottom? Do you carry your tools with you in an apron
or caddy? Can you clean your home in less than an hour (or two, tops)? If the
answer to these questions is a sheepish "no", then it's time to embrace the speed
cleaning resolution. Remember, a clean home is the end goal. You shouldn't have to dread the task, but
you don't want to luxuriate in it either. If cleaning your home from top to
bottom in just an hour or two seems impossible, you might want to check out
this review of speed cleaning techniques.
Better yet, get your own copy of Speed Cleaning!
4. Make a schedule that
you can stick to.
One
of the biggest challenges in keeping up with our homes (after we've mastered
Resolutions 1-3, that is) is the daily and weekly maintenance. This year,
resolve to develop a cleaning schedule you can stick to. For some of you, that
may mean setting aside an hour or two every weekend for focused cleaning. If
you can get your spouse (and kids) in on the effort, all the better. For
others, you might work better with a daily routine, in which you focus on a
different area of your home every day. Whichever way you chose to do it, just
keep it simple. A complicated routine that requires you to rearrange your
schedule isn't one you are likely to stick to.
5. Save money on cleaning.
Getting organized may be in the list of the top five new year's resolutions, but do you know what the #1 most common
resolution is for 2010? To save more money. For most of us, saving means tightening our belts across every sphere of household spending,
including our cleaning budgets! Last January, we gave you some of our
best tips for saving money on cleaning, including making your own cleaners, using concentrated cleaning solutions
like our environmentally friendly Red Juice, and keeping your cleaning supplies in tip-top shape.
So there you have it: 5
resolutions to take you into the new year. What better way to ring in 2010 than
with a clean, clear home that allows you to save time, money and energy? Happy New Year!
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Reader Mailbag
I love hearing from our readers! And last month was even more fun than usual since I had asked you to tell me about your best tips for staying motivated. What great ideas you all have! 
What Motivates YOU?
One thing that gets me motivated for cleaning or maintaining my house is to rearrange a room or a part of a room. It gives the room new life, and it gives me a new look, and makes me feel like cleaning the whole room to enhance it further... Rearrangement is a turn-on for me in the motivation department!
~ Robin DeBord
My tip is to use the buddy system. My husband and I split the chores and he runs the heavy vacuum, does floors,
while I clean tile and dust. He helps me with the ceiling fans, etc. Then we use your tip of doing the bed linens together - works 4 times faster than 1 person alone. We can clean the whole house in less than 3 hours and it is fun and fast when we team up. We spot clean during the week of course. ~ Franny B. in Texas
I stay motivated by getting my children involved, realizing that if I can teach them to enjoy cleaning, maybe they will not dislike it like I do! So far they have loved reading your book and following your system!
~ Rhonda in Ohio
Have a little party. Nothing gets my cleaning adrenaline going more than knowing a group of people are coming over, & they might look in my refrigerator!
~ D. Austin
My tip to get motivated: plan to have someone over (even if just for a cup of coffee). I can live with a certain amount of dust or grime, but when I know someone is going to drop by, I get revved up.
~ Diane B.
New Resolutions for a New Year (and Decade!)
I am ELDERLY (how did I get there???) And as I age I find the old tried and true methods seem most comfortable. BUT that insures me a place way out of pace with what is going on right now. My resolution is to 'Embrace the
New'. The new cameras, the new cooking ideas and foods, the new technology and computers. Even new make-up techniques. And music. I am going to put Bob Marley on my iPod and get on a new Nordic Trak. It is a new year with new ideas.
~ Sandy H
Note from Jeff: Way to go, Sandy! You're an inspiration.
Do you have a tip, question or compliment (we love those!)? Please send me an email at jeff@thecleanteam.com!
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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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