Speed Cleaning Rule #10

Pay Attention

Welcome back! For those who are just joining us in our Speed Cleaning series, we are happy to see you here. You are not too late but make sure you read Rules #1 to 9 first before moving on to Rule #10.

Pay attention.  If you do, almost everything will fall into place. Don't think about anything else. As the Latin saying goes: Age quod agis - "Do what you are doing".

For this rule, we are going to focus on the bedrooms and the family room. More specifically, we are going to talk about dusting them.

Making Beds - Making a bed is faster when 2 people (rather than just 1) are working on it. So if you need to make a bed or change the sheets, work as a team and make it a team effort. And another thing, before you do any housecleaning, make the beds first. This way, the dust created when you make the bed won't settle in the bedroom that you've already cleaned.

Tight spaces - Some furniture, like a desk is often tucked in a corner. When this is the case, the head of your vacuum will not fit. So use the whisk broom instead to dust and fluff that section of the carpet next to the desk. This way, the carpet pile will not get that dusty gray line along the edge of the wall. Also, set any trash cans close to the doorway so that you will not be interrupted when you go around the room.

Mini-blinds - When you clean dusty mini-blinds, lower them to their full length. Then close the slats so that more of the blind is exposed. Grasp the string that runs through them then pull them away from the window. This way you will be able to reach behind them using your feather duster. Use long back and forth deliberate strokes. This way you can do more dust-catching than dust-flinging. Remember to stop the duster dead still when you end each stroke. After each stroke, remove the collected dust by tapping the duster against your ankle near the floor. Now turn the slats forward and dust the front in the same long and slow back and forth motion.

The Family Room - since this room is well used and is often full, it is doubly important that you follow the Speed Cleaning Rules here. For the TV, use a duster on the back and Blue Juice and a microfiber towel on the body and screen. For the newer flat screen TVs, gently feather dust them only. Use your feather duster on all electronics. Remove fingerprints by spraying Blue Juice on your cloth--never the electronics,  and wiping.

Remember these things that are often overlooked by distracted dusters.  Pay attention as you work purposefully around the room.  Areas often overlooked are: 

• windowsills
• moldings
• baseboards
• chandelier chains
• hanging light fixtures (especially bulbs
• bulbs in table lamps
• inside surfaces of shades
• plants
• backs of chairs
• curved feet of chairs and tables
• crossbeams under the tables
• heater and exhaust vents
• tops and drawers and drawer pulls 
• tops of books and shelves