Going back to school is the worst, especially the cleaning part. Everything that you have not cleaned is flooding back to you so quickly you don't know what to do with yourself. Your backpack from last school year, your suitcase from a trip two weeks ago, and probably your room because who wants to clean during the summer. Almost everyone I know does this, so don't worry, you are in good company. I know it can be overwhelming, so I have some tips that will help you stay cool for your last days of summer.
1. Do it in stages.
It is much easier to do cleaning in stages. They can be small 20 minute stages, or long four hour stages, but cleaning in stages can help you not feel so stressed. After all, the Pyramids were not built in a day!
2. Make a plan.
Making a plan for the way you clean can help you stay focused and on task. It is easy to get distracted by the buried treasure you find in your cleaning frenzy, but don't let it get you distracted. Make sure your plan is realistic. You don't want a plan that you think you can accomplish, but you actually can't. This makes you feel despair that you won't ever clean anything right. You can clean right, so don't feel bad.
3. Set a time limit.
Set a time limit on your cleaning. If you only want to clean for an hour, only clean for one hour. Make sure you clean for the whole entire hour though, or else you will probably slack off for the rest of the time too.
4. Clear out time in your calendar.
If you don't have enough time to realistically finish cleaning what you want to clean, don't start it. It is too hard to quit in the middle of a cleaning project and try to get back into the groove of things, than it is to just wait for another time to start. So make sure to clear out time in your calendar to finish what you've started.
5. Only start one project at a time.
Don't try to accomplish too many projects at one time. This makes you feel overwhelmed and less likely to keep cleaning. I recommend just doing one cleaning project at a time. This way it is easier for you to keep focus and make an accurate plan, instead of thinking about the other five projects and what you need to do next with each of them.
6. Listen to music.
I have found that listening to music helps me clean better, because I am not focused solely on how much I hate cleaning, instead I am folding clothes and throwing things in the trash to my favorite music. I have also found success in folding laundry while in front of the TV, but I wouldn't try that until you are a seasoned pro.
With these 6 tips, you can go out and conquer your (messy) world.
