A Spoonie's Guide to a Cleaner Home in Only 10 Minutes
If you have been hanging around the blog or socials for any length of time, you know I suffer from stage 4 endometriosis and it greatly effects my day-to-day life. A few of my many symptoms are the inability to stand/kneel/crouch/even sit for long periods of time without pain and/or bleeding, massive dips in energy levels, and brain fog like a SOB. So I have learned little ways to fit in daily chores in order to maintain order and energy levels. Today I am sharing how you can have a cleaner home in only 10 minutes, even if like me, you can only be on your feet that long.
A Spoonie's Guide to a Cleaner Home in Only 10 Minutes
Before You Start - Know Your Limits
Before you even begin your tidy-up, you need to know your limits so you know what you can tackle. The limits are: time (how much do you have or how long can you be active before you need to rest?), your energy limits (do you have 1 spoon to spare or 20?), and body limits (will you need some help or need modifications like a chair or grabber?). Knowing what you can reasonably accomplish will go a long way in getting things done.
Now, let's get cleaning!
Start Simply
No one can clean a really filthy home in 10 minutes, but they can get the dishes loaded in the dishwasher and started, the bathroom(s) sprayed with cleaner, and the trash taken out of the can and put outside. And that is a really great start! I'm not here to judge anyone on their cleaning. Seriously. I have let my home get really bad in the past due to overwhelming bouts of depression. So if you think your home is too dirty to tackle, I've been there. Just start simply and try to make a daily effort of only a couple minutes a day. Can't do 10 minutes? Start with 2 minutes and set a timer with a daily reminder.
When Possible, Have Supplies in Each Room
Some supplies are cheap enough or easy enough to make that having a set in each room is no big deal. These things are items like a broom and dust pan, spray cleaner, scrub brush, air fresheners, and dusting cloth. I don't know about you, but it isn't possible for me to have a vacuum in every room, but it is possible for me to have a full set of cleaning products in each bathroom.
Half-Done is Better than Not Started
Today I "cleaned" my bathroom. I sprayed the tub with some bleach cleaner, I filled the sink with hot water to loosen any stuck-on toothpaste and soap, and I squirted toilet bleach cleaner in the toilet and wiped the seat down with a disposable wipe (that I tossed, never flush those, people). I came back in a while later, drained the sink and sprayed it with a peroxide cleaner, flushed the toilet, rinsed the tub, and then rinsed the sink. Finally, I sprayed the tub, sink and toilet seat with a 24-hour sanitizing spray to kill off anything I may have missed. Is my bathroom perfectly clean? Nope! Do I care? Nope! I know I can shower without worry and that if anyone were to pop over, they could pee and I would not be embarrassed. The whole process (aside from waiting for the cleaners to do the work for me) was about 3 minutes. Literally took nothing out of me on a very low active energy day.
Other half-done chores from today? I've unloaded the dishwasher but haven't loaded it. I vacuumed just the big pieces of floor junk up (pet hair balls, leaves from the dog's walk, kibble, litter) but haven't vacuumed the whole floor in even one room. I took down one rack of clothes that were hanging to dry overnight but not the second one nor have I started any more laundry!
Never Underestimate The Power of the Wipe Down & Air Out
Whether you are cleaning up your bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom, or any other room, if you can't do anything else, wipe down the surfaces with a cleaning rag or dusting cloth and open a window for a few minutes. Dust, hair, crumbs, coffee spills, it's all covering your surfaces. Wipe down what you can (especially at eye level and below as you see it more). If you have a window that can be opened, opening it for even just a few minutes allows fresh air to blow in and staleness out. I have allergies, so I am careful during the pollen-heavy months, but I like to open the windows at least 5 minutes a day to get some fresh air in my home.
Fluff Pillows and Blankets
Another easy step that cleans up the look of your home and gives you a sense of accomplishment is fluffing the pillow and blankets. Or if you are in the kitchen/bath, fixing the towels. It reduces visual clutter and makes you feel refreshed just looking at the fluffy softness.
Spread Out Your Cleaning
I don't know about you, but even on my best days, I don't want to spend 3 hours straight cleaning my home. Yes, I could get a lot done in one go, but I don't want to. Instead, I plan my cleaning around my other daily tasks, time blocks and known energy peaks. I usually work in 60-90 minute blocks with a 30 minute break in between time blocks. During those 30 minute breaks, I will handle quick cleaning tasks as my energy levels allow (I also snack, walk the dog, grab the mail, and watch YouTube. Please do not think I clean for 30 minutes during every break). I do enjoy an end of day clean up before I start my evening "cozy up" routine to take care of the trash, vacuum the whole house, load/unload the dishwasher (based on where it is in the clean/dirt cycle), check the cat boxes, and take care of the outside plants. This only takes me about 15 minutes total with the bulk being the cat boxes and vacuuming.
But my point is, spreading it out the time you are being active, you put less strain on your energy levels and which will allow you to do more overall.
I hope these tips help you tackle your cleaning so you too can have a cleaner home in only 10 minutes, spoonie or not! (And sorry if this is ending abruptly. My brain juice has officially ran out for the day.)
Until next my lovelies,
-M
