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spring cleaning: getting deep in the home and the mind
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items some suggestions, from an ADHD mind, of places to clean up or how to organize in ways that are efficient and accessible. the home, the phone, the mind. maybe you are aware of these things and maybe you need a reminder. i added in the notes my particu...
Sections
4
general tips
specific areas to consider
fun things and specified systems
personal reset type cleaning
general tips
general cleaning and organizing tips to get and keep your home clean
picking up trash first is always the easiest place to start. after this, you can clear off a singular surface, clean it, and as you return the items tidy and organize; this includes piling items that belong in a different location and returning them.
cleaning order
consider how dirt and dust will fall. dust first from the highest point then clean surfaces than your floors so you will not have to repeat tasks.
top to bottom
grouping tasks like cleaning all of the mirrors at the same time can assist in efficiency.
group alike tasks together
when all of your things have a specific place to be, it is easy to return them to where they go because you will already know where they go. this will help keep your home more tidy as well, without wondering where to put things
have a home for everything
having systems that work for your specific lifestyle might be the single most important tip in keeping your house clean and improving your life efficiency. this means putting things that you use frequently in easy reach. for me, with adhd, i find tha...
systems!
putting things away as you use them will help keep away clutter. it can also help to wipe down surfaces (particularly in the kitchen) just once daily (see “closing shift” in specified systems section below). this helps avoid big cleaning jobs.
tidy and clean as you live
having cleaning supplies and tools that you can enjoy using or are easy to use are essential to helping you clean your home. if you resist cleaning the shower because it hurts your back, it would be helpful to invest in a long-handled tool to assist ...
Cleaning Supplies and Tools
decluttering is nothing new but it certainly helps keep your home tidy when you remove the things that you avoid or do not enjoy anyways
How to Declutter Your Home: 6 Best Room-by-Room Methods
when i really don't want to do a household task BUT i really want it to be done i will set a timer for however long i think i can stand or maybe a little less (say 15 minutes to do the dishes) then i will work until the timer runs out ((i often continue and finish the task because it was the getting started that was hard))
Use a Timer
this kind of goes with the timer, but sometimes I will just see how fast i can get something done and it becomes a little more fun because it feels like im in a tv competition instead of doing the laundry
Turn it into a Game
specific areas to consider
areas of your home to clean, some that may get forgotten and reasons why cleaning them is helpful.
removing everything and wiping down the inside of your fridge. cleaning out any old food can make your cooking and eating easier with the fridge smelling fresh and being well-organized. if there are foods in your fridge that you continuously avoid, i...
Refrigerators
make sure you regularly clean your ceiling fan (and other fans) as it can greatly alter the air quality in your space. using a vacuum attachment can make this easier and less messy.
Ceiling Fans
decluttering and organizing your closet can help each day be less stressful when you can see what you own and choose from pieces you like
Closet
this is thankfully less often than other tasks. but consider just seeing what the thing looks like, especially if it's been 6-12 mos
Air Filters
anything that filters to keep them filtering properly
Refrigerator Water Filters
if you're like me, you usually vacuum around things, but taking a little more time to move everything off of the floor and even move your furniture if you haven't in a while (: you might be surprised how many crumbs you got under there (yikes)
Under Your Furniture
the pantry is kind of the same idea of the fridge. get rid of anything that is no longer edible or you are not going to eat. take everything out, clean the shelves and reorganize in a way that works for you… again, i like to be able to see everything...
Pantry
your headboard is sitting there collecting dust above your head
Headboards
these seem hard to clean and i personally don't enjoy cleaning them so i get it if you've been avoiding it, but linked is some tips! dust affects your air quality more than you think
How to Clean Lampshades in Less Than 10 Minutes
faucets and shower heads like to hold onto gunk and i dont want that for you. give them a little scrub and they should be good. vinegar is great for killing bacteria and breaking up grime btw
Faucets
fun things and specified systems
systems that i am using that are helpful to me that you may also find helpful. systems really need to be specific to you so take my suggestions with a grain of salt so you can apply them to your own needs. <3
this is basically the idea of tidying and cleaning up everything before bed. your home is the location and a star is arriving in the morning (you) and you want everything to feel amazing and peaceful when [you] wake up. maybe this sounds daunting, bu...
"Closing Shift"
having a system that works like a well-oiled machine to keep your dishes in check is nearly essential in every household. you might consider having a pre-arranged time like after dinner or before bed to do them or do them as you go. maybe you want to...
Dishes System
find a basket or wall hanging that can help you keep all of your items together for when you leave the house. you will not have to search for your keys because they'll have a nice home to find them in
walking-out-the-door station
i have not fully utilized this yet and there are other apps like Indyx or Whering where you can digitally catalog your wardrobe. this helps you be able to easily see everything in your closet and test out outfits before trying them on. this may also ...
Acloset - AI Fashion Assistant
these are so helpful for me. to conserve space and to organize and see my bags and hats.
Over the Door Hook
this changed the game in my pantry. you can stock up on your goods and have them readily available..not having to stack cans on top of and in front of each other. sooo much easier to see what you have and i think it saves a bit of space surprisingly
Can Organizer
scarves tend to be difficult to store. i even just layer mine onto a pants hanger. having them hanging in one place can certainly be helpful
Scarf Organizer
you know those silly little drawstring bags that you get as swag from random events? i never had much use for them, but then i tied one up in my closet to store my recycled grocery store bags and it allows a use for the item and a storage solution in...
Repurpose Drawstring Bags into Storage Solutions
i love having items in small containers or baskets that keep my products a little more ..contained.. so if you have bowls in your kitchen you don't need or you have random boxes and you need storage for paints or makeup or what have you, consider usi...
Found Containers
makeup girlies likely have an organizer for their makeup, but i just love having this, any stack of drawers is great to keep your makeup and then you can organize based on what you grab most often
Makeup Organizer
I have one of these and it helped me find a little more ease in doing my laundry. I sort by delicate, regular load, and towels/sheets. This helps me so much because as a lady with a lot of line-dry clothes it can be so tedious to have to sort all of ...
Laundry Sorters
this has fun visual appeal when entering the closet and can help me find what i'm looking for easily because i often get dressed based on how colors pair.
Color-coding the closet
twist ties for your cords!! I just collect ones from other packaging and reuse but they are so good to keep your cords tidy. then i put all of them in the same little box right with my surge protector so my cords are tidy, organized, and ready to go ...
Twist Ties
reusing pacakaging and containers that you already have in your home is a great save for the planet and your wallet! pen/brush organizers are a great use for cans or jars. you can use them to store whatever you like. maybe you like to use jars to hou...
Reuse!
these really are great for your closet. having the same hangers in your closet saves space and these especially are thin. i used to have mostly plastic hangers but things would slip off all the time and i rarely have that problem with these when im j...
Velvet, Non-Slip Hangers
personal reset type cleaning
cleaning of personal items like your phone and self care to help declutter the mind plus some energy work type ish if that is your thing because it is mine ( i told you we were getting deep) (:
clearing out texts, and contacts that are no longer needed mostly clear up space on your phone, but it might clean up your mind too by letting go
texts
junk mails got to go! you know you can't focus with it all sitting there. keeping up with it can be hard but doing it is certainly worthwhile.
emails
this also goes for social media following: if you don't talk to them, want to talk to them, or ever seeing yourself talk to them again…they don't need to take up space on your phone or in your feed. this helps you avoid drunk texts or torturing yours...
contacts
you knew it was coming and i have a hard time with this one. if i could keep up with doing this more often it might make it easier to find what im looking for. folders exist so if you can edit and file photos as you go (or occassionally) it'll help y...
photos
check in with your skin and give it what it needs: a cleanse, hydration, brightening, exfoliation
skin care
spiritual shower, enjoying the water if that's your thing. doing your full spa shower with extra steps that make you feel pampered will set up your energy so right
shower
this can mean a lot of things but doing those movements or releases that keep you feel flowing: dancing for 2 seconds, wiggling, jumping, running, walking, doing the spongebob around the town dance, crying, laughing, singing, tai chi, boxing, martial... energy that is stuck in your body needs some sort of release and movement can really help to facilitate that. do what feels good (and i know you've heard that before, but only you know what feels good to you)
moving around energy
i like to check in with 3 main categories for myself within the things im eating especially if im feeling like i need a little lift. i check if i have enough: dark leafy greens, protein, and hydration. your checkins may be different for you depending...<3
wellness via food
you've heard it before i just know it, but sometimes you need to put away your phone completely and your screens and just be in presence with tangible things like your loved ones, the outdoors, a book, etc.
unplug: turn off your phone.
breathe air, look at something pretty, let the outdoors be the only thing that exists for a moment even if for 3 breaths. maybe feel some sunshine. this can help you regulate your nervous system and bring you back to some peace.
look at something you like outside
this is to help you rest, enjoy something and get used to that feeling. my game of choice right now is redecor.
play a game
taking even one really good, deep, intentional, witnessed breaths can help you reset your physiological emotional responses via the parasympathetic nervous system
just breathe.
i like to do these every now and then, particularly when i feel a bit low (though i need to do it more when im in higher energy too!) but basically i get really honest with okay what am i actually doing on a regular basis? what are my current habits?...
Habit Audit
i love to go on pinterest to find journal prompts and shadow work really dives into the things that we like to avoid and are typically unconscious so it might be difficult but it can clear up a lot of mental and emotional and spiritual space by addre...
Shadow Work // facing your traumas