Over the years I have tried many different systems of deep cleaning. Most were too rigid for me and not very flexible. I once used a card system to track cleaning, with dailies, every other day, weekly, every other week, etc. However, I found out that emergencies happen and I did not want to wait until the next time the card came up to clean an area. So, cards did not work for me. I tried just working like crazy to go through the house and do a deep cleaning seasonally. However, this took a lot of time and focus. Eventually, I created seven zones for my Cleaning Creation Plan and gradually moved to a zone system for deep cleaning.
I prioritized the zones in an order that made sense for my needs. Then, I begin by tidying the zone area. Then I work from the ceiling to the floor. Do cobwebs need clearing? Do walls need wiping? What is the purpose of this room? Are there things in this room that do not belong here? Do books and possessions need to be reassessed, sorted, and inventoried?
I can work a zone in as little as 15 minutes a day. if I have an hour great. The next day I pick up where I left off. I stay with a zone each available day until it is completed and then I can move to the next zone. Some zones can be completed in a week, others will take much longer. It all depends on consistency and how much time you give yourself each session.
My Cleaning Creation Plan for Zones
The Sanctuary
The master bedroom and bedrooms are Zone One. Why start here? We need a place of sanctuary that is non-oppressive. A place where rest can happen and where we can feel invigorated by its beauty when we arise to start the day!
Lumber Rooms
I refer to the Mechanical Room, the Larder, Closets, Drawers, and storage shelf areas, as lumber rooms, and these are Zone Two. What do I mean by lumber rooms? Lumber rooms are where things are stored when not in use. We need to clean out the lumber rooms of things that no longer matter so that seasonal things can be moved there and out of crowding other rooms. What is a Mechanical room? The Lumber rooms are the rooms where the furnace, water heater, and water softener (ionic exchange unit) are kept in the Mechanical room. What is a Larder? A larder is a cool room (such as a pantry) for storing food.
Creation Rooms
The Creation rooms are the Workshop, Art Studio, and Office are Zone Three. We need the creative areas ordered because it is there that we create solutions, fix, and mend things. If they are not in order, things found needing attention while doing the zones, will just pile up. If tools are easy to find and the workspace is available, it often only takes a few minutes to fix something and avoid a pile-up.
Curb Appeal
Curb Appeal are the first areas you see at your home, namely the entrance and foyer are Zone Four. What is the curb appeal? What do people see coming to the front door, is it inviting?
Living Rooms
The living room and family room are Zone Five. This is our main area to read in, discuss as a family, and entertain guests.
Sustenance Rooms
The dining room and kitchen are Zone Six. The kitchen and dining areas are places to gain sustenance.
Necessity Rooms
Bathrooms are Zone Seven. Bathrooms are places of necessity to freshen up ourselves. These usually get a cleaning each week. This deep cleaning, as a zone, is top-down, inside-out, and much more thorough than the weekly sanitizing.
Working the Zones
Begin first, by establishing the Become a Victory Lady routines. After a few weeks, of 30-minute Power Clean, you will find that the surface piles and clutter, that once distressed you, are greatly diminished. At this point, you can weave these zones into your day in as little as 30 minutes a day. Use your 30-minute Power clean time, to now work your zones. Some zones take a few days, others take a few weeks. Just start in one zone, doing the work you can, in about 30 minutes a day, as many days as needed, to finish. In the end, each room will be cleaner than it has been since you moved in. Not only that, those rooms will be evaluated, completed an inventory, and will probably also be reduced in content. When you restart the zone, it will probably take less time, because it is at a cleaner level to begin with.
Consider my zones, or create your own! Whatever you do, enjoy the journey!
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