Cleaning is something I'm sure is not exactly something we all like to do but is considered a necessary evil. For someone like myself, cleaning can be extremely challenging and often times falls to Josh due to my various issues.
Lately I have been trying to following the FlyLady.net system of cleaning. Her philosophy is you can get anything done in 15 minute increments. She even has missions each day that she posts on her website and email lists. Right now she is doing something called Back to Basics where she sends out posts each day on a basic concept she teaches. It is a series of things you are supposed to go through and you are considered a Flybaby until you have finished these things. The thing I like most about her system is that she never tries to make anyone feel guilty but tells them to jump right in and start where they are at right now.
Some days I am more successful than others in actually completing her missions. The one thing I believe she misses though in her posts is not accounting for those with chronic illness. Example, on Monday she called the mission her "Home Blessing Hour" where you spend an hour going around and doing a basic cleaning around the house. This is on top of the mission she sends out in the various zones. She split up the house into zones and one zone gets focused on each week. The problem I have with the blessing hour is that I physically can't clean for that length of time all at once and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Because of this and other issues that pop up, I tend to have to modify what I can do during the day.
Some days I am only successful in getting laundry started which she calls rebooting the laundry and getting the dishwasher rotated. The actual mission of the day gets pushed aside as my body can't do it. This frustrates me a tad but I also know that making a system like this work for someone with a chronic illness is part of life. The concept of setting a timer and focusing on one task for 15 minutes or one area for 15 minutes is doable even on my hardest days. Granted most people who follow this system with do this 15 minute work multiple times throughout the day while I may only get a single 15 minute segment done the entire day.
Cleaning in baby steps takes time. My house is no where near where I need and want it to be. Unfortunately Josh has to take the brunt of the housework but I do try. My usual jobs are handling the laundry and working on the dishwasher while at least planning the meals. He may cook them but I have them at least planned out. Lately I have been trying to slowly declutter the house. My goal this year is to spend 15 minutes each day working on decluttering an area of the house. Today I got my Jeep cleaned out so goal met. Tomorrow with the pinewood derby all day, not entirely sure anything will get done. I expect it will wipe me out making me useless the rest of the evening. Such is life.
If you know someone with a chronic illness, please be kind and not judge too harshly on how clean their house may be at any given time. Personally my house is cluttered and needs work which we are doing, slowly. One day at a time, 15 minutes at a time.
Until tomorrow.
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