[PODCAST 129]: How a Command Central Equals a Clean House

If you’ve been here at LearnDoBecome for awhile, you’ve probably seen lots of “before and after” photos–showing clean offices, living rooms, kitchens, garages, etc. In fact, that may be what brought you here. You want a clean, organized home and office.

But then, as you listen to our podcast, watch videos, etc., you may wonder why we keep talking about building a “STEP Command Central.” We discuss file folders, list-making, digital project management, routines, and next actions, and you might be wondering, “What does all of this have to do with getting my house clean?”

We hear you, and so today we’ve put together a hopefully-helpful resource to show you exactly how a Command Central equals a clean house. 🙂  You can either click “play” above to listen to the podcast–or you can skim the information below!

Here’s our STEP Diagram to get you started:

It includes all the parts of the Command Central that you’ll want to review on a daily, weekly, or as-needed basis.

Candice (one of our wonderful LearnDoBecome team members) created this list below–showing how each part of the system contributes in its own way to that clean home we’re dreaming about:

(1) A calendar helps you to set triggers so you can remember to take your donate items to be donated, take the trash out, or clean the fridge on a regular basis.

(2) A Context-Based Next Actions List helps you to put the very next action under the HOME section, so when you are spending time in your house and check your next actions list to see what needs to get done at home, you will be reminded to do that cleaning / decluttering / organizing task you have been meaning to do.

(3) An inbox and landing spots naturally equal a clean house as you contain papers in one area, so they are not spread out all over the place.

(4) A Current Projects List supports your home organizing projects because you can focus on one area of the house every month. Example: ”Organize the pantry” OR ”Clean the garage.” Projects that seemed overwhelming and too large to accomplish can be broken down into the simplest next steps, allowing for steady movement towards completion.

(5) If you have a Command Central in place, you will have routines in place that will remind you to do your cleaning tasks, which = a clean house.

(6) The Waiting folder helps with all those papers where you are waiting for someone else to do something before you can move forward.

(7) A goals list supports a clean house as you can set bigger goals like: ”Have a totally, clean, organized house,” and then break it down into different rooms or areas of the house every month as you decide on your current projects.

(8) Read and Review folders/baskets keep your house clean by containing all your magazines and catalogs in one location.

(9) A filing cabinet ensures that all your papers are filed away neatly in their correct binder or hanging file folder.

(10) Your Support Materials will hold all your project-related resources so that you don’t have little mini-piles around the perimeter of your office/bedroom.

(11) Tickler folders keep papers related to an event or future task in one folder.

(12) Someday and Incubation folders keep all those papers that we are not sure about neatly contained in their correct home. Unfortunately, those usually end up in piles, causing our homes to look untidy.

And if you’re looking for some additional resources, Taryn (another awesome team member!) put together this list: 

• The “Clean a Drawer” Challenge
• The Three-Box Method for Organizing Your Space
• An Interview with Alice Fulton, author of “It’s Here…Somewhere”
• How to Handle Frustrations
• Closet (and LIFE) Clean-Up

 

STEP Mastery Member Bonus:

This full project-planning resource is inside the STEP Library! Simply log in at My.LearnDoBecome.com.

 

ARISE Member Bonus:

Alia (our daughter who also manages projects and our ARISE membership) recorded a video of her new apartment–showing how she used STEP principles to get everything put together in simple, functional ways.

If you’re already an ARISER, log in at My.LearnDoBecome.com and then click this link!

Or, if you’d like to get started with a 7-day free trial of the ARISE membership, sign up here!

 

Four Weeks to Finished begins February 3rd, 2022! 

If you’d like to build your full STEP Command Central in just four weeks–with Team LearnDoBecome by your side, join the party here:

 

We’re so grateful you’re here with us at LearnDoBecome, and we are excited to serve you and help you get the results you need. Much love!!