Obviously, no home is going to be entirely self-cleaning, but I do feel that I live in a home that is generally self-cleaning–which means it isn’t overwhelming to keep things tidy and organized and there are solid routines in place for me and my family members to keep things moving (without requiring willpower or a lot of mental bandwidth).
Here are the 7 things that have made a difference! (Full transcripts are available through Apple podcasts.)
1—Before we “clean the house,” we DECLUTTER the house.
It reduces the time it takes to clean, it visually calms our minds, and it can feel clean—even if it isn’t perfect.
2—We need to see “decluttering and cleaning our home” as a big project.
Many people just jump in and clean, but they’re also trying to do a thousand other things, so cleaning never gets “done,” and they feel frustrated. We recommend you create a Current Projects List with 1-8 projects a month, balanced with calendar items, next actions, and routines.
3—We most likely need to identify all the SUB-PROJECTS for decluttering, cleaning, and organizing our homes.
Unless you have a tiny home that can be cleaned/organized in a small amount of time, it’s helpful to divide it up into spaces that can be done in 1-4 hours and then prioritize those. (See the video linked below demonstrating how to do this!).
4—Take one sub-project at a time and establish a step-by-step process for each.
We like the 3-box method (podcast linked below!). You’ll put that sub-project on your Current Projects List, and then you can pick a spot and move clockwise through that room, using the 3-box method, until it’s complete!
5—Anticipate the things that are going to stop us.
Interruptions, distractions, and sentimental items are the most common decluttering-show-stoppers. (More details are in the podcast, and support links are below!)
6—Be consistent.
Recognizing that it took you years to build up the stuff, and it’s going to take some time to get out of it.
7—Maintain it with routines.
A few routines that make a difference are “not buying a lot or bringing a lot into your space,” doing a monthly or quarterly sweep of the house, and resetting rooms daily.
I hope that these ideas are helpful for you! (And if you’re reading this, the full transcript can be found inside the Apple podcasts app.)
Here’s the testimonial I shared at the end of the podcast. I am so thrilled for Summer and so grateful she shared her story with us!
Related Links!
Video explaining how to create and organize sub-projects for decluttering your home!
Podcast: 3-Box Method for Decluttering
Video About the Psychology of “Stuff”
Podcast: Sentimental Clutter Keeping You Stuck?
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Beautiful message and so appreciative of your openness so I can be praying for you.
You are very sweet! Thank you so much!
Hi I’m looking for the transcript at Apple Podcasts as mentioned. I see the episode and link to the show notes (this page) but I don’t see any anything that says “transcript”. Maybe I’m missing it? Thank you.
Sorry this was tricky to find! Inside my Apple podcasts app, when I click on an episode, it brings up a screen that has the logo/podcast art at the top, then a description of that episode, then a link to our website, and then a transcript with an arrow next to it. The first paragraph is on there, but if you click the word “Transcript,” it opens up a screen with the whole podcast transcript auto-generated. I don’t see that option on the website–just inside the app. Hope that helps!