Hi there! Welcome! This week, we are going to talk about cleaning systems and how I feel they help me in my own cleaning routine. The systems we’ll be discussing today are the Clean Mama System, developed by Becky Rapinchuk and the FlyLady System, developed by Marla Cilley. I will not be going in-depth on either of these systems; just giving a very basic overview of each and then explaining how I use them in my routine. I would suggest checking out each of these websites for further information if you are interested.
As I say with everything, take what you need from this blog, and leave the rest. I use my own advice, and I pick out the information that I like best or that I feel would benefit me the most and I add it to the systems that I already have in place. Sometimes, trying something new doesn’t always work out, but it is definitely worth trying because you learn valuable information.
Let’s start with the Clean Mama System: There is a daily, weekly and monthly plan.
Daily:
-
Make bed
-
Check floors and/or sweep
-
Wipe Counters
-
10 Minute Tidy/Declutter
-
Laundry
Weekly:
-
MON: Bathrooms
-
TUE: Dust
-
WED: Vacuum
-
THU: Wash Floors
-
FRI: Catch-All Day
-
SAT: Sheets/Towels/Linens
-
SUN: off
Monthly: (Rotating Tasks)
-
There are a number of tasks to complete monthly, but each month, you pick a new room or area of your home, and you basically clean everything in that one room.
FlyLady System:
This system starts out by listing tons of daily tasks (most of which, most people do everyday anyway). Ie. Drinking water, make dinner, brush teeth, etc… I feel like Marla is trying to encompass a daily routine which involves cleaning tasks, self-care/personal and household maintenance tasks. All of these tasks are listed as “morning”, “afternoon”. or “evening” tasks.
Weekly Routine:
-
MON: Weekly Home Blessing* (cleaning/tidying everything for a set time)
-
TUE: Plan & play
-
WED: Anti-Procrastination Day (doing chores you are likely to put off and catch-up day)
-
THU: Run Errands
-
FRI: Car & Purse
The *Weekly Home Blessing consists of: (Set a timer, and focus on each of these tasks for only 10 minutes each.)
-
Dust
-
Vacuum
-
Mop
-
Empty all trash
-
Change sheets
-
Polish mirrors & doors
-
Purge Magazines
Monthly: Separate your home into zones, and spend 15 minutes daily cleaning, focusing on one zone per week.
Zone 1: Entrance, Front Porch & Dining Room
Zone 2: Kitchen, Pantry
Zone 3: Main Bath, One Extra Room
Zone 4: Master Bedroom, Bath & Closet
Zone 5: Living Room, Den, Family Room
HOW DO I USE THESE TWO ROUTINES?
I don’t think one of these systems wins over the other. I like that they are both structured, but I feel like The FlyLady Routine is a bit more structured as far as how much time you spend cleaning per day. The Clean Mama Routine is a bit more open in that you can pick which room(s) you want to clean each month.
I also use The Two Minute Rule (By David Allen). It states that if an action will take less than two minutes to complete, it should be done at that moment it is defined. For instance, if I see my daughter wrote on the wall, I’m not going to wait until a specified cleaning day to clean it; I will do it in that moment I see it because it will just take a second with a Mr. Clean Magic Sponge. I use the same rule for emptying full garbages, cleaning the toilet and doing dishes.
In this respect, I guess I technically use the Flylady system already in my daily habits. However, when I first was introduced to these two systems, I liked the Clean Mama System better. For some reason, when someone tells me to do something, or if there is a rule I’m “supposed” to follow, I won’t do it, even if I was the implementor.
I like the freedom to do things when I want. However, I also have a full time online business that keeps me busy 24/7. Usually, I’m multi-tasking - cleaning, holding my daughter and uploading a video at the same time! I don’t get a lot of time to clean, and since I have a little one at home. time-blocking doesn’t come as easy to me as for some.
I think if you were good at planning and keeping things organized, and you had the ability to time-block, the Clean Mama System might work for you. If you have multiple things going on at once, and you don’t have a full day to devote to cleaning, perhaps a combination of these two systems would work better.
A third “type” of cleaning/organizing system is something called the Swedish Death Clean. In short, it is basically decluttering your things to a basic minimum so that everything has a place, and it is easy to maintain and to keep clean.
Two people I follow on YouTube, That Awkward Mom https://www.youtube.com/c/ThatAwkwardMom, and The Minimal Mom, https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMinimalMom have some really good tips on keeping your home clean, and clutter-free.
While I love the idea of a minimalist home, I also love stuff. I am a stationery-haulic, but to be fair, I also use all of my “stuff” for my business; it’s not just collecting dust on a shelf. I would love to find a way to keep my space decluttered and looking nice, while also being able to keep my things. However, it is proven that the less “stuff” you have, it is just easier to keep your area clean and tidy. You won’t have as much to pick up and dust and it appears neater since there is less clutter. Also, if you have a smaller home like I do, trying to keep the clutter to a minimum really opens up your space.
Happy Cleaning!
Sandra 🧡
0 comments