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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Apr 30, 2009 17:52:25 GMT -5
- The "BDG Method" of desqualoring/maintainingBDG was a longtime member of the former forums at Squalor Survivors. BDG was formerly known as "Bad Domestic Goddess" but changed her name to simplify and uplift it. Edited to add:BDG passed away in Sept. 2008.
(but I didn't know that when I started this thread.)
Her daughter finally found us in May 2009, and let us know. See the post in which BDG's daughter uses BDG's logon to graciously let us know about our friend.
takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/5212
BDG often posted about her method of cleaning. It's brilliant!
I recently found two posts from her, here at Stepping Out of Squalor, that describe her method:
From June 2008:
The way I clean is ...
As I go back and forth through the house, I carry dishes to the sink.
When I go to make my coffee, as the water heats, I empty or fill the dishwasher.
You would be surprised at what you can accomplish in two minutes.
As I go to the bathroom through the day, I spend a couple of extra minutes wiping down the sink or tossing the garbage in the garbage can or cleaning the commode.
Since the washer and dryer are near the bathroom, I often fill the washer or dryer and start it as I walk by.
While it may not seem like you can accomplish much this way, think of 3 minutes spent organizing or doing something to improve your life every time you get up anyway -- and if you just do something say 20 times a day for three minutes, it adds up to an hour of work you barely noticed.
Also you don't have to finish the job, just start it and leave the cleaning stuff right there -- and start another three minutes the next time you go into that room. Eventually it will get finished.
To make this happen, I keep a small bottle that you buy that has the cleaner and the paper towels inside and you just pull them off and close the container. This way, I always have what I need to wipe down the commode or the sink -- plus you can toss them in the garbage. It seems wasteful, but I have not went through the first container yet and I purchased it months ago.
Anyway, you might want to try and build the habit of doing things as you are up moving around the house anyway. I have arthritis in my knees, a bad back problem, and I am struggling with other health issues as well -- and this is the only way I can clean; as once I sit down, I am not going to get up just to clean.
But if I have to ache and move anyway to go to the bathroom or to get food, or for whatever reason I find myself up and about -- then I might as well make those two or three minutes count for something extra -- so I clean.
This helped me clean up the house and it helped me maintain even though I am struggling with health issues.
From August 2008:
The hard thing is that once you sat down and rest, one tends to lose their motivation, and it is difficult to get started again.
I do something to reduce the clutter or work load every time I get up.
When I go to the bathroom or get a drink, I throw in a few little things like carrying the dirty clothes from the den to the laundry room, since I have to go by the laundry to get to the bathroom
Or if I need to get something from the kitchen, I carry the dirty dishes from the den to the sink.
When I heat my coffee water, I empty or load the dishwasher depending on which one needs doing. Sometimes I finish, sometimes I don't, but it is at least started and ready to finish the next time I get up for something.
That is how I clean -- the aches and pains are just too bad to get up to clean, I am not that dedicated.  . But since I had to get up anyway, I throw in some small bits of cleaning as I go.
This actually keeps the mess down to minimum and makes the house manageable.
I generally get up around twenty times a day for some reason or another. If I manage to get in three minutes of work during this time, I am actually getting an hours worth of work done.
Usually I probably do 3-5 minutes, so I accomplish a lot more than one would think -- and I barely notice it, since I am not allowing myself to get too tired and I have to be up anyway. |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Apr 30, 2009 18:14:56 GMT -5
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Post by Vassili on Apr 30, 2009 18:17:28 GMT -5
BDG's method is really what should be going on in the workplace. Bosses expect people to do other tasks while their employees are waiting to finish something else. Like example, if one is waiting for the computer to finish loading something, usually the boss expect that person to organize the workstation, sweep the floor et cetera while the computer is loading. So, be your own boss! If you're idling waiting for a task to finish, pick up another small task to pass the time. One can even apply her method to using commercials during TV shows as time periods to get up and do something.  This is the most effective method I find for myself though. |
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Post by iprocrastinate on Apr 30, 2009 18:51:38 GMT -5
 BDG's method and "rule 222" are both perfect examples of why chat can be helpful. If I'm timing I can get a lot done in that 15 minutes. I like the idea of using microwave tea time to do something useful. Thanks BDG, Meme and you Lioness for bringing these threads up. I had not seen them before. Lioness, your research skills and memory are wonderful positives for this group. Thanks again!
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Apr 30, 2009 20:18:39 GMT -5
- The "do a task while you're waiting for something" concept has been discussed in various places. It's great, and we often forget it.  But the unique part of BDG's method is the part that says:
Every time you stand up, or have to go into another room:
- do a task while you're up,
- or CARRY something as you go,
- or do a task in a room as you're passing THROUGH that room (on the way to another part of your home).
- or do a task in a room while you're there for another reason.
- Every time you stand up, do a task while you're up:
BDG says that the hard thing is that once one sits down and rests, one tends to lose their motivation, and it is difficult to get started again. So she does something to reduce the clutter or work load every time she gets up.
- Every time you have to go into another room, CARRY something as you go:
If BDG is resting in the den, but needs to get something from the kitchen, she carries the dirty dishes from the den to the kitchen sink.
- Do a task in a room as you're passing THROUGH that room (on the way to another part of your home):
If BDG is resting in the den, but needs to go to the bathroom, she carries the dirty clothes from the den to the laundry room, since she has to go by the laundry to get to the bathroom.
- Do a task in a room while you're there for another reason:
Every time BDG has to use the bathroom throughout the day, she spends a couple of extra minutes wiping down the sink or tossing the garbage in the garbage can or cleaning the commode.
She says that "you don't have to finish the job, just start it and leave the cleaning stuff right there -- and start another three minutes the next time you go into that room. Eventually, it will get finished."
BDG stresses building the habit of doing things as you are up moving around the house anyway. But if I have to ache and move anyway to go to the bathroom or to get food or for whatever reason I find myself up and about -- then I might as well make those two or three minutes count for something extra, so I clean.
This helped me clean up the house and it helped me maintain, even though I am struggling with health issues.
BDG's mathematical calculation of how simple tasks add up: While it may not seem like you can accomplish much this way, think of 3 minutes spent organizing or doing something to improve your life every time you get up anyway -- and if you just do something say 20 times a day for three minutes, it adds up to an hour of work you barely noticed. I generally get up around twenty times a day for some reason or another; so if I manage to get in three minutes of work during this time, I am actually getting an hour's worth of work done.
Usually I probably do 3-5 minutes, so I accomplish a lot more than one would think and I barely notice it, since I am not allowing myself to get too tired and I have to be up anyway.
What I love about all this is that it CONSERVES your energy. You're already moving. Why not clean as you move, instead of cleaning as a separate effort?------------------- |
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Post by skatters on Apr 30, 2009 21:36:14 GMT -5
What I love about all this is that it CONSERVES your energy. You're already moving. Why not clean as you move, instead of cleaning as a separate effort? Well... that is a mighty fine idea. I am all about conserving my energy. (Someday I might explode with all this conserved energy, you would think.) I spend so much time stressing out about what needs to be done, but never actually doing anything. I could have done that something four times over, with the energy spent dreading. I keep trying to change that, but so far, it is not happening. I am going to try this. I have two toilets, and right now, the downstairs toilet is leaky. So everytime I need to potty, I have to go upstairs. What needs to be taken up? What can come down? And best yet, I am going to clean my bathroom 3 minutes at a time. Now, I am off to find some garbage sacks to take up to the bathroom. Because now, I gotta go. |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Apr 30, 2009 23:26:49 GMT -5
- BDG's idea of doing a task in a room as you're passing THROUGH that room ( on the way to another part of your home) -- brilliant ! I never would have thought of that. I have paperwork in piles and boxes in my bedroom. This paperwork needs to go to the desk area in the living room for sorting and filing. Where is my desk area? It's ON THE WAY from the bedroom to the kitchen. When traveling from bedroom to kitchen, I could choose to drop paperwork off at my desk area, because I'm passing by the desk area on my way. How many times have I walked from the bedroom to the kitchen? Zillions. It never occurred to me that I could drop things off along the way. Hmmmmmmmm...... Wow. This means that I could take a few handfuls of paperwork with me, every time I leave the bedroom to go to the kitchen in the morning. And casually drop the paperwork off at my desk. If I did this every day, eventually all the paperwork would be brought to the desk area. Gradually and effortlessly. Meanwhile, I could deal with a few papers each time I sit down at my desk, without making it into a Huge Project. I had previously thought that somehow I would need to devote an entire afternoon to moving the papers and sorting them and doing everything perfectly, etc., etc. This facet of the BDG method intrigues me.
Regarding the "doing a task while you're waiting for water to boil" idea: I've known about this concept for a couple of years now, but I've always resisted. Why? I don't know. My time is precious. Why not use it wisely? It also occurs to me that I could clean things while I'm waiting for web pages to load !
Anyway, you might want to try and build the habit of doing things as you are up moving around the house anyway. Oooooh. BDG suggests building a habit of these processes. All of her ideas are great new HABITS to build! - |
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Post by gettingsomewhere on May 1, 2009 7:01:12 GMT -5
brilliant!
thanks once more cl.
please don't explode just yet dear skat.
x
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Post by isolated on May 1, 2009 11:53:13 GMT -5
I am really liking the idea of this method. It seems so simple to make such a huge dent.
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Post by breakingfree on May 1, 2009 12:39:04 GMT -5
This is what I do! Once it becomes habit you don't even think about it and like someone else said, it all adds up and it doesn't feel like you did that much. I have an upstairs so I have places both at the top and foot of the stairs for things that go one place or the other and then take what I can as I go. This is a great post!
BF
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Post by Lucky Laura Loving Life on May 1, 2009 13:43:58 GMT -5
Dear CL,
I agree, it is the small "habits" that you work into your daily routine that really put a big dent in the mess. A rule my DH has is what we call the "Roofer's Rule" ,never would the roofers want to go up or down their ladders without consolidating it into other tasks like carrying supply's up or down with them or bringing down tear-off material with them.This is his way of phrasing the same basic principle. I try to always use the "Roofer's Rule" whenever I can.
Love,Laura
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Post by skatters on May 6, 2009 5:37:35 GMT -5
I lied. I haven't started using this method yet... but I want to. I am just experiencing some demand resistance. And all that does is hurt me.... /sigh.
How are others doing with this?
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hollymaid
New Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 99
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Post by hollymaid on May 6, 2009 8:38:35 GMT -5
Love it! Some days thats all I get done. I try to think of things as 30 second jobs, everyone can do 30 seconds. for example I am trying to teach the boys that they are ready have an empty container or bag or garbage in thier hands it would only take 30 seconds to put it in the garbage instead of tossing it on the floor or leaving it on the coffee table for me to pick up. It takes 30 sec. they are already 1/2 way there, its in their hands now they need to take it to the garbage..... I am never going to get thees guys married off ! |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on May 23, 2009 15:34:52 GMT -5
I'm bumping this up in honor of BDG. BDG has passed away. BDG's daughter posted -- using BDG's logon. Her daughter will be reading the following thread: takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/5212You can post your condolences there. |
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Post by messysue on May 23, 2009 20:24:48 GMT -5
I remember BDG's post on her cleaning method. I too try to carry something with me when I go from one room to another. ETE: Erase the evidence helps keep the status quo. Cleaning up today's mess, now. I'm working on changing my thinking that cleaning has to be perfect. It doesn't. A job only 80% done is better then the same job 100% UNDONE, !! Today I cleaned most of the outside of my picture window. I cleaned as high as I could reach. (Between the heat and my fibromyalgia, I didn't want to carry the stepladder outside.) I don't remember who I got the trash bag trick from. BDG? Margaret? I have a grocery plastic bag by my sink. In the LR, bath room and bedrooms I hang the grocery plastic bags on the door knobs. Trash from these areas go in the plastic bags. I find trash finds its way more often into the trash when the bags are available close by. Geo used to hate my doing this but now he too likes this method. Working in Threes or having a daily or weekly To Do List is helpful too. |
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