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Post by limegreen on May 23, 2009 20:45:36 GMT -5
I think of the old wartime slogan "Is your journey really necessary" (designed to cut down on fuel and free up trains for troops and supplies) and make my trips about the house really useful by carrying stuff to where it belongs, picking up trash, or dusting a shelf as I pass it. It's a tradition in the family to holler this after retreating children to make them pick up their dishes to take back to the kitchen, I've just tried to make it work more for me.
Somehow, I don't know how, I have the bathroom tasks down this way. I always wipe the basin, counters and shower down when I have a shower. Each time I visit for a ... (well I'll spare you the detials, you can guess) I'll either wipe the seat, clean the bowl or dust the lid. Takes less time to do than it does to talk about. The only part of the bathroom I don't have sorted is cleaning the floor, though I have taken to shimmying across the floor on the towel I'm about to toss in the laundry which at least takes care of the dust, if not actually cleaning.
I really want to implement similar strategies about the house, the kitchen and the living room could really really do with a system.
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Post by crazycatlady on May 23, 2009 21:47:18 GMT -5
Thank you, Lioness, for bumping this thread in BDG's honor. I have already started doing this in a very small way. By concentrating on BDG's method over the next few weeks, and doing it more often, I can make a huge difference n my home, and honor BDG at the same time.
I have begun using the cleaning wipes recently. I think that is what BDG was talking about when she mentioned the cleaning fluid with the little towels in them. A part of me says not to use them, as they are more costly than a bottle of spray and a paper towel. But getting out the spray and paper towels or rags can feel like "work". Pulling a moist towelette out of a jar and giving a quick swipe is, well, quick. As BDG said, well worth the cost!
Regarding demand resistance....I just don't have it against these little "add ons". Somehow, it is almost like cheating. Just grabbing one dirty pair of socks off the living room floor as I am walking to the kitchen for a drink of water (laundry room is right next to the kitchen). Taking several dirty dishes off the table when I get up, instead of just mine, or instead of walking away and leaving my dirty dish there! I just need to do it EVERY time I move, not occasionally. 
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on May 26, 2009 11:35:17 GMT -5
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 , Thanks for letting us know that the "Roofer's Rule" works the same way! I hadn't heard of it before, but it makes sense! |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on May 26, 2009 11:48:28 GMT -5
I think of the old wartime slogan "Is your journey really necessary" (designed to cut down on fuel and free up trains for troops and supplies) and make my trips about the house really useful by carrying stuff to where it belongs, picking up trash, or dusting a shelf as I pass it.
It's a tradition in the family to holler this after retreating children to make them pick up their dishes to take back to the kitchen, I've just tried to make it work more for me. , Thanks for letting us know about the wartime adage: "Is your journey really necessary?!" (designed to cut down on fuel and free up trains for troops and supplies) Interesting parallel ! Wow, it's a tradition in your family to holler "Is your journey really necessary?!" after retreating children -- to make them pick up their dishes to take back to the kitchen ! Cool ! It's a tradition in the family to holler this after retreating children to make them pick up their dishes to take back to the kitchen, I've just tried to make it work more for me.
Somehow, I don't know how, I have the bathroom tasks down this way.
I always wipe the basin, counters and shower down when I have a shower.
Each time I visit for a ... (well I'll spare you the details, you can guess) I'll either wipe the seat, clean the bowl or dust the lid. Takes less time to do than it does to talk about.
The only part of the bathroom I don't have sorted is cleaning the floor, though I have taken to shimmying across the floor on the towel I'm about to toss in the laundry which at least takes care of the dust, if not actually cleaning.
I really want to implement similar strategies about the house, the kitchen and the living room could really really do with a system. Sounds like you're doing great at finding ways to implement this family tradition in your own life ! |
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hopehope
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815 
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Post by hopehope on May 26, 2009 18:37:35 GMT -5
I love the image of the shimmying limey... (psst! are you nekkid when you do?)  |
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Post by marigold on May 27, 2009 2:00:00 GMT -5
I remember Script once mentioning the waitress method - it's similar to BDG's. When you pick up order from one table, you don't just go straight to the bar to get the ordered drinks, but you also pick up dirty cups and bottles from the tables on your way there, and give them a quick wipe down. On your way back, you might pick another order if it's on your way to the designated table... You try to do a lot while you're on your way, not coming back specifically for each task. That way you save loads of unnecessary walking (and time, and energy). Very efficient.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on May 28, 2009 8:26:27 GMT -5
I remember Script once mentioning the waitress method - it's similar to BDG's.
When you pick up order from one table, you don't just go straight to the bar to get the ordered drinks, but you also pick up dirty cups and bottles from the tables on your way there, and give them a quick wipe down. On your way back, you might pick another order if it's on your way to the designated table... You try to do a lot while you're on your way, not coming back specifically for each task.
That way you save loads of unnecessary walking (and time, and energy). Very efficient. Thanks, marigold. Great analogy! |
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messytessy
New Member
Joined: April 2009
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Post by messytessy on May 28, 2009 11:41:33 GMT -5
This is great time management. This morning while I was waiting for my coffee to brew I swept the kitchen floor.
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Post by Sapphire on Jan 5, 2011 8:01:59 GMT -5
I remembered this post earlier today and felt the need to bump!  |
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Post by dayeanu on Jan 5, 2011 8:40:27 GMT -5
Sapphire, thanks!
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Post by dairy2mama on Jan 6, 2011 17:49:21 GMT -5
I have a trash can by the door in every room so when I am walking by I can throw trash in any room. I need to conquer my paper mess. dairy2mama
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Post by Meme on Jan 6, 2011 18:52:52 GMT -5
room to room garbage cans really made my life easier--- I have been able to cut the sizes down now as I have less garbage to deal with- but I appreciate those cans so much= I call then my garbage pals--  |
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Post by CaringFriend on Jan 6, 2011 20:53:47 GMT -5
Before we moved recently, I completely decluttered and packed our upstairs (3 bedrooms + bathroom) during commercials while watching TV up there in the evenings. It happened so gradually that I was amazed - jaw dropped - when I realized that it was all completed and there was nothing else to do!!
Have been doing the "taking things with me every time I leave the room" for a long time. Amazing how little things like that make such a difference. Cleaning and making a visual difference in your home doesn't have to mean an all day or all weekend marathon. I even noticed that my demand resistance tendency doesn't balk at doing these little things.
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Post by Louie on Dec 8, 2013 1:06:05 GMT -5
So nice to see that this is in the 'favourite threads' section. BDGs methods was a real lifeline for me when I first started here as I was quite unwell and could not do a lot. It helped me get out of the rut of thinking that because I could not do a lot, then I may as well not do anything.
This time round I have got back into BDGs method pretty quickly. I still have days when I am unwell and can't much more than rest on the lounge, interspersed with days of reasonably good health.
I have a stash of small plastic bags in most room of the house so I can grab one and pick up some trash when I'm passing by, or waiting for something. Last week I bought a couple of packs of those disposable cleaning wipes and put them in the two bathrooms and laundry. It's so easy now to just grab a wipe and clean a small area while I'm there for something else. I have also put some window cleaner and newspapers in a few of the rooms and plan on doing the windows via BDGs method.
It reminds me of the saying ' a journey of a thousand miles begins with just a single step' - recommended for anyone struggling with health problems.
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polishrose
New Member
Joined: February 2014
Posts: 74
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Post by polishrose on Feb 26, 2014 2:45:28 GMT -5
I'm going to use this method!This will really help I think because there are 3 floor in our house and nobody ever wants to go all the way up to the top for anything except at bedtime.
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