The AT Cleaning Report, Week 2. Days 8-14

As most of you already know, one of my biggest challenges in life is cleaning. It is a repetitive, thankless task without lasting payoff.

Checklists (and blogging about them) help. When I finished the January Cure, I wanted a way to keep the house clean--so I decided to use this cleaning schedule from AT. It promises I can complete each task in 20 minutes a day. Sometimes that's true--and sometimes it isn't.

Here's what happened last week.

8. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house (don't forget stairs)

To get it done in 20 minutes, I broke a sweat running around the house like a madwoman with the broom in hand. I switched to the swiffer to do our bedroom--changed the little dusting cloth twice, it was so bad.

9. Surface clean bedrooms

I had no idea what this meant. It shows up a couple more times this month, too. I decided it meant I should put away a few clothes, make the bed and dust. This time.

10. Deep clean living room (mirrors, baseboards, dust artwork)

This was my assigned weekly task for the Spring Cleaning Challenge hosted by a Bowl Full of Lemons. And, as it was a day off, I took the day--never mind 20 minutes. But I tackled

it on the 11th!

11. Clean bathrooms.

It's official. 20 minutes is not enough time to clean both bathrooms. I started with the powder room upstairs since the floor really needed my attention. (Our toilets are not flushing properly and we have floods fairly regularly.) When I was done, I had only three minutes left on my timer--just enough to swish and swipe downstairs. (Running in between floors isn't counted in my time.)

world's tiniest "master ensuite."

12. Clean out closets (hang up clothes, mittens, jackets, hats)

This was the weirdest one yet. I opened my coat closet, looked inside, and grabbed a mop (and spare mophead) I'd been meaning to get rid of since the New Year. I took it to work and tossed it in the dumpster there. Other than that, I was at a bit of a loss.

13. Surface clean "extra" rooms

I decided that my extra room is the dining room. It could also be my laundry room. I was in a huge hurry, so I wound up merely sweeping the floor.

14. Deep clean bedrooms (organize drawers, check under bed, tidy closet, dust artwork, fans, lights, mop)

Already this week, I've swiffered the floor in here, dusted, tidied, and cleared off the surfaces. I wasn't sure what else to do, really. I decided to change the sheets even though it wasn't suggested by the list. That took me my twenty minutes. Then I dusted and swiffered--and put away a laundry hamper of clothes. That took another ten. I honestly don't think my bedroom has ever been so clean! (Though I did forget all about the fan blades!)

I switched to the red because: Valentine's Day. But I'm thinking the plaid was not a great choice!

So, here we are. Another week begins tomorrow. I am already thinking of ways to tweak this list to make it better for me--but a weird thing is happening in my brain as I do that. The list loses its authority, somehow. It loses its status. It becomes just another thing that I do--rather than THIS THING I'm doing. As a result, I feel less inclined to do it. 

Am I making sense--even though it makes no sense, no sense at all?

ETA: When I got home from work this evening, my husband Chris had cleaned up! The dishes were done, surfaces were clear--the laundry had even been taken down to the laundry room. I was most impressed. I have to say that sometimes the pay off to committing myself to cleaning is more than just a clean house. I am so grateful.

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