Three More Magic Words to Help the Housekeeping Get Done
My bedroom is on the second floor at the end of a long hallway, and because of this, I have made a habit of setting things on the bottom stair to put away the next time I go up. If you know that I am Not Naturally Organized, I’m sure you also know this could be a recipe for disaster. We can all imagine stuff piling up for days and days and eventually tumbling down the stairs. But ever since I implemented the three magic words “How about now?” something extraordinary has happened: I actually grab the things whenever I climb the stairs.
A few weeks ago, on the way upstairs to my bedroom, I paused to pick up something awaiting me. I can’t actually remember what it was, but I know it was mine and it belonged in my closet. As I headed up the stairs and walked the long hallway, I thought about how far I have come since making “How about now?” a part of my daily life. I thought of all the people who have written to tell me how these words have changed their own lives. It was amazing how something so simple could bring such a profound change. Was I ever happy and proud! And then I walked into my bedroom, set the thing I was carrying on the bed and turned to … wait a minute!
I realized something: I had taken the time to 1. Pick up this item from somewhere on the first floor, 2. set it on the stairs to be taken to my bedroom, 3. actually grab it the next time I climbed the stairs, and 4. walk with it down the long hall and into my bedroom, only to set it on my bed, mere steps from my closet where it belonged. I also knew this was not an isolated event.
Frequently I’ll put in a load of laundry, remember to toss it in the dryer, pull it out as soon as it’s done, dump it on my bed (miracle of miracles!), fold it — and then I can’t really tell you what happens after that. The image goes sort of black, but at bedtime I am frequently surprised by neat stacks of clothes I have to deal with before I can go to bed. I want to tell you I do finally put the clothes away, but I’m usually tired and stack everything in a laundry basket to be dealt with the next day.
I saw there were limits to how far “How about now?” will take you. I knew I needed more magic. But what? And then it came to me.
“All the way.”
Arrow Marquee Light - $99.99I had established the habit of picking up things as I went about my day, but with so many tasks, I tended to fall just short of completion. Now I knew I just needed to take things … all the way.
Just like with “How about now?” the solution was simple, but actually putting it into practice takes a Herculean strength, at least in the beginning.
Are you with me?
At first you have to watch yourself. But the more you pay attention and make sure to do all the things a job requires, the more natural it becomes. And if you have already been asking yourself, “How about now?” it really only takes a bit more effort to follow through … all the way.
Even if we aren’t always aware of the things we neglect to do on a daily basis, it’s pretty easy to spot them once we begin to pay attention. If any of this sounds vaguely familiar, I recommend you start with the first thing you thought of when you were reading this ideabook. Laundry piled on the bed? Cabinet doors left open? Books stacked on the desk, right next to the bookcase? Garden tools propped against the house?
If you’re still stumped, you could always ask the closest Naturally Organized person you can find. If you live with one, he or she probably has an itemized list. Don’t try to do everything at once, and be sure to be patient with yourself as you go. Keep moving forward. Make a new habit and then another. The habits will build on one another and make the way clear, in every possible sense.
How about you? What are the things you find yourself doing not quite all the way?
Part 1: Three Magic Words for a Clean Home and a Better Life
