Simplifying Care Tasks
During the pandemic, a friend suggested I read How To Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and struggling to maintain any sense of order while I supported my kids through virtual school. I was a mess. I was also really hard on myself about being a mess.
Her book and website were game changers for me and I continue to use these methods today. The biggest shift was that 1) care tasks are morally neutral and 2) my house works for me, not the other way around. I did not have it all together and making myself feel bad about that wasn’t going to magically make me, my family, or my house = “put together.”
So, I introduce you to her “Five Things” method:
The method involves dividing everything in a room into five categories:
Trash
Dishes
Laundry
Things that have a place
Things that don't have a place
When you start to clean a room, you focus on one category at a time.
Start by picking up any trash in a bag. Then, gather any dishes and take them to the kitchen to be washed or put in the dishwasher. Next, gather any laundry and put it in the hamper or take it to the laundry room. You don’t have to take out the trash, do the dishes, or do the laundry just yet. It’s your choice to do it now or wait until steps 4 and 5.
Focus on the items that have a place. Put them back in their designated spots, such as books on a bookshelf or toys in a toy bin. Finally, focus on the items that don't have a place. Put them in a box or a bag. Decide then or later if they belong in the room, if they need to be stored elsewhere, or if they can be thrown away or donated.
The beauty is you get to decide if all you can muster is 5 minutes or 45 minutes. I use a Time Timer, grab a favorite drink and put in my headphones for music or podcast of my choice. I hope this helps you get started, because you deserve kindness no matter your level of functioning.