being in "the Zone"

I read this book about 10 years ago and it changed my life.  Really.
 
At the time I was a young mom trying to take care of little ones and keep a tidy house.  I know, I know.  IMPOSSIBLE.  But this book helped me atleast keep it under control.  I still use it to this day.
 
The idea behind this book is to break your home up into ZONES.  Each week you spend a few minutes a day deep cleaning in the ZONE for the week.  
 
 My Zones are broken up like this:
Zone 1:  Formal living and dining rooms, laundry room
Zone 2:  Kid's rooms
Zone 3:  Family Room/ Media Room/ office bathroom
Zone 4:  Kitchen
Zone 5: Game room, my office, upstairs bath, hobby closet
Zone 6: Master bedroom and bathroom
 
This week I am working in Zone 4 (kitchen).  The list looks like this.
Zone 4:
Kitchen
Declutter, 27 fling boogie
(this is a term she coined for throwing out 27 things you dont need in the area)
Empty the dishwasher
Wipe counters
Trash out
Clean trash can
Declutter kitchen desk area
Bar chairs clean
Polish kitchen chairs
Clean fridge out
Clean fridge bins
clean stove top
clean oven
Sweep
Mop
Clean drawers, organize
Clean cabinets, organize
magic eraser spots on walls
disinfect switch plates
clean garage door
clean pantry door
disinfect door knobs
Kitchen windows
dust blinds
clean microwave
Dust
windex outside of the dishwasher
Water plants
Light fixtures
Under the sink
dust above the fridge
Organize meds
Under the bar
Clean out freezer
Garage freezer
organize the pantry
wipe down baseboards
 
Anyway.  That is the jest of the system.  I set a timer for about fifteen minutes and do as many of the jobs on the list in fifteen minutes that I can.  I pick up where I left off the next day.  Some days I might have enought time to get it all done in one day.  That works too.   
You should give it a try if you feel like things are out of control at your house.
Happy Zoning!



 

Comments

hoLLy said…
totally going to find and read this book! since we moved here and had baby #5, i'm drowning over here :)

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