18 January, 2010

Everything I Need To Know...

... about housecleaning I learned from quilting. I've been cleaning house for a LONG time and I only began applying this principle on Friday. OK, so I'm a slow learner. I used to clean one room at a time, in it's entirety. "Why", I asked myself, "was I doing it like that?" I don't put together a quilt that way. I certainly wouldn't cut out all the pieces for ONE BLOCK at a time, sew those together, press them, and then begin on block #2. No, I would do all my cutting, all my sewing, all my pressing, for all the blocks at once and expedite the process. Employing that same technique I attacked my housecleaning with a renewed vengeance. I whipped through all the toilets and vanities first, cleaning and mopping. Then the dusting; ALL the dusting. Glass tabletops followed, and mirrors, done! Finally, the vacuuming, the whole house... in one fell swoop. I was through, and in record time no less! I might be a slow learner but I'm a fast remember-er, I'm not going back to the room-by-room method anytime soon; not after I know what I know now. What other life lessons are there, just waiting to be learned, right here in my own sewing room?

Life is Good!

14 comments:

Quiltdivajulie said...

LOVE your revelation ... DH and I tackle ours when we work - he does bathrooms and I vacuum, pick up, tidy, put away, etc etc. Under 1/2 day (easy) and we're done so we can go play in our studios (that is powerful motivation to keep moving).

Deep cleaning room by room has its place, but not for every day!

Paula, the quilter said...

And this is the way I have always done it. Having a small house helps, tho, when time is pressing.

Nane said...

If you ever feel the need to teach, you can come over and demo this method at my house!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't imagine just doing the one room at a time unless we are talking a good Spring cleaning kind of day. Doesn't it feel good to have the house tidy and now some quilting!! :-)

Brenda said...

I never thought of it in quite that way but you are so right! Thanks for sharing your "tips and tricks"! B=)

Karen Newman Fridy said...

when you get done at Nane's, head on over to my place! ;)

problem at my house is that by the time I get back around to the room I started in, it already needs to be done over! ah, the joys of 2 boys and two dogs...

Purple Quilter Queen said...

Funny you should post this. That is the way I tackle log cabin blocks. All at the same rate, like cleaning, that way I'm always at the same stopping place on each one if I decide I'm tired and want to stop. Same way with cleaning...each room is in the same stage. Good idea!! Jenn

SubeeSews said...

You clever quilter. You are so very correct. Very efficient!

I finally am tearing off my acrylic nails too. Just have two thumbs and one finger to go. You are right it does hurt. But it also feels so good to have sharp nails again. The kitties seems to like the "scritchin" better too.

Anonymous said...

Hey, can you come to my house? Ha! Ha! LOL

AnnieO said...

Good for you! I still find myself doing the one room method, along with what I call "futile cleaning", where you take an item from one room to the next room, then you start doing something in there. But an item doesn't belong in that room either and needs moving so you take it to another room, start cleaning in there...before you know it, an hour has passed, nothing is clean, and you feel like giving up! Now I try to always bring things out of rooms as I go about my daily business, but when cleaning I stick things that don't belong just outside the door, and take them all at once. Luckily DH is tidier than I am and we have a housekeeper once a month for a thorough cleaning (a necessary luxury I call it!)

Gari in AL said...

Well, I think this is a great idea. I had never thought about it but have done more one room cleaning than overall but I will be trying your method. I like it!!

Teresa said...

What a great suggestion. I have always vacuumed the entire house at once, mainly because I hate dragging out the vacuum cleaner. But everything else - I did one room at a time. I will have to give your efficient method a go. My husband has "hired" a young friend to help us move furniture this weekend - and we have a big fruit basket turnover to accomplish on Saturday. I am actually looking forward to it!

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Cleaning? What's that?

Kathleen said...

Wonderful connection! And you are right, it is faster that way. Now, back to your learning center, er, sewing room.