JUST THE KiTCHEN SiNK

 

 

Is your home welcoming or would you rather leave snow piled up at the front door to discourage would-be-visitors from knocking?  It is true, some homes are most unwelcoming with overflowing stacks of papers, closets threatening mutiny and collections of stuff gathering dust.  Cleaning an entire house that is crammed with stuff-n-junk gets my belly all tied up in layers of knots!  The idea of grinding away for hours and hours, days on end conquering the CHAOS that is supposed to be a home is on par with trying to eat an elephant in one sitting! 

How do you eat an elephant, anyway?  (metaphorically speaking)  One bite at a time!!!

What's the point?   A friend once told me her idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.  Ha! Funny lady!  Ralph Waldo Emerson had a different perspective.  "A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master and a task for life:  he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days."   Keeping a home in order is about being a good steward and taking care of your corner of the world. It requires time, effort and a desire to change.

Where to begin? Rather than focusing on the enormity of a whole house cleaning project, how about tackling one small area: the kitchen sink!  Every home has one. It is a public place people often use as a dumping ground. What is it about the kitchen sink that beacons people to toss in a dish and leave it there until crusty, greenish, science experiments are growing on the surface? 

Solution?  Whether you live alone (and it's always your turn to do dishes) or whether you live with others (who contribute to the sink clutter) starting a new habit will benefit everyone in the household!  Here is a simple idea that yields gigantic results: 

iF YOU DiRTY iT, WASH iT

Be brave enough to start the habit!  Pull on the rubber gloves!  Wash, dry and put away the dishes in and around the sink.  Scour, polish and buff the sink until it sparkles back at you.  Once it is shining, keep it that way throughout the day.  Post a note above the sink to remind yourself and others of the new goal.

Be patient.  It takes 21 days to replace an old habit with something new. Give yourself time to 'reset your default mode.'

You've taken a step in the right direction.  Go to bed at each night with a sparkling, polished sink and it will still be shining back at you in the morning!  What a way to wonderful way to start the day.

SHiNE ON!