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5 Tactics for Keeping Up Your Space
And how I prioritized maintenance.
I always considered myself a fully functional person with one exception: my living space was completely disheveled.
My struggle with home maintenance had never been a lack of energy; instead it was a lack of prioritization. I used to think maintenance was something I could take or leave, but now I know it’s foundational to a clear mind.
These days I live a reasonably organized life. And if anything, I’ve learned that that life takes constant maintenance. I will always toggle between enjoying it and keeping it up. In other words, I’ll never be “done” with mundane tasks.
That being said, here’s a few tactics I’ve employed over the years to turn tidying, organizing, and cleaning from a chore into an automatic habit.
1. The Daily Three-Punch List
Every day I make a list of three tasks to complete. It comprises of two quick items and one that may take more effort (a jab-jab-cross combination).
Two recent examples:
Monday
- Check fridge for spoiled food
- Organize anything in the basement for 12 minutes (including figuring out the what & how)
- Wash and hang laundry
Tuesday
- Put hanging laundry away
- Unload dishwasher
- Clean fridge
For a bigger task, half the work is breaking it down—and I do this by placing smaller “steps” across different days. Alternatively, if there’s something in the house that needs attention, but I don’t know where to start, I’ll set a timer for twelve minutes and figure it out then.
In reality, some days I do more tasks, and some days I might just get to one. But having a list gives me something to anchor to, and forces me to think daily about the small things that would improve my living.
2. Be Ready to Leave 10 Minutes Early
Whenever I’m at home and have some place to go, I always include another 10 minutes into my “leave-by” calculations. And then I try to be ready at that time with my keys and…
