Mother Nature, Stephen Covey, and A Little Bit of Monica

Mother Nature - The Best Example

Mother Nature Divides by Four -- So Do I

In keeping with the nature of four seasons, and inspired by the renewal of Spring, I follow Mother Nature's approach. Divide and conquer.

Instead of "Spring cleaning" annually, I "Spring clean" all year round, one quarter at a time. I mentally dissect my house into four seasonal zones:

• Bedrooms = Winter
• My studio = Spring
• Living/kitchen/dining room = Summer
• Garage = Fall

I also tackle self-improvement seasonally:

• Spirit = Winter
• Mind = Spring
• Body = Summer
• Career = Fall

Of course, "Spring cleaning" means deep cleaning. Daily cleaning never ends, nor does self-improvement. Especially now, in the midst of this pandemic, there's not half an hour that passes without cleaning, and a whole lot of thinking about who I choose to be in this new world.

I know I'm not alone in that...

Not If, But When

Every quarter, during the first two weeks of January, April, July, and October, I roll out "Spring cleaning" of my home and myself:

• January is bedrooms + spirit.
• April is my studio + mind.
• July is kitchen, living, and dining room + body.
• And October is garage + career.

I'm about 10 years from retiring, so I maximize my career choices while I'm still working. I consider career an essential component of my overall health, so it gets equal "Spring cleaning" time alongside spirit-body-mind.

Strictly speaking, I deep clean my world quarterly, not during the official start of each season. I love celebrating Winter Solstice, Summer Solstice, all of it. Seriously, who doesn't want to celebrate nature?

I strive to keep ahead of the deluge, because that makes me happy.

Doesn't mean there aren't little messes. Oh, no. My maker hands always are getting into something, like clockwork, which means messes happen pretty much year round.

But that's part of my sweet life.

And having a strategy and keeping ahead of the curve doesn't mean I have it all figured out. Far from it.

But I no longer hold onto things or unachievable ideas to fill me up. I am enough exactly as I am. And you are too.

Stephen R. Covey, The Game Changer

The Seven Habit Applied: "Spring Cleaning" Effectively

Early on, nothing in my life had a place, least of all me. Then one glorious day I read a life-changing book and everything fell into place. I mean that literally and figuratively. I got myself and my house in order. And I've worked to keep it that way ever since.

The late Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, offered the know-how I needed to get my life in order, and now I keep it in order.

His framework ensures I arrive again and again at my best self.

As a result, "Spring cleaning" is straight-forward, even easy. My house is always 95 percent decluttered to begin with.

My Distillation of the Seven

Get your self in order and the rest will follow.

An enormous challenge, you say? Perhaps an obvious thing to do? Indeed.

The work is important, timely, valuable, and honest. And it saved my life.

Why not put your effort into what actually matters to you?

Once you do, you'll realize how much time is wasted on what other people want for you and from you.

Be proactive.

Action and inaction have consequences.

Why not take charge of your life? Start with one step. One decision. One action.

"Spring cleaning" is all about getting you to a better place. A clean, vibrant, refreshed, effective space.

Are you familiar with the adage, "You reap what you sow"?

Let's dig a little deeper.

• A thought begets an action.
• An action begets a habit.
• A habit begets a character.
• A character begets a destiny.
• A destiny begets a legacy.

Break any part of the chain and you'll still earn yourself a legacy, just not the one you intended.

Begin with the end in mind.

What do you want in your life? In your house? In your self? Do you want clutter? Do you want clean lines? Do you want space to think and move and breathe?

Knowing what "end" you want your efforts to have makes all the difference. Otherwise you're Alice in Wonderland, stumbling along but never getting anywhere.

That's not to say the journey isn't important. The journey is everything. The question is, which journey do you want? Your own chosen path, or someone else's for you?

So, practical advice for "beginning with the end in mind": Ask yourself if you want to see your belongings? Does that approach make you happy? If yes, then begin with that end in mind. Keep the things you want to display, and work toward decluttering the rest.

Do you prefer to not see your things? Would you rather all of your belongings be neatly tucked away? Do clean lines fill your heart with gladness? Then begin with that end in mind. If it is important to you, combine this rule and the next -- begin knowing you want clean lines and then prioritize keeping only those things that matter.

Know yourself first and foremost. That's "the end" with which to begin.

Put first things first.

Make room for the things that matter most, and also for the people in your life.

If an object isn't a priority, let it go. Donate, sell, or trash (always, the last option is trash).

For me, the first thing is room to breathe. So I make that a priority. I prioritize open space over objects in every part of my house except my studio. In my studio, I prioritize the things I need to create my projects. So that "end" is all about ensuring I can find what I need, when I need it, effectively and efficiently.

For my studio, I use clear acrylic stackable boxes in interchangeable sizes. I can pull out the drawers when I need to, or just glance around the room when I need to know my inventory. It's a completely successful way to operate for my purposes.

Think win-win.

I happily share my home with my husband. I wouldn't have it any other way. Of course that means his belongings get equal space alongside mine.

We have to agree what goes where. In terms of "Spring cleaning," our mutual happiness in the space is the "win-win."

In our common rooms, we make every decision together. What stays, what goes.

When "Spring cleaning" time hits for these spaces--primarily, the living, dining, kitchen, and garage areas--following to the schedule I laid out earlier, we spend two weeks working through every choice, one at a time, together.

Seek first to understand, and then to be understood.

This habit is crucial.

When it comes to "Spring cleaning," seeking first to understand the people who share your living space.

Believe it or not, unless you live alone, your living space not all about you. "Spring cleaning" is the perfect time to understand what everyone else wants and needs from the home you share.

When everyone else feels heard and seen, then it's your turn.

Ask questions. Find out how your loved ones thrive. Do they like to see objects displayed? Do they like the same kinds of displays? What are the aesthetics of their choice? Do some of our housemates prefer a more minimalist approach?

Making sure that your housemates know that you prioritize their needs in the space you share together will create greater harmony for all of you.

Synergize.

Collaboration and cooperation are "Spring cleaning" musts. As a habit, take the time to bring everyone together to address the common areas of your home.

The decisions you make together will produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of your individual efforts. That's what it is to achieve synergy.

If everyone can see themselves in the things that are granted space in your home, that's when a house becomes a home.

Sharpen the Saw.

"Sharpening the saw" is about keeping your habits in good working order. That's why I approach "Spring cleaning" as a quarterly endeavor--it's become something I enjoy, rather than an annual "all or nothing" fiasco I have to psyche myself up to get around to.

A Little Bit of Monica in My Life

Cleaning isn't just for breakfast anymore.

For Friends' Monica Geller, cleaning is a way of life. She embraces cleaning like her life depends on it. And she does it with humor and style.

Fortunately, my house isn't as large as her apartment so it takes me half the time.

Make It Fun

Monica is not only a clean freak, she's a serious competitor who likes to have a good time.

Why not make cleaning a game?

Establish a contest where the winner wins by donating the most items. Or by selling the most. Or by up-cycling the most.

For those items in your home that no one can agree on, invite impartial friends or neighbors to come over. Make a party out of deciding what says or goes. Your 'judges' get one vote each, and the most votes wins.

Have all of your household's members identify belongings to potentially donate or sell. For objects about which there's a lack of consensus (and here we're talking only about common area items), try grouping things by color (red items, blue items, green items, etc.). Then set a maximum number of items to keep per color. Dare to go to the extreme: Keep no more than one item per color.

Hold an online auction for charity. Take pictures of all the things you no longer want, need, or have room for -- all those things that don't reflect you anymore -- and have yourself a silent auction. All proceeds go to a worthy charity of your choice.

Exchange things for education. Say, getting a college degree is a priority for someone in your home. Cool. But the cost of tuition is crazy high. IKR. Invite everyone in the household (and friends and neighbors and coworkers...) to donate items to sell. Then create a sale online. Clearly state that your object is to sell gently used items for the purpose of raising funds for college. You'll be rid of stuff, and better financially prepared to pay your way to that BA.

Apply the Five Second Rule.

For me, Spring is the time when I thoroughly clean my studio. I work clockwise around the room. I touch an object, and I decide within five seconds where it belongs: With me or not.

Then I repeat that approach with every other object in the space.

With things, like art supplies, either the materials are treasure, or it's time to donate, repurpose, trash, or sell it. I usually contact friends who are artists, or donate to local charities who work with children or which offer art therapy. Sometimes I'll donate to local schools -- they have theater and art departments that benefit from my overstock.

Loved But No Longer Needed Items... If you love it, but no longer need it, or simply don't have a place for it, keep the memories. But not the objects.

Take beautiful pictures and create a photo album--one with a narrative about the object and why it mattered to you. Create one book for one item, or one book for all the items you're giving new life.

Tell the story--your story--through the objects of your past. Then let them be in the past. Share your photo book online. Maybe you'll find there's a community for that, or long-distance relatives who'd love to see the items through any number of online platforms.

You don't have to possess everything. If the object is 1) holding you back, 2) filling space that could serve a different purpose, or 3) costing you money to store, the question becomes: Are you in possession, or are you possessed?

If your possessions are becoming anchors, let go. Never hold on to anything that drags you down.

With people, it's stay or walk away.

If you're in it, be in it. Give it everything you've got.

If you're not in, walk away. Spring cleaning at its best.