How to Find The Hidden Joys of Cleaning

An abundance of happiness awaits

So, we have a paradox where washing the dishes one time is seemingly unimportant. But washing them 10,000 times (consistently, every day) is important because that repetition ensures that we always have plates and silverware at our disposal. But we can’t wash the dishes 10,000 times unless we start by washing them once. A single action done correctly and repeatedly makes all the difference in our lives.

― Alex Kakuyo, Perfectly Ordinary: Buddhist Teachings for Everyday Life

Since we now treat our home like a five-star luxury hotel, we have become more aware of how our living environment affects us. Keeping our home neat and tidy is more than a chore. It has become a way to keep the feeling of living in a unique place.

On my 100-day journey exploring abundance, I share with you the joy of maintaining the overflow of our homes neat and tidy.

On Sundays, I like to do a little extra cleaning and tidying to get our home ready for the week. Since our space is now an office, a school, and a place to live, there are more details to consider.

I started in our living area or lounge. We always keep books and magazines there to read in the afternoons or evenings. It is a joyful place to be, an area of comfort and refuge.

In the extended time I spent cleaning yesterday, I had no idea how much joy it would bring to me.

I want to share with you some tips for cleaning and organizing your home.

Treat Your Living Room Like a Comfortable Lounge

If you like to read books and magazines in your living room as we do, make sure to go through them monthly.

Go through your magazines first. If they are outdated, or you have gotten all of the joy you can out of them, it is time to recycle or give them away.

I love to read food magazines. Those contain a lot of fun recipes. Sometimes I am excited to try the recipes right away. Other times I choose to save them for later.

Yesterday I clipped out all of the recipes I wanted to keep, then recycled the rest of the magazines.

Next, go through your books. Make sure to return library books that are due. If you have books that you own and have finished reading them, return them to your bookshelf.

I keep a small canvas bag on a hook in our coat closet for library books to return. That way, they do not end up lost or all over the house.

Keep just a small basket of current books in our lounge area. The rest of the books are kept on bookshelves downstairs in our TV area. This system allows us to have plenty of books to read, but they do not pile up.

While I go through the books and magazines, I can quickly dust the table and lamp in that area. If you make tasks simple, they will get done.

Create a Kitchen for a Chef

To love cleaning your kitchen, look at it through the eyes of a chef.

Chefs need a lot of clear space to create healthy, beautiful food. Keep your counters free of clutter. After each mealtime, everyone should participate in clearing the area.

Keep the tools and ingredients you use daily near your food preparation areas. For example, I keep the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a tray near the stove.

Stand back and look at your kitchen like you were walking into the work area of a restaurant. Is it clear, clean, and functional?

Over the past few days, I have enjoyed shining the surfaces of appliances and cabinets in our kitchen. All it takes is a small sponge, soap, and water.

The reason it has become more fun is that I see our space with fresh new eyes.

Imagining I am a guest in a luxury space makes me want to take better care of everything.

As a chef, would you want to work here?

Make a Loving Entry Space

When you enter a luxury space, you expect to feel at ease. How does your entry area make you feel?

The main idea is to keep your entryway functional for what you need to store and use. However, it should also feel peaceful to you.

Our entry is a small one. There is no foyer or hallway before you see the main living area. That is why I like to keep our small console table and coat closet clear and neat.

That way, whenever we enter our home, we feel welcome.

I have a large glass bowl to place our keys and other everyday items such as wallets or work badges. These are on top of a table that also has a small storage area inside.

In the evening and every time we come back inside, we can store our frequently used items here. Dusting the top surfaces can be quick and easy with a damp cloth.

Our small coat closet has to be multi-purpose. We have space for outerwear for the current season, an emergency bag, and other essentials. I keep our broom, dustpan, and mop on a wall rack inside.

There is a basket for scarves, gloves, and other winter gear on the top shelf. In the summer, I replace these with sun hats.

On a coat hook inside the door, there is a bag for our outgoing library books. In the evenings, a work bag hangs here.

Every day, I like to make sure things are tidy, the floor is clear, and all outgoing items are where they need to be.

I find this space needs daily attention. It is the command center of the home because there is always something flowing in and out.

My prayer and my intention for you today is to look at your home in a new way. Find the joy in keeping your home clean.

The small amount of time you spend on this daily activity will reap abundant benefits. You deserve to live in a beautiful, calm, and serene space.

Day #72: How will you care for your lounge, kitchen, and entryway?

I am tagging some amazing fellow writers on this journey. They joined me on my 100-day spiritual journey, and it is an honor to have them here on this journey.

I ask that you read their beautiful work here on Medium. Thank you for your generosity! Bob Jasper, Charlotte Zobeir Ali, Rasheed Hooda, Jenine Bsharah Baines, Amy Marley, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Aurora Eliam, CMP, Chowa Sekai, Michele Thill, Terry Mansfield, Tony Young, Jr., Dr John Rose, Vishnu*s Virtues, Noma Dek, Neha Sandhir S, Joe Luca, Tree Langdon, Selma, Sherry S, Melissa Bee, Annick Batamuliza, Annelise Lords, Suntonu Bhadra, Henery X, Lanu Pitan, Nihan Kucukural, and many more! Thank you Illumination, Genius in a Bottle, Paper Poetry, and Medium Family!

Trista Signe Ainsworth is a Professional Organizer at Joyful Minimalism. She guides clients on a personal growth journey through their homes.

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