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Unfuck Your Habitat by Rachel Hoffman

I left out a few things that focus on moving and the emotional component of cleaning (i.e. the difficulty of asking for help, getting rid of certain belongings, the Stress) so you'll want to check out the book for that instead. Actually, just check out this book. It's really good.

tl;dr - Certain points of the book get repeated over and over. These are the constants for pretty much every section:

• No cleaning marathons, do 20/10s (see below section)
• Clean at least once every day
• Photodocument the process
• Paring down your belongings > creating more storage
• Put things where they belong, not down.
• And make sure everything has a place it belongs.

General Cleaning Tips

No marathon cleaning - do 20/10s

It's like a Pomodoro thing. 20 minutes of cleaning, 10 minutes break.

• 20 minutes is NOT a long time.
• Do as many as you want, but at least one per day
• The interval is flexible. Maybe 45/15 for energetic folks and 5/15 for people with mobility limitations.
• Important for habit building
• You can also use 20/10s for work and studying.

I do at least two per day, one for cleaning, and one for other work.

Decluttering checklist (per item)

• When was the last time I used this?
• Am I ever going to need this again?
• Am I keeping this because there's a small chance I might need it later?
• Am I holding onto it because I feel guilty for spending money on it?
• Is having this item around stressing me out?
• Does it spark joy?

Questions for storing an item

• How often do you use it?
• Where do you use it?
• Do you have somewhere logical near where you use it to put it?
• Can you create somewhere logical to put it?

Logical storage means the object is easy to grab, easy to put away, and close to where you are going to use it. Only store stuff that you know you actually need.

Decluttering gifts

Just follow the decluttering checklist. No exceptions. Also don't get rid of your gifts by unloading ("gifting") it to other people.

Gifts give us trouble because we give them emotional weight. The true meaning of a gift comes from the giving/receiving process, not the object itself.

Universal cleaning supplies

• Water
• White vinegar
• All purpose cleaner
• Rags/cloths (regular + microfiber)
• Broom
• Laundry detergent
• Vacuum

You can make your own all purpose cleaner:

Fill a spray bottle with 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar, a splash of dish soap.

Regular cleaning habits

• Things unusable after one use need to be cleaned as they are used (like dishes).
• Things you use daily should be cleaned weekly (like the bathroom).

Making the jump to a big cleaning project:

• Start with whatever smells bad or has the potential to smell bad.
• Either that, or start with whatever area is stressing you out the most.
• Work top-to-bottom.
• Begin with the largest flat surface, then move to the next.
• Clean dry before cleaning wet.
• Start off cleaning stuff very often, then scale back as needed.

Cleaning a small space (like a bedroom):

• Get rid of stuff you don't need (see: decluttering tips)
• Use vertical space for storage if possible
• Utilize your closet to its full potential
• Try to avoid open storage
• Make sure all your stuff has a predetermined home
• Clean frequently and deal with dishes/trash/laundry ASAP
• DO NOT throw clothes on the floor/bed EVER.

Cleaning With Others

For living with roommates/housemates

Communication is key. Don't be passive-aggressive. And don't clean up their messes for them. Nobody is trying to "sabotage" you. Focus on building your own habits first, you can't change others'.

Suggestions:

• Implement a chore list/schedule
• Make sure housework is divided equally
• Figure out how everyeone will keep the common spaces clean
• If someone leaves a mess, ask when it will be dealt with
• Make your room a clean safe haven if all else fails

Asking for help cleaning your home

Don't be scared. Your friends probably want to help you because they care about you and because it'll make them feel like the host of a home makeover show. Ask people you know will be there for you, or have been there for you before in other situations.

Pre-plan what you want:

• What do you want to accomplish with the big clean?
• What do you need the most help with?
• What do you want to leave for another time?
• What are you going to do with the things you get rid of?
• What do you not want your helper to do/say?

Make sure your friend gets a reward at the end, like pizza or using your PS5. Also don't forget to take breaks.

Emergency cleaning for visitors:

1. Get prepared (music, non-alcoholic beverage of choice)

2. Gather your cleaning supplies/trash bags

3. Fill sink with hot soapy water for dishes

4. Open the shades/curtains & open windows

5. Throw away obvious trash, going from room-to-room

6. Gather all the dishes and put them in the sink

7. Take a snack/drink break

8. Gather up all your clothes and separate clean from dirty

9. Clear off the most visible flat surfaces, then wipe down

10. PUT STUFF WHERE IT BELONGS.

11. Take another break

12. Quickly dust anything visible

13. Clean up the bathroom a bit

14. Finish up dishes & wipe down the stove and other gross areas in the kitchen

15. Take another another break

16. Do a lap around the house and take care of stuff that looks messy

17. Vacuum/sweep real quick

18. Step outside for a second, then go back in

19. Take care of anything that catches your eye quickly

20. Then get yourself prepared for company :^)

Further reference

Official website

Adulting.com

UFyH-like program for Linux/Unix/macOS

There is a section near the end of the book about unfucking your digital life, so like... computer, cell phone, social media. I have my own system for this that I shared on a separate page in more depth.

Digital Declutter

Gonna need to reread the Marie Kondo trilogy to see how I can mix the UFyH and KonMari systems together. I just didn't have the time (or patience) to do the KonMari challenge, but clearly UFyH shows that I do have time for cleaning, at least on a micro level.

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