Five Minutes matters
There were only three words standing between me and a clean house.
Life with four young children was overwhelming, and the chaos displayed itself dramatically as messes around every corner. Dishes piled in the sink, unfolded laundry, and toys I swear crawled out of hiding places while we slept.
It all reminded me that there was no way I could keep up.
For years I tried to meet drama with drama. "This weekend, I clean!" I would announce theatrically, planning an entire summit in which my husband would whisk away the kids to, anywhere, while I finally got on top of the house, once and for all.
Or, as the family was going to sleep, I would attempt to consume en0ugh caffeine to fuel an entire night of uninterrupted scrubbing.
And it worked!
For about a day. I would bask in the glory of my child-free caffeine-fueled marathons but inevitably, as quickly as it all came together, it would fall apart.
Occasional, dramatic efforts - while temporarily exhilarating - are not sustainable.
If you want lasting change in your home environment or any other area of your life, try implementing the three words that changed everything for me.
Five. Minutes. Matters.
When you're overwhelmed, it's easy to forget that small efforts make a difference. But small efforts made consistently are the real game changers.
When you don't have time to clean an entire bathroom for instance, spend five minutes clearing the counter top. Five minutes matters!
If the kitchen mess overwhelms you, take five minutes to empty the sink. Five minutes matters!
If it feels like you'll never get your closet organized, spend five minutes clearing out things you don't wear anymore. Five minutes matters!
The amount of time it takes to clear messes from your car?...You know the punchline.
Spending five minutes not only makes a difference, but gives you a sense of accomplishment that can be a catalyst for change.
Three words. Five minutes. One big difference.