Less Things - Less Cleaning
Jimmy and I have been experimenting with different methods of cleaning our Air BnB apartment. We want to create systems for when we hire a cleaning team. So far, with our four guests' experiences, the game changer is in the title of this blog!
This blog is about one aspect of minimalism that makes it very practical for me. The fewer things we own, the less cleaning, and the less stress.
Simplicity is where I want to park my Air BnB systems. Marie Kondo’s method makes more sense as an Air BnB host. It starts with having the things that bring you joy. So in the past 4-weeks, we have been focused on keeping the things our guests love!
What brings a smile to your face and heart?
I love looking at our world map with all the places we have explored together. I had that corner of my house with a secretary desk and dictionaries. Next to the desk, I had my yoga mat and steel mace. And it became too much quickly.
So I decided to move my secretary to a different corner for my welcome workspace for our guests. I added a plant, leaving the hallway space for my view and reflection.
The theme of our Air BnB is “Explorer and Learner at Heart” so the map and plant at first view fit. Now I want to emphasize that our Air BnB apartment is a reflection of us and our story. Your place is your space. Start with a few corners of your house.
Prompt question: What do you love about your home? What do you like to look at? What do you love to smell? How do you feel when you touch it?
This corner right now is SIMPLE, yet with tons of stories behind it. And the best thing about it is that it gets clean in 1/4 of the time it used to take me.
As I mentioned, the less time cleaning, the less stress for me personally, and the more pleasant the experience are for me. Now, there is a comparison between the hallway and my kitchen. I’m still growing in this process of minimizing.
Take each item, or corner you love, as a process.
I recognize that when I put away kitchen items that I only use sometimes, it frees my kitchen counter space. Clear counters make it more breathable!
Prompt question: How do you feel when you touch a clear counter?
When I pass my hands through a clear and clean counter, like my desk, it makes me feel CLEAR. I feel clear because there is nothing else on my desk that takes my attention away. I’m here to write, or I’m here to edit, or I’m here to read/write an email, etc.
I am here
I am here to get a task done. And then, I turn off my lamp and computer. Put away reference books or letters if I’m opening mail back into their homes. And when I am in a hurry, I can place what I use in a corner. Again, the same question remains, what do you love to see in your space?
The less time we spend cleaning, the more time we spend living.
I hope this blog has inspired you to choose a corner of your house. Remember that life is a journey, and our new adventures take time. You got this! As always, leave your thoughts in the comments below and share them with a friend!
