“The Mount Vernon Method”

And now, back to our conversation about clutter:

Ok, so be honest: If you are bothered by any clutter at home or at the office, did you even TRY that 80/20 technique that I introduced last week?

If not, then why not?

If you think about it, any reasons for not trying out a new approach are probably linked to the real reasons that the clutter exists in the first place:  

Overwhelm, exhaustion, and feeling out of control…. so we just give up.

If those qualities are present, you can just recognize them, and then decide that you will move on from there!

I personally have found that the 80/20 approach works very well, but if you would like to try something different, here is another approach:

This is called the Mount Vernon Method, because this is actually the approach to cleaning that is used by the staff who take care of the former home of George Washington, the first president of the United States.

They start the process at the front door (“the mouth of chi“, remember..?) and begin cleaning in a clockwise direction (which is how the energy moves, by the way). 

As they clean, they go through every nook, cranny, closet, drawer, etc., and they don’t move on until that area is organized and spotless.   

Once they have gotten through that first room, they enter the next room, and move on in a clockwise direction again. 

At the end of the day, they make a mental note of where they stopped and then start up at that point the next morning.

Working in this way may seem slow, but it is certainly thorough!  And once the entire house has been cleaned in this way the first time, the clockwise cleaning of the rooms goes much faster the next time.

Personally, I have used this method on occasions when I felt that the entire place needed a thorough cleaning, and it really makes a difference. 

It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment, as I move in a systematic cycle through the entire home.

If you like, try this approach in your own place, and let me know if you have some startling successes!