Cleaning When It’s Too Hot to Clean

It’s gross hot today. According to my weather app, it “feels like” 104 degrees. At 5 PM.

via Giphy

It is with this in mind that I’m taking a break from my series on deep cleaning, because a) it’s been pretty hot all around the country this month and I feel like this is more relevant this week, and b) there is no way that I am doing any deep cleaning this week and writing about it will make my blood boil (jk, it’s already happening because it’s 104° outside). Also it’s summer or whatever, so I guess this won’t be the last time this stuff might apply.

Though I now live in western Washington where it’s almost never this hot, I grew up in sunny southern California. And not beachy southern California. Angry suburban desert southern California. 95° on Halloween, Santa Anas making everyone in town lose their minds, the whole deal. I lived in an old house with poor air conditioning and always drove cars that were old and too unreliable to run the AC without overheating. In short, the desert was not fun for me and my mental health now takes a nosedive whenever it gets above 90°. So you can imagine what happened early last week when I saw the forecast for an historic, record-breaking heat wave:

I didn’t handle it well… / via Giphy

I may have panic bought six boxes of popsicles. We may now be out of all those popsicles. I have no regrets.

Heat waves basically mean you can’t do anything but the essentials, especially if you don’t have AC. No yard work besides watering (limited during drought conditions), no big projects that mean moving around too much… the goal is basically to stay as cool as possible, and the best way to do that is by staying still. So before I get into the rest of this post: if you don’t have AC or if you are just getting through the heat any way you can, STOP right now and take care of yourself, your family, and your pets. Heat stroke and exhaustion are no joke, and extreme heat takes a big toll on our mental health. Just do the bare essentials like washing whatever dishes you need, because though it helps to have a clean house, it should never be prioritized over your physical or mental health.

All of that said, if you have AC and/or live in a place where it’s not over 100° for just a few days, I have a few methods for making my house feel a bit better and cleaner without generating a ton of heat. Extreme heat often makes it difficult to do much of anything, and though some parts of the desert cool down quite a bit at night making it possible to get stuff done in the early morning or evenings, most places stay hot well into the evening (it will still be in the 90s at 9 PM here). That rules out running a vacuum (instant room heater), vigorous movement, opening windows, etc. Even running the dishwasher during the day generates a ton of extra heat (can you tell that I’m a blast to live with during a heat wave and not intense at all?). So instead of fighting against this or just running the machines anyway, here’s what I do:

  1. Clean in small bursts. Because moving around a lot during a hot day isn’t too fun, I clean in small bursts, usually less than 5 minutes. I avoid getting too vigorous and focus more on straightening up. Making the room feel cleaner can help your house feel a little less stuffy when you’re stuck inside with the shades drawn.
  2. Surface sweeps are your friend. Awhile ago I realized that have cluttered countertops makes a huge difference in how I perceive a room. It feels much airier and cleaner when counters, coffee tables, and tables are cleared. Since I don’t do a ton of cleaning period in the heat, I make an extra effort when it’s super hot and I’m stuck inside to keep my kitchen counters clear and clean, and it makes a big difference for me.
  3. Worry about sheets, but not much else. Having clean sheets makes a bedroom feel a lot cleaner, and it doesn’t create a ton of heat or require too much movement to change them. Sleeping in a hot room is already the worst, but clean sheets (especially if, pro tip: you get them a little wet and stick them in the fridge) will make a big difference. Don’t worry too much about everything else in the bedroom. Just keep things basically hygienic and the floors clear and let the rest wait until it doesn’t feel like anger as a weather pattern outside.
  4. Consider appliance swaps. When it’s super hot and I need to vacuum, I either sweep or use my stick vac instead. A stick vac generates a lot less heat, so if you live in a hot place and can afford it, I highly recommend thinking about buying one! Similarly, if running the dryer makes your house hot, use nature’s dryer outside. After all, if the heat’s going to be here it may as well be of some use.
  5. Find “hot weather” work. Do you know what my aunt and I did on the hottest day of last summer? We pressure washed the patio. It was like an adult splash pad with a purpose. If you’re champing at the bit to get something done but it’s prohibitively hot, choose something like washing your car at one of those do-it-yourself car washes or pairing your socks in front of a fan. Focus on things that are easy to do while stationary or involve water and shade. If you’re outside, though, remember to hydrate!
  6. Take it easy on yourself. I said it above, but I’ll say it again: cut yourself some slack. Being in extreme heat is a major weather event like a snow storm. Your first priority is to stay safe. If you’re in a place where it’s hot for most of the year, that still holds true. Look at it this way: when it’s -20° and there’s a foot of snow on the ground, you probably won’t find people outside trimming trees. Most people shovel the walk, look after their animals, and do anything else that needs taking care of. Then they go back inside and leave the rest until spring! It’s ok to do that with a heat wave or a hot summer. It can wait until cool weather, even if that means it waits a few months.

Stay cool and safe out there, friends.

Thanks for reading!

happyheloiseLeave a comment

Feeling Overwhelmed? Pick 6!

This time of year has a way of getting on top of people. The school year is winding down, spring/summer activities are picking up, and life just gets chaotic quickly. More often than not, I feel a little extra-overwhelmed in April and May because I have what feels like a million little things to take care of. Work stuff, home stuff, you name it. I’ve got graduation gifts to send, work to send out, Mother’s Day coming up, birthdays — just typing it all stresses me out!

I’ve got a few ways of working my way out of the overwhelmed feeling, but one of my all-time favorites (and very frequently utilized) is to pick 6. It’s a method adapted from Ivy Lee’s own pick 6 method. Now, Ivy Lee’s version differs a bit from my approach, and some of you may find her way more effective (after all, Charles Schwab liked his results so much he paid Lee $25,000 for the method back in 1918, so clearly she was doing something right).

Naturally, all my to-do lists are also in soft focus.
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

So how does it work? Simple: at the start of my day, I write down every to-do item I can think of. Every passing “Oh, I need to…” that enters my head. Then, I pick 6 things that I absolutely will get done that day and put a star next to them. I allow myself a couple of softballs (stuff like logging information on a spreadsheet or sending a quick email), and I usually try to add at least one or two big things or things I’ve been putting off (see also my post about picking just one tough thing here). The point is, I just have to deal with those 6 things that day. After that, I’ve showed up for the day and been at least somewhat productive, and it’s okay if I only get to those 6 things (I can always pick 6 more tomorrow!).

This method works for me for a few reasons: first, writing everything down works a bit like a data dump (where you write down every thought for a timed period to help empty a crowded mind). Ivy Lee’s original method encourages you to only list 6 items and avoid writing the rest down, but my brain tends to circle back on tasks that need to get done at the least helpful moments (remembering that I need to wash the car while I’m trying to write an email isn’t super helpful), and writing down all the tasks I’m thinking of helps get them out of my head, even if it’s just for the day.

Second, picking 6 items lets me prioritize. By doing a task data dump and then picking 6 things that really should get done, I’m goal-setting and helping my brain home in on the few must-dos for that day. Prioritizing is an important part of productivity (Dwight Eisenhower’s productivity matrix is actually based on prioritization and assessing urgency, post on that coming soon!), and it’s another way to help your mind put down the little things that don’t really need to get done today and focus on actually getting stuff done. Basically, it helps you keep calm.

See what I did there?
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Finally, this method helps you feel accomplished and make slow and steady progress. When I’m overwhelmed, it’s easy to enter a cycle of anxiety that (surprise, surprise) stops me from getting anything done! Making a list and setting some goals for the day helps me work through busy periods, even if it’s just 6 items at a time. 6 is also a bit of a magic number — it’s enough to fill a day and feel like you’ve been productive but not enough to overburden. You can always do more if you feel like it, but by picking 6 you can basically guarantee some level of productivity.

Thanks for reading!

happyheloiseLeave a comment

What Ben Franklin (and Mark Twain) Taught me About Productivity

“I have to go to the dump. It’s my Ben Franklin.” This was my response to the Starbucks clerk’s polite “So what are you up to today?” (I know, I should just say “nothing much,” but the clerk at the drive thru is one of my five weekly social interactions in COVID times.) Needless to say, she was a bit confused. The pandemic has really eroded my conversation skills.

What is a “Ben Franklin,” you ask? Well, the short answer is that it’s my family’s shorthand for something we don’t want to do. The long answer, however, which is what blogs are for, is that it’s sort of a creed we’ve taken up. A way of life. My mom always told me Ben Franklin said that you should to do one thing you don’t want to do every day. Trusting, as all Americans do, the word of that wacky inventor, I took the maxim to heart. Just one thing, each day. Simple, but kind of revolutionary (pun 1000% intended). Call the doctor. Figure out that insurance question. Go to the dump.

This guy got stuff done. But, you know, so did my guy Twain. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. PD-US-expired.

But here’s the kicker: Ben Franklin never said this, Mark Twain did. I know, I know, plot twist. We still call our one thing a day a “Ben Franklin,” mainly because a “Mark Twain” doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. But regardless of who said it, the advice still works.

Ben Franklin actually is a bit of a productivity guru in his own right–people still write about and use his block scheduling and 13 virtues. But while he’s got a lot to say on how to be productive, he doesn’t have much to say about how to motivate yourself to be productive. (This is as good as it gets: “Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.” Cool, Ben, will do.)

Mark Twain said, “Make it a point to do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.” I love this, mainly because it explains how to actually build good habits. Just one thing. We can all wrap our heads around just one thing. It’s like a 10-minute exercise video–even if it’s been a day, I’ve always got 10 minutes.

This guyyyyy. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. PD-US.

When I started college, I was very shy and had trouble speaking up in class. I went to a university where it was kind of a prerequisite to speak up in class and was even part of our grade, so this quickly became a problem. I went to one of my professors and told him I was worried about my participation grade going down because I didn’t feel comfortable giving my two cents. “I listen,” I said, “but it’s just hard to get involved in the conversation.” And he gave me Mark Twain’s advice: “Just say one thing per class. Write it down if you have to. Don’t worry about whether it’s clever or good or right. Just say one thing, and then you don’t have to do anything else.” That’s how I know this advice works. I said one thing during each class period, and slowly, I became more comfortable with speaking up in class. And it was pretty painless. If I wasn’t feeling like speaking up, I could just say one thing, and if I wanted to, I could say more.

Now there are a lot of people who have said something similar. Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Always do what you are afraid to do.” Eleanor Roosevelt said “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” And that is also good advice that I’ve taken to heart. But I still go back to Twain, because it’s about building a habit and handling the everyday kind of tough stuff. It’s not necessarily about fear, it’s more about making steady progress and getting the things you’ve been putting off done. I’m not really afraid of changing my car’s oil, I just don’t want to do it. But if I make it a point to do one thing each day, the oil will get changed. And it will be pretty painless, because I just have to do the one thing.

So whether you call it a “Ben Franklin” or a “Mark Twain” or just “my one thing,” give this a shot. Start today, or tomorrow. Just pick the thing that’s been bugging you to get done and just do the one thing. And then you’re all done!

Good luck, and thanks for reading!

happyheloiseLeave a comment

How I use Google Tasks to keep my house habitable

I will preface this post by telling you that, honestly, I am not the most organized person I know. If you’re looking for a binder print-out or a bullet journal concept, this is not that post. I envy those people, but I know myself well enough to know that mine will always be a slightly dirty floor, a too-full trash, a cluttered entryway. I know it, my husband knows it, even my five-year-old nephew knows it (to quote him: “Auntie Heli’s house is so messy!” Nothing like a child razzing you to have you shame-cleaning your house at 10 PM on a Monday). This is for the folks who are having trouble keeping up. I see you, friend!

At least he looks happy…

That said, just because I’m not the most organized/clean person in the world does not give me an excuse to Pigpen out.

You have to be a person, and that means that daily/weekly/monthly, you have stuff that simply needs to be done, and regularly. If you only do these when you’ve reached the “Auntie Heli’s house is so messy!” point, you are setting yourself up for so much more work than you need to (and again, late night shame-cleaning). 

So I propose an alternative: use a tasks app. The key here is not just making a to-do list, but scheduling recurring tasks. Here’s what to do: 

  • My phone screen yesterday (it’s time to spruce my background up for spring!)
    Start slow. Choose one or two tasks you know you need to do each week (or day or month). Maybe clean all your sinks on Saturday, or vacuum your bedroom on Tuesday. Don’t worry about making a list of everything that you want to get done each week or each day, just start with a couple and get used to doing them week-in, week-out. 
  • Keep it manageable. Limit yourself to tasks/chores that can be done within 30 minutes or so. Don’t get ambitious and just put “clean the house” on your list each Saturday. I doubt you’ll be able to get everything done, and if you do, knock it off because you’re making the rest of us look bad. 
  • Schedule the tasks on your task app. If you don’t have one, get one. Make sure it can schedule recurring tasks and remind you to do them. I use Google Tasks, but you could also use Microsoft To Do or Remember the Milk. 
  • Space it out. This is why you keep it to 30 minutes! If you remind yourself to clean out your fridge each Wednesday and that’s all you have to do, you might actually do it! Then on Saturday, you’ll only have a few things to worry about instead of the whole house. 

happyheloiseLeave a comment