Real Simple vs. Real Life

So I was checking my e-mail a few days ago, and this story popped up. I couldn't stop thinking about what a great idea that this is. Then I tried to do it. This is what I have to report.

The Keep-It-Clean Plan
With a plan of attack, you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,1020737,00.html

Kitchen, 4 1/2 minutes daily
Right we'll see how it goes, this is Real Simple vs. Real Life. Let's take a peek and see how they add up.
Always start with the sink. "Keep it empty and shining," says Marla Cilley, author of Sink Reflections (Bantam, $15) and creator of www.FlyLady.net, a housekeeping website. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen's benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stove top spick-and-span, too.
Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
This only accounts for after the dishes get in the dishwasher, granted you can find them. Granted they are only under the couch, in the microwave, the dog is eating out of three of them, stacked one on top of the other. Allow an extra three minutes, if your on twelve cups of coffee.
Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
First, find spatula, biggest knife, boiling water and mallet, just to get rid of last nights science experiment. Chisel away. Add two minutes.
Wipe down the counters (one minute).
Same as for the stove top. Add two minutes
Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).
Sure just two minutes, until my two year old drops a bowl full of hiya! "kung fu" cereal all over the floor and the dog licks up half of it. Add three minutes.


Bathroom, 2 minutes daily
Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don't stop there. Get the most out of your premoistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.
Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
Done, and done.
Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
The dog has just done it for me, save 15 seconds.
Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
Add two minutes for scraping toothpaste art off the mirror.
Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).
As squeegie-ing occurs, dog pukes all over the floor after cleaning the toilet bowl. Re-clean floor, add two minutes, gag a little, add 15 seconds, re-clean the toilet bowl add 15 seconds
Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).


Bedroom, 6 1/2 minutes daily
Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed with inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seen like a high priority as you're rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.
There are usually at least two kids and a dog that are considerable obstacles for this endeavor. And if I could only find a sheet…
Make the bed (two minutes).
Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).
Not too bad, just get rid of the dog hair and voila!


Family Room, Living Room, Foyer, 6 minutes daily
Start with the sofa — as long as it's in disarray, your living room will never look tidy. Once you've fluffed the pillows and folded the throws, you're halfway home. If you pop in a CD while you dust, you should be able cover the whole room by the end of the third track.
Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
Straighten coffee-table books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos. (Two minutes.)

This is just impractical. In theory, it should take all problems away, that is, of your living "Real Simple". But I am living "Real Life", which is a more one step backwards, Two steps forward kind of life, and if I can get the grapes off of the floor before they become grapes, than I am successful. Ta!