The Secret to Housekeeping Without Effort | Giftie Etcetera: The Secret to Housekeeping Without Effort

Thursday, February 4, 2016

The Secret to Housekeeping Without Effort

I once read one of those "get skinny without effort" articles that claimed that fidgeting helps you lose weight.

Liars!



housekeeping, cleaning, organizing



I fidget all the time. Doesn't help at all!

But the idea behind it has merit. Moving more equals more calories burned. The problem, of course, is that fidgeting has a low effect because it is simply not enough movement, by itself, to result in any significant weight loss.


Of course, this is not a post about losing weight. 


Today's post is about that pile of papers on your counter. It's about the jackets and sweaters hanging on the back of your chair.

Yes, examples are taken directly from my current reality.

If there is a spill under the coffee pot or a pot holder out of place, the mess makes living in the home more challenging, both visually and practically. 



Visually, a messy house breeds discontent.


If you've ever walked into a clean, orderly hotel room, and instantly felt at peace, you know what I mean.

Practically, items get lost and it takes time and energy to find them. Things pile up and it takes hours to clean up.


Instead of fidgeting, try pittering.

Pittering, here in the South, means moving from place to place, taking care of little things as you go.



Unlike fidgeting, pittering has an immediate and huge impact on your home.

This morning, while brewing coffee, I put away two potholders, refilled my water jug for the fridge, and wiped down the sink.

When I got up to use the bathroom, I brought my coffee cup to the sink and grabbed some sweaters to hang up in the closet.

While the waffles cooked, I threw out expired food from the fridge.

My kitchen already looks better. I still have a mess, but it's less overwhelming.


Every time you stand up, put something away or wipe down a surface. Pitter around the house, doing little, stress-free tasks.


It's a simple trick that will change your home. Try it for ONE DAY and let me know in the comments about the difference that it makes.

Etcetera.


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Partied at: The Art of Homemaking, Coffee and Conversation, This Is How We Roll, No Rules Weekend, 100 Happy Days, Thoughtful Thursdays

11 comments:

Christine Cortese said...

Now I know what to call it!! I do this all the time! it can grow into 90 minutes of intense pittering between a workshop, art studio, shed and second house - and want to make a note of it in my planner (it's one way I get those steps up on my pedometer) but had no idea what to call it. Yay. Now I can draw that line down my schedule and write "pittering" next to it! Thank you.

Gail Morgan said...

Yes, but don't you then wind up feeling like you've been cleaning house *all* *day*?

Giftie Etcetera said...

Not really, Gail, because it only takes seconds. :)

Jed Jurchenko said...

Pittering works. I never had a name for it before, but this is what Jenny and I do. Jenny runs a daycare, and needless to say, the home would be a mess by the end of the day, if the two of us didn't clean as we go. Small cleaning efforts do add up. At the end of the day, there is still a big, final cleaning to be done, but because of the small actions taken throughout the day, it's not overwhelming. Thanks for a new word for a tool were actively using :)

Elizabeth Spencer said...

Pittering...love it! This makes so much sense to me. Thank you for this! Stopping by from Coffee & Conversation!

Karen Grosz said...

I am a total pitterer. :) I love that I get things done as I live. However, I still have one trouble spot, the pile of papers that I just can't seem to tame.

Unknown said...

"Today's post is about that pile of papers on your counter. It's about the jackets and sweaters hanging on the back of your chair." The first sentence made me smile and nod. The second made me look around to see if you were standing next to me. This is my life! I feel like I have to choose between happy kids, running a blog, and keeping house. Keeping house is losing out. But pittering, I can do! I always do it a bit, but I'm going to make more effort and see what happens.

Valeire said...

This is so true..that I feel like my mind can rest when my house isn't a mess. This is a great little tip to keep clutter contained! Thank you for sharing at #100HappyDays!

Pat Fenner said...

Pittering!! My neighbor, who was like a grandmother to me, used to call it "puttering", but the meaning is the same!
Thank you for the reminder - it's really a super idea, because you can do almost anything in little pieces all day long ;-)

So glad you shared this at Coffee & Conversation this week - we'll be featuring it on Wednesday!!

Lovin' your blog!!!

Anonymous said...

I love it, pittering! I never knew there was a formal name for it, but I do this all the time. It's the ONLY way I'm able to keep my home semi-orderly. I'm tweeting and pinning this! <3

Dominick said...

For housekeeping, you can go for hiring maids from the agency. Again we have to choose the best maid agency and if you can manage to hire transfer maid then it is for sure you'll get the best as well highly-experienced maids.