- Vacuuming: Rule #1 = *NEVER*--and I mean ever--move anything! That's right--I mean, nobody is going to get down there and move a chair/table/pair of socks to see if its clean under there, so, why bother? The only way to do GC is to minimize effort in order to maximize your down-time. So, if one must do some GC vacuuming, simply go around everything on the floor; if you're really tweeking, you might even get out the 'crevice' tool* Forget the edges, and just get the big stuff, and then ONLY in high-visibility areas! Sock the vac out of the way afterwards (a closet/dark corner?).
- Sweeping: (see Rule #1 above). The expert GC sweep method employs general principles from vacuuming (above), though there are additional complexities; one must figure out the best places to hide all the gunk one is moving around. Although one could actually pick up the residues, the optimal method employs removing the unwanted from visitors' perception. This often involves fairly simple 'sweeping-under-the-rug' techniques we have already learned, and/or somewhat more complex hiding schemes, such as 'behind and under the chair (TV?) off in the corner'. In drastic cases, when no hiding alternative seems tenable, get out the ummm....Oh!--"dustpan"--and toss that stuff into the trash*.
- Dishes: Rule #1 = "optimize use of paper and plastic!". This means one has few, if any, dishes to actually 'wash'. Believe me, a master GC dish washer rarely actually 'does' dishes--I'm on about the quarterly schedule mentioned in the previous blog (see link above). If one has an automatic dishwasher, of course the optimal thing is to stash all dishes there (days/weeks). A quick rinse is the trick, before anything gets stuck on. Have a pre-rinsed stack of dishes handy for visitors to wash themselves, since you have somehow 'run out of' dishes at any given time in which paper or plastic won't do. Throw out all plastic containers after use, regardless of whether some friend or relative brought them laden with food; they won't miss 'em, and you will be saving them from washing them *again*. Remember to minimize any visitors peeking into your cupboards--they might reel in horror at the sight of the collected mess[es] one might have made whilst 'straightening up' pre-visit. This prevents one from being perceived as an inattentive host, so it's a win-win.
- Dusting: (see rule #1 above) As with almost all other GC, one has to take care not to go to excess in this endeavor. Avoid 'dusting' anywhere that isn't readily visible to the naked eye, and make it a point to do a fair job in areas that are sure to be viewed (eg., the coffee table in front of your 'guest' seating area, &/or the TV). Using an old Tee-shirt or other [dirty] item that must be washed anyway [at some point] is a 'two-fer'! Wipe everything off the surfaces directly into the air, and onto the floor (yeah--do floors last!). Don't worry--the dust won't build up [much] before guests arrive. large objects can be thrown or otherwise hidden behind or under larger pieces of furniture. This might be a good time to toss some unused crap out*.
- Laundry: If one desires a quarterly washing schedule (best), one should A) minimize the amount of clothes to wash**, and B) stash most, if not all, into a dark &/or otherwise out-of-the-way spot--somewhere just out of sight is perfect, like a closet, or corner of the utility room or even garage. Stash clean stuff in a basket in a similarly out-of-the-way spot until use. This avoids folding and putting away stuff too ;)
Remember that one should always minimize any GC, and avoid it entirely, if possible. Training potential visitors helps** However, if one must, keeping these GC tips handy will minimize one's down-time, while maximizing potential visitors' experiences at your 'bach-pad'. The main focus is "y-o-u", so don't get carried away! Repeat the 'mantra'** at all times while doing any GC operations, and soon you will be back to your LazyBoy...
GT
(*but not recommended--just don't get so carried away--remember you are doing GC out of pure 'peer' pressure ).
(**see previous post--link above)
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