One of the many fine responses to our request for new
authors, new material. Will be happy to receive more,
positive thinking, not too heavy but with some MESSAGE. Even
small tips to make life happier and easier. Need not be
typewritten, just legible. Address: Weinbach, Panim Meirot 1,
Jerusalem; FAX 02-5387998.
I must admit, I enjoy Pesach cleaning. [Three cheers
for you, Raizel! Say it again for our readers!] At least, up
to the last part. Here are some tips I'd like to pass on,
because it's never too early to begin cleaning, and the more
ahead one is, the more pleasure one can take in organizing
and sorting through possessions, divesting oneself of items
not in use (O.K. Mrs. Weinbach, here you can put in a word
about your clothing center, Beged Yad Leyad, where I've even
been able to find clothes for Bar Mitzvas and Weddings --
[she said it for me -- but your local gemach will be
grateful to you for starting early and passing on your GOOD
outgrown clothing as soon as you can]). Do it early without
feeling pressured.
I just heard in a recent shiur that "Attitude is
reality." It's all in the mind. If we start out with a happy
disposition and can hang on to it, the work isn't all that
difficult. Most important, cleaning in general is a
mitzva, either because we're doing it in honor of the
Shechina which dwells in our Jewish homes, in honor of Queen
Shabbos or to provide the proper setting for learning Torah,
praying, reciting blessings. A clean home also fosters
sholom bayis: a calmer husband, happier and more
secure children.
In addition, we can focus on the fun parts of cleaning. Each
year, for example, I find some amount of money, aside from
all the "Oh, here's that lost earing; the other Shabbos shoe/
the library book..." Usually, it's assorted small change, but
one year I found a fifty dollar bill! Another year, I
discovered an unopened box of chocolate-covered cookies,
plastic shrink-wrap intact, in my husband's hat box, believe
it or not! When he came home that night, I asked him WHY HE
had a box of chocolate-covered cookies in his HAT BOX. He
laughed and reminded me that a few months ago, I had been in
the craving stage, especially for chocolate -- late at night.
He didn't fancy going out late at night to hunt for
chocolate, so he decided to prepare in advance. I was past
that now, but chocolate cookies are chocolate cookies,
especially right before Pesach...
Another way to look forward to cleaning is to treat ourselves
to new bottles of cleaning supplies and good equipment. Last
year, the grocery was selling shelf paper with cartoon
elephants all over. Throughout my cleaning, I grinned,
picturing how the kitchen cabinets would look with ELEPHANTS
tramping around inside, each time a family member opened them
to take out a plate.
Listening to Torah tapes while working really adds to the
positive experience of cleaning. If there are young children
around, making it difficult to concentrate, music tapes are
fine, instead.
Now we get to the children. When they are old enough to help,
an incentive of one square of chocolate, or ten chocolate
bits, per shelf of seforim/ kitchen drawer/ riding toy
cleaned can be more effective than getting a more substantial
prize at the end for helping do larger blocs or areas, since
they don't have to wait so long for their reward. To each her
own method.
>From a former professional cleaning woman, here are two
tips:
1) Don't flood the tracks of sliding windows. You'll end up
mopping up the sopping endlessly. Rather use a damp rag with
some cleaning solution sprayed into the tracks.
2) Refrigerators: It takes me an hour to clean someone else's
frig, not including lining it, but all day to clean my own.
Not that mine is so much dirtier, but when I do YOURS, I take
out all the food, shelves, bins, wash them in the bathtub,
let them dry and return them. When doing mine, I must decide
what to do with the food: use, palm off on someone, or toss
it out.
Making decisions takes time. When I work for someone else,
the phone and doorbell ringing are their headaches, not mine.
Babies crying, wet, children needing discipline ain't my
business. In short, cleaning is also in the mind and
interruptions detract from your concentration. So keep these
down to a bare minimum and do your cleaning when you will
have the least distractions and you have the most energy at
your disposal. By all means, ignore that PHONE.
A possible solution could be to TRADE with a FRIEND [or a
married sister]. You clean her refrigerator and she'll do
yours. I've never tried that one, so I wouldn't vouch for it
or its future implications on your relationship. You
certainly can farm off children when YOU tackle such a job
and take the neighbor's when she's ready for it. Perhaps
create morning playgroups for 3-4 families. If you do try the
above, let YATED readers know if it works. We're on the
lookout for such tips.
Of course, common sense says it doesn't pay to do such
cleaning too much in advance since it will rub your nerves
the wrong way. Do the out-of-the-way cleaning and close
bedrooms off from eating.
*
And now: some more tips from the Editor:
If you really want a good tip, train children to eat in
designated areas only, all year round. Also, at designated
times. Children needn't nosh junk all day long, while an
apple or banana can be eaten anywhere. Eating is serious
business and should be done at a table, with a certain
atmosphere and mind-set. The less children nosh, the better
they'll eat at mealtime.
*
Erev Pesach is overhaul time, inside and out. Think as
you go along. Improve on your own methods. Be open to
suggestions and changes. Don't panic. Plan ahead. And learn
to laugh at situations -- and at yourself.
Internalize the lessons you learn, even as you clean and
reorganize, and add new quality to your year-round life.
1) For those dirty Erev Pesach jobs, use rags and
THROW THEM AWAY. Be generous.
2) Save up your dish detergent bottles and fill them with
bleach, bought at the four liter jerrycan. It also happens to
be very economical and does the job of most other products.
Be sure to mark them. I run a belt of wide tape around and
magic-mark them BLEACH. The small opening is excellent for
sprinkling bleach on dirty surfaces, like formica kitchen
cabinets, gas ranges, dryers, vinyl walls, refrigerators,
toys, large kitchen items, even on painted surfaces. Wipe off
quickly -- with the dirt. Make sure you are wearing bleach-
safe clothing.
These bottles are also excellent for spot bleaching clothing
before laundry. Wet garment, test small corner if necessary,
spot bleach (collars, stains) and throw into machine. You'll
bless me.
3) Set yourself goals by the clock. Don't tackle too much at
any time and try to set yourself a time limit. When
mobilizing children, it is very wise to tell them you expect
them to finish this in twenty minutes -- and they will do it
and feel good about it. This is meaningful work as opposed to
avodoas parech. Be specific in your instructions.
4) Alternate tasks that use different sets of muscles. Wet
and dry, intensive as opposed to extensive. And, as Raizel
said, enjoy it and take pride in it.
