take five

When my children were little and much of my day seemed to be taking one step forward and two steps back, I came up with the “five or five” principle as a way to help manage things. The “five or five” principle involves either taking five minutes in a room (to put away or clean up as much as possible) or doing five things. I’d do it anytime I was in any room. For example, any time I’d go into the bathroom, I would do five things before leaving: replace the roll of toilet paper, re-hang the fallen hand towels, wipe down the mirror, replace the trash bag, close the shower curtains… whatever needed to be done to keep the place in good shape. If I could spend 5 minutes I would do more, scour the sink or scrub the toilet. If I put the baby down for a nap, I would put away five things before slipping out, or take five things with me that needed to be put away elsewhere. It is amazing what a difference even five things can make, and how little time it takes, even children can manage that. It is really amazing what a difference five minutes can make, especially when your children learn the principle and you make it a family blitz: set the timer and everyone chooses a room for a whirlwind five-minute pick-up.

The “five or five” principle is still a part of my make-up, and still helps me to manage things: I will pull five weeds when I go out for the paper or take out the trash. I’ll spend five minutes working in the sewing room when I put the laundry in the dryer. I put away five things before I leave the kitchen after I’ve had a drink of water. The “five or five” principle doesn’t eliminate the need for thorough cleaning, you can’t really manage dishes by washing only five at a time or weeds by pulling only five a couple of times a day, but “five or five” really cuts down on the clutter that can so quickly become overwhelming. When things start to feel too much to handle, I jut remind myself that doing only five things will make a difference and I can handle that, or I have the energy to spend five minutes and maybe that is all it will take… So give it a try!