BabyStep 6: Hot Spots!

Believe it or not, I was mildly productive today.  When I got home from work I allowed myself a late lunch and an hour nap to help get rid of the headache from Hades, but after that I actually got a few things done. 

I put a few dishes in the dishwasher and ran it; started a load of laundry (that reminds me, I need to go switch it over to the dryer- OK, done.); and tackled today's BabyStep 6:  Hot Spots.

FlyLady's definition of a Hot Spot is an area that will take over the house if not dealt with on a constant basis.  She uses the analogy of a forest fire that if not put out right away, will burn up an entire forest.  The same idea happens in our homes; these small areas can expand to take over an entire room making it look unsightly.

With this description in mind, I set out to identify some hot spots in my home.  It didn't take me long to find them, either.

Exhibit A:

My end table.  I am a big pop drinker, but not so big on putting the empty cans in the recycle bin in a timely manner.  Also pictured is the empty bowl of what had been Ramen Noodles (yum!) from my late lunch, a box of cookies that has been sitting there for about 2 days, a can of cat treats, and some manicure supplies that have been there at least 2 weeks.  Oy.

Exhibit B:

The dishwasher.  In this apartment the dishwasher is freestanding and must be rolled over and hooked up to the kitchen sink to run.  Doing so blocks the entry into the bathroom, so the rest of the time it gets put in the only corner large enough on the other end of the kitchen.  It also happens to make a convenient dumping ground for stuff when my roommate and I come home.  Pictured here are my purse and his backpack, my pop can (been there for at least 2 days...), my iPhone, my cigarettes (Yes, I am a smoker.  Don't judge me!), a dust rag, and a battery charger.  Ugh. 

The assignment was to set a timer for 2 minutes and start clearing a hot spot.  We didn't have to finish, just do whatever could be done in 2 minutes.  I chose my end table.  When the timer went off I wasn't quite done, but I finished it anyway because leaving it incomplete just seemed dumb and would have driven me nuts.  Here is the after pic:

All done!  The only thing sitting there is the pop I am currently drinking.  It looks sooo much better.  Incidentally, I cleared off the top of the dishwasher too.  I had to before I rolled it over to the sink, so I am counting this as extra credit.

I am so glad today's BabyStep actually involved some cleaning.  I was getting a little sick of the steps that left no visible progress in my home.  I'm sure my roommate appreciates it too.

I just hope I can stay motivated to finish my tasks for the night.  I will still have a load of laundry to put away, a dishwasher to empty, a litter box to scoop, and a sink to shine before I go to bed.  And my headache is coming back.  Waaaah.