Getting on top of your mess can be a gargantuan task. There's so many things in your home that need a clean, but as the days roll by, the mess gets worse and as it gets worse, you feel less like doing it. I think it's safe to say we've all been there (or are currently there, sobbing).
But, as a homes writer, I avidly search for ways to keep my house clean, like the '27 Fling Boogie' method or the 'poop rule'. And yet, I'm still looking for more.
Fortunately, there's a new system in town that has another fun name and carries with it a fun ethos – and it's called the 'drip drop' method.
I've actually been practising this for a while now and as soon as you make this method part of your everyday habit, I promise life gets a little easier. So, here's how to you feel like you're on top of your stuff before it gets on top of you.
What is the 'drip drop' method?
Cleaning expert Cindy Hendler, known as @cleansnob on Instagram, has over 600k followers enjoying her daily wisdom of DIY cleaner recipes, stains-tackling tips and her very best routines.
And it's thanks to Cindy that there's a new cleaning method in town and it's called the 'drip drop' system. But, what does it entail?
Well, drip is actually an acronym for 'Daily Routine Is Peace'. And drop means 'Done? Return Object Properly'. By following both these mantras, you deal with your mess promptly, before it gets too much.
It basically means that you switch it up and tackle your home cleaning a little at a time, everyday, rather than it being a tidal wave of tasks that can feel overwhelming.
As Cindy puts it so succinctly: "Because you're not fighting mess, you're staying in motion. One drip at a time. One drop at a time". So, if you're looking to avoid your weekly big clean, the best way to tackle the mess is to do a little everyday.
She explains: "This is how I keep a clean home without overwhelm. Not by doing everything. But by doing the right things – on repeat".
Trying out the 'drip drop' method
As mentioned, I've been doing this method for a while, but not under this catchy name. Mine was triggered by my mom saying: "If you pick it up and put it down in the wrong place, you have to pick it up twice".
So, when I walk past something in the wrong place, I just grab it and put it where it belongs. Or, even better, I don't put it down in the wrong place to begin with.
Then, another phrase she's engrained into my soul is: "A place for everything and everything in its place". So, I'm a huge advocate for a little bit everyday, but I didn't know the 'drip drop' method could combine all these thoughts into one place and help me get on top of my cleaning.
I wrote down some daily cleaning tasks I want to complete, short ones, and then made sure I did them. So, instead of leaving my dishes on the side or letting my washing basket overflow, I tackle it on a daily basis. 'Drip drop' is always at the forefront of my mind because I'd much rather deal with it now than deal with a worse situation later.
I will say it doesn't always work and it's certainly not easy with two little ones floating around the house. I'm not doing to drip and drop my way through toys that drip and drop there way back out moments later.
But, for everyday cleaning tasks, the 'drip drop' method has taught me to tackle them as a regular routine rather than letting it get so out of control that I don't want to do it at all.
More from Tom's Guide
- 'The poop rule' is trending — here's why this gross decluttering hack actually works
- I finally tried the 'House Hushing' method to declutter my kitchen — here's what happened
- 7 ways to declutter your kitchen like a minimalist
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