Finally, a housekeeping and organizational system developed for those of us who’d describe our current living situation as a “f*cking mess” that we’re desperate to fix. Unf*ck Your Habitat is for anyone who has been left behind by traditional aspirational systems: The ones that ignore single people with full-time jobs; people without kids but living with roommates; and people with mental illnesses or physical limitations, and many others. Most organizational books are aimed at traditional homemakers, DIYers, and people who seem to have unimaginable amounts of free time. They assume we all iron our sheets, have linen napkins to match our table runners, and can keep plants alive for longer than a week. Basically, they ignore most of us living here in the real world.
Interspersed with lists and challenges, this practical, no-nonsense advice relies on a 20/10 system (20 minutes of cleaning followed by a 10-minute break; no marathon cleaning allowed) to help you develop lifelong habits. It motivates you to embrace a new lifestyle in manageable sections so you can actually start applying the tactics as you progress. For everyone stuck between The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Adulting, this philosophy is decidedly more realistic than aspirational, but the goal is the same: not everyone will have a showcase of a home, but whatever your habitat, you deserve one that brings you happiness, not stress.
So I got into a cleaning and organizing mood and borrowed a bunch of books on tidying.
I followed the blog once upon a time and then reading the book, it’s basically a summary of how to get started and carry through. Like a lot of books, it addresses the common enemy of perfectionism and the inability to even get started when you know things are going to be 100%. Or 110%. Depending on your perfection level.
For me it was a quick read. I’ve taken a lot of the book to heart already (it’s how I helped with a big cleanout recently) and I do actively keep it in mind when I tidy and try to keep things to a baseline of tidy. 20/10s are instilled in me to the point where I automatically wander around and tidy and then sit for a few minutes when it gets boring or I get tired. I don’t even use a timer anymore. I simply do it.
I would recommend this to people more likely to finish a book than to wipe a counter.
