• Home
    • Recipes
      • Recipe Index
      • How-To & Cooking Tutorials
      • Popular Recipes
    • Meal Plans
      • Weekly Meal Plans
      • Freezer Meal Plans
      • The ORIGINAL 20 Meals for $150 Plans
    • Classes
      • Grocery Savings 101 Workshop
      • Freezer Cooking 101 Workshop
      • Meal Planning 101 Workshop
      • Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons
      • Instant Pot Cooking 101 Course
      • My Efficient Kitchen Course
    • Store
    • Blog
    • Contact
      • About
      • Press
    • Login

    $5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

    Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

    Join Erin's 5-Ingredient Challenge in 2023

    The 5 Stages of The Mess – How to Tackle and Tame the Daily Mess #themessisreal

    July 28, 2020 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

    19 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Sign up to receive FREE weekly emails with recipes, coupons and other money saving tips right into your inbox. Become a friend on Facebook too AND/OR join the $5 Meal Plan Family and get meal plans delivered to you each week!

    The Mess is Real!!! Let’s talk about the 5 stages of the mess in your home, and how to tackle it, tame it and keep it under control once and for all with Art of Green®!

    As we begin yet another month spending so much time at home, we continue the battle with the daily messes.

    We are dealing with so many new things right now…

    • Survival mode
    • Uncertainty about back to school and distance learning
    • Eating at home all the time (with the occasional dining out or take out)
    • So many messes, and therefore cleaning ALL THE TIME

    Here is one that that I know we can all agree on right now: THE MESS IS REAL. 

    The mess is often.

    The mess is big.

    The mess is real. #themessisreal

    Because when we have 6 people confined to our little plot of Earth, the mess gets crazy quickly. Both inside and out in the yard. 

    The 5 Stages of Grief have been top of mind in recent months, as we work our way through this challenging season of survival mode. And the way I think about the messes that appear in my home, kinda lines up with the stages of grief. 

    Hear me out…

    I present to you:

    The 5 Stages of a Mess 

    (Keep reading, because I have a helpful list of 5 stages and steps of tackling and taming the mess below too.) 

    Stage 1 (Denial) – This is when we flat out ignore the mess. Pretend it isn’t there. Walk around it, in denial. 

    Stage 2 (Anger) – This is when we notice it and the frustration begins to mount…again? AGAIN? WHY??? NOOOOOO! 

    Stage 3 (Depression) – This is when the “why can’t I keep this mess under control” starts to kick and you really beat yourself up over leaving the mess too long. 

    Stage 4 (Bargaining) – This is the stage where you start wishing that the mess could clean itself up. That the dirty laundry would walk itself to the washing machine, and the dishes would clean themselves, and the floors could be steam-mopped on their own. (Think Disney’s Fantasia!)

    Stage 5 (Acceptance) – Finally, we arrive at the moment when we have just had enough and we just have to accept that the mess is real and that it is finally time to do something about it. 

    5 Stages and Steps of Tackling and Taming the Mess in Your Home

    Step 1. Pick one room and stay in that room until it’s all cleaned up. 

    I highly recommend starting in the kitchen or a bathroom.

    I recommend the kitchen because it is most likely the most highly trafficked room in your home.

    I recommend the bathroom because it’s likely a smaller space and will take less time to clean. After you finish the bathroom, you’ll be ready faster for the next room.

    Whatever you choose, stick with that room until it’s just how you want it. 

    Step 2. Gather your cleaning supplies that you need to help you tackle the mess. Better yet, store your cleaning supplies in a convenient, safe place, so they are right there when you need them. 

    • Floors – Grab the vacuum, broom and dustpan and mop.
    • Surfaces and Counters – Grab your Art of Green spray bottle and wipes.

    I store my cleaning products below the kitchen sink, in the top shelf in the bathroom closet, and in the top shelf of my closet. They are all very conveniently located for fast and easy cleanup. 

    In years past, I have had a “cleaning tote basket” with everything that I would move around the house with me, but now prefer keeping things closer to the mess.

    This helps me to maintain and control the messes and keep them from getting out of control. 

    I love using Art of Green because the products are non-toxic, made with essential oils, work great, BUT COST LESS than top-selling “green” cleaners.

    Green and affordable —-> yes please!!!

    Step 3. Start with the trash, and then move onto decluttering and returning clothes, toys, and items to where they need to go. Basically, remove the clutter so you can cut through to the real, sticky, dirty messes.

    Step 4. Clean all surfaces with cleaners or dusters. 

    • Use a reusable dust cloth to wipe down wood, furniture, and windowsills.
    • Use Art of Green spray or wipes to wipe down counters, fixtures, and light switches.
    • Clean and mop floors, as needed.

    I use the Art of Green spray every day on my kitchen counters and a few times a week in the bathroom counters. And I love using the wipes to clean the kitchen and bathroom faucets, handles, and drains. 

    It’s a fast and easy clean-up with Art of Green. 

    Step 5. If your energy level and motivation allows, move onto the next room. And the next, and the next.

    Once you have the crazy messes tamed, then you can work on keeping things under control and clean on the regular…and don’t let yourself get back to the beginning of the monster mess cycle. 

    Think about making it:

    • convenient to keep up with.
    • easy to quick-clean trouble spots in the kitchen and bathroom.
    • a part of your daily routine. 

    Friend – I know you can do this. 

    Go right now, get your Art of Green ordered or onto your shopping list, and be on your way to a green, clean home! 

    Order Your Art of Green Today

    Art of Green wipes now available at Target.com and other select retailers.

    • Look for Art of Green in the stores near – Art of Green Store Locator!

    Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Art of Green. Opinions and love of the product are my own.
    19 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Filed Under: Grocery Savings

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    I’m Erin Chase…

    Also known as the
    $5 Dinner Mom.

    I have a little problem. I cannot make a meal that costs more than $5.
    It’s a fun challenge,
    and my pocketbook
    thanks me.
    Want to join me?

    Learn more here!

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Search $5 Dinners

    Favorite Meal Planning & Cooking Resources

    Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons Grocery Budget Makeover My Freezeasy Erin Chase Store 5DD Freebie Library 20 Meals for $150 Plans

    © 2023 5 Dollar Dinners | Disclosure Policy | Copyright Information | Terms of Service/Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Design & Tech Support by Klong Designs



    Copyright © 2023 · 5 Dollar Dinners Genesis Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in