Home Improvement Information


Cleaning House and the 80-20 Rule


Cleaning house is one of those things that needs doing again... and again... and again! How can you make it less of a burden?

When I taught time management classes, one of the things I loved to teach was the 80-20 rule. It's best explained by examples. Eighty percent of the time, you wear twenty percent of your wardrobe. Eighty percent of the phone calls you get come from twenty percent of your friends. Eighty percent of the dirt is on twenty percent of the floor. Twenty percent of salespeople make eighty percent of sales. Okay, sometimes it's 90-10 and sometimes it's 70-30 but you get the idea.

Eighty percent of the dirt is on twenty percent of the floor? Hmm, what does that suggest about cleaning your house? Often a quick pass through the parts of your house that really need it will make cleaning house much easier. If you are in a hurry, let the dust behind the sofa and under the table alone and just clean a swath through the heavy traffic areas. Sooner or later, you'll get to them as well -- or hire someone else to do a thorough cleaning occasionally.

You can probably make up lots of examples of the 80-20 rule that apply to your own ways of cleaning house and of keeping things picked up. Perhaps eighty percent of the dirty dishes left lying around come from one person. Perhaps eighty percent of your frustration with how your house looks could be solved by doing twenty percent of what you think you should.

Rosana Hart tries to put eighty percent of her work time into the twenty percent of activities that will be most effective. She tells you about the opportunities for cleaning houses and offices for a living at her website, http://infoandhelp.com. There are also more tips there for cleaning houses (your own or anyone's).


MORE RESOURCES:

24dash (press release)

Simplified home improvement rules introduced
BBC News
New regulations have come into force to make it easier for Scots to make changes to their homes. The move means many home improvements will be able to go ahead without planning permission. Projects including extensions, sheds and garages will not need ...
Scotland eases planning rules to boost buildersThe Construction Index
Scotland: planning rules eased for home improvements24dash (press release)

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PerezHilton.com

'Home Improvement' kid suspected of driving stoned
San Jose Mercury News
(Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images) BURBANK -- The actor who played the youngest brother on "Home Improvement" was arrested Wednesday in Burbank on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, police said. Taran Noah Smith, 27, was arrested ...
"Home Improvement" actor Taran Noah Smith arrested for DUI, reports sayCBS News
Former Home Improvement Child Star Taran Noah Smith Arrested for DUI and Drug ...E! Online
Whoops! Home Improvement's Taran Noah Smith Arrested For Drugs!PerezHilton.com
Huffington Post -The Hollywood Gossip
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New York Daily News

Home Improvement Star Arrested for DUI, Drug Possession: Report
People Magazine
By Tim Nudd Taran Noah Smith, who played youngest child Mark Taylor on the '90s sitcom Home Improvement for eight years, was arrested early Wednesday for DUI and drug possession, according to a report. Smith, 27, was arrested around 1 am in Los Angeles ...
'Home Improvement' actor arrested on suspicion of DUI in BurbankLos Angeles Times
'Home Improvement' kid busted on drug chargeNew York Daily News
'Home Improvement' Star Arrested For DUI, Drug PossessionLong Island Press
Fox News -The Daily Blabber from iVillage -TheCelebrityCafe.com
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The Consumerist

Home Improvement Projects To Warm Up Cold Rooms
The Consumerist
A quick home improvement project can make the room more livable. Family Handyman has several ideas to help you warm things up. Here are a few: * A toe-kick heater. A type of space heater you'll need to wire in to your main electrical panel, ...



NARI Home Improvement Show set for State Fair Park
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The best place might be at the 50th Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Show to be held Thursday through Sunday in the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park. The show includes hundreds of exhibitors offering home improvement advice, products and ...



HOME IMPROVEMENT INNOVATI
Quad-Cities Online
Today is Sunday, Feb. 5, the 36th day of 2012. There are 330 days left in the year. 1862 -- 150 years ago: Town collectors are required to return their books to the county treasurer on the 14th. People should pay up, now, as fast as possible, ...

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Whole-home display planned for Eastern Iowa Home Improvement and Landscaping show
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
WATERLOO --- Nearly 175 exhibitors will showcase the latest project ideas for the home, lawn and garden at the 61st Annual Eastern Iowa Home Improvement and Landscaping Show, Friday through next Sunday. The event takes place at the Five Sullivan ...



Home improvement hits wall for homeless shelter
Sussex Countian
By Christine Miller On Jan. 18, officials from the Sussex Community Crisis Housing Services found themselves rejoicing in the Georgetown Planning Commission's decision to approve a request for a conditional use permit that would allow the facility to ...

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Home improvement for your health
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By (ARA) (ARA) - When considering home improvements, people tend to choose projects that will improve the value of their home. While this is important for a healthy bottom line, investing in the health of those living inside the home also is a ...

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O'Fallon has loans available to improve homes
STLtoday.com
With 10 spots available in its home improvement program, the city of O'Fallon is encouraging homeowners to find out if they qualify for help with home repairs. The city has forgivable five-year loans of up to $5000 available for help in addressing code ...


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