Bring 5S Home

The last thing most of us want to do after a long shift is to bring our work home with us. It’s a separation that is necessary for our livelihood, creativity and lets not forget, our sanity. But what happens when a function of work can actual improve your home life as it does your work?

The Lean process known as 5S is an extensive process of cleaning and organizing within a dedicated area. The five step process provides the ways and means to not only put your area in order, but also sustain your hard work for continued success. Now unless you are fortunate enough to have a full time crew in home to keep your home clean and in order, bringing this particular part your work might not necessarily be a bad thing.

Most of us could probably think of a few areas in our home right now that could use some sorting, setting, shining, standardizing and sustaining without thinking to hard. So why not tackle them with a little 5S? If your home is truly your castle then it deserves the best of what you have to offer. Plus, the more you practice and fine tune your skills, the better you will become at them.

Lets look at some basic skills from the 5S process and how they can be adapted into your home.

5S In The Home

Sort: Stop buying expensive storage equipment for items you never need or will use. It’s a waste of space and energy. Instead, eliminate any and all unnecessary items you don’t use or need. A major portion of your home cleaning is spent cleaning items you don’t ever use or having to clean around them. Besides there’s plenty of second hand stores that could use some fresh items on the shelf.
Set in Order: Develop a layout that arranges storage places and the methods used to do so. Items are constantly being misplaced around the home. If everything has a place and is in it’s place, there’s no reason to look elsewhere. Not to mention the money saved from replacing items that you couldn’t find.
Shine: Cleaning is the hardest task to stay on top of. It’s just as easy to get it done though, as it is to put it off. Dedicating just 15 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your home, especially if you can involve the entire family. Have a specific plan of action each day to be as efficient as possible during these 15 minutes.
Standardize: Visual management tools can be extremely effective in the home. A detailed whiteboard that’s color coded and easy to read will let everyone know what the goals are for the day, week and so on are. This keeps the focus on what needs to be accomplished and helps sustain the hard work that you already put in.
Sustain: Make everyone accountable, including yourself. This means setting an example by holding up to the standards you set in place. Your participation is the key to your homes involvement into the process.

Make It Happen

Personally, I’m not a fan of clutter and constant cleaning. Bringing my work home as relieved stress and saved precious time when I am home. Kids and pets always throw a curve ball into the mix. However, I have involved my children in the process
too. They are much more efficient now with their chores and their rooms have never looked better! I’m still working on the dog…

Your home is really no different than your workplace in that it takes a process to keep things in order. Bringing your work home might not always be the best idea, but in the case of 5S, it might be one of the best ideas YOU’VE had in awhile.