I’m a 63-year-old bachelor with a very large Newfoundland dog who sheds like it’s her full-time job. My house had gotten to the point where I wasn’t sure if I was walking on carpet or a thick layer of fur. Then I heard about the Japanese “Kaizen” method—though I read it as “Kaison,” which sounded more like a minimalist samurai than a self-improvement strategy. The idea is to improve just 1% each day. I figured, hey, I’ve got time, dog hair, and a vacuum that hasn’t felt useful in years—why not?
On Day 1, I picked up a sock that had formed a strong bond with the floor.
On Day 2, I vacuumed one square foot of the living room. This filled the canister with so much dog hair that I briefly thought I had a second Newfoundland.
By Day 5, I was chasing tumbleweeds of fur down the hallway.
Halfway through May, I deep cleaned the couch. I found coins, a TV remote I assumed was lost forever, and enough fur to stuff a small futon. On Day 17, I bought a lint roller for my clothes. Best investment I’ve made since my big screen TV!
By Day 30, my house smelled vaguely of lemon instead of mystery, my floors were visible, and my dog had her own designated blanket to shed on (which she ignores completely). I even bought throw pillows that I’ve discovered can effectively perform double duty as barriers between the dog and my freshly cleaned furniture.
June’s goal? Cook something that doesn’t come from a microwave … ideally without getting dog hair in it. One clean day at a time.
