GOOD HOUSE KEEPING

Our father of nation M.K.Gandhi said some 75 years ago.

"Cleanliness is Godliness”, but nobody believed thi s, because he was a BLACK INDIAN. Now, we learn from foreigners especially from Japanese in the name of 5 S House Keeping .We give huge money to import this technology and get training from them. Now, in India people take up the courses in Housekeeping , degrees are also offered to students who undergo and come out successfully .

Our Avaiyar Paati long back said in her "Athichoodi": Kandayayanalum Kasakki Kattu (even torn clothes must be washed and used ), Koozhanalum Kulithuk Kudi (even when you take Ragi kanji, have bath and take food), Sutham Soru Podum, (cleanliness will give food). Now, people talk about environmental clean / Science, pollution etc.etc.

5 S Housekeeping is first, how, we will see! I am speaking with you all with my vast experience of 46 years in TVS Sundaram Clayton, Zip Industries, Super Auto, Ashok Iron Works (Belgaum)and finally in one of the Leading Leather Goods Manufacturing company ( GM Quality Assurance ). I have also conducted training in various disciplines including 5 S for more than 2500 hrs for various categories of employees right from workmen to, GMs, VPs, Directors and MD of various companies.

Every thing starts from Home then to Social and finally Office/Factory.

I will touch upon one by one to share my experience to benefit.
First take up our own living homes where we don’t do much with respect to housekeeping. At least from now on we can think of 5 S at our homes.

Today, people have enough money and willing to buy things left and right and pleasing family members especially kid (s) as other wise, parents are rejected by kids and wives as well. While doing this, lot of unwanted, duplicate things are purchased and stored and unused for a very long time, which occupy space and give room for developing insects and spread diseases .

Yes, past is past, at least let us give a serious thought and start doing now some small things for better. For doing Ladies/House wives (women) cooperation is most essential to dispose of certain unused things for ages stating that the items are given by their ammakkals as gift at the time of marriage and on special occasions, in some cases ammas also give used things which they want to use and they coolly also say Aaghi Vanthathu .

What is 5 S (5 satisfactory things) and how it can be applied, let us see .
S 1 - Seiri,
> Remove unnecessary things from home ( old damaged vessels, broken furniture, Pens, stationery, old letters, receipts, clothes unused, torn clothes ,obsolete dress, damaged tools, even Kumkum, manjal, pakku which can’t be used, grains which are not good to eat, pictures, broken glass, bus tickets, train tickets, old pump stove, chappals, electronic items, old masonary items etc etc )
> Prevent unnecessary things entering in to homes ( dont buy things which are not required, which are given as gifts presents which we dont require,dont get brouchers,catalogues,not useful.)
> Decide what is necessary and unnecessary of the entire stock at home.( Have a list of items available at home )
> Segregate most necessary and unnecessary things from the stock .
Dispose of unnecessary things; don’t hesitate to dispose/throw unnecessary things.

It is a team work, the whole team members are to take part in the workshop to keep the house clean. The Master of the team should be really serious in the schedule. Remember it is not a one man's job. We win together .This step is most important to begin with.

I am sure by doing we get lot of benefits like, get enough space, preventing insects, clean atmosphere, unnecessary things getting accumulated and make dirty and lot more.

S 2 Seiton

A place for everything and everything in its place. I taught this to my granddaughter Avanthika, she used to say whenever I ask on this, Overoru Porulukkum ovveru idam undu, anthantha porul anthantha idathil, anthantha porul anthantha idathil irrukka vendum

After identifying necessary things, have a list of items, decide what to keep where, women know in kitchen where to keep Vellam, sakkarai, Mundri paruppu, Bakshanam, ennai, karandi, thattugal etc so that she can pick from the place in no time and reducing searching time. No mix up at any cost. Even for sarees, matching blouses are kept in sets daily use items, jewels, silver vessels.
> Identify the items ( most important things like, documents, jewels, vessels, and the things are stored in lofts and cupboards with labels and display at respective location and a duplicate in the file .This includes items kept in the lockers and the keys also .
> Place the items at convenience locations which are used daily and frequently

By following the simple techniques, we achieve total satisfaction
> Searching time is reduced
> Duplicate items are not bought
> Mental satisfaction
> Clearly we see things at location
> Things required are access to all family members.
Can add so many

Hope this will be useful to one and all. These concepts are also applicable to industries/offices.

Let us begin to have a clean house and get full satisfaction

Better late than never. Please give a helping hand to do a good job at homes