Sunday! We hope to accomplish more today with both of us home, but it really depends on the kids. B has a high fever so we are keeping a close eye on him.
We need to finish yesterday and today's chores:
-scrub kitchen
-take out trash
-more laundry
-vacuum living room
-scrub nursery (again)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Day 12 & 13
I have two sick kids, so I did little cleaning yesterday and today.
My lists were:
Laundry
Take out trash
Scrub down kitchen
Pick up clothes in bedroom
I managed to get laundry and the bedroom done, but thats it. I do not expect tomorrow to be very productive either.
My lists were:
Laundry
Take out trash
Scrub down kitchen
Pick up clothes in bedroom
I managed to get laundry and the bedroom done, but thats it. I do not expect tomorrow to be very productive either.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Day 11
Today I hope to accomplish much more! I have more laundry to wash, fold and put away. More work to do in my bedroom, and a few more errands to run.
Laundry: another load of kids clothes, mommy clothes and perhaps some pillows
Errands: go to the drug store and the post office -DONE!
Home: find, wash, dry and package all items sold. (2 diapers, 3 longies, 2 soakers) - DONE!
Cleaning: scrub toilet,(DONE!) take out trash, vacuum living room and kitchen.
If I have time: pick up master bedroom, box up old baby clothes
Its 3am, and there is so much to do, but I simply don't have the energy tonight!
A friend just had her baby (like 30 minutes ago) so I have been waiting up for that. She is a beautiful healthy little girl! I stopped to order her a new baby gift, and stayed up to make sure Lee's clothes were ready to go. But now I must sleep!
Laundry: another load of kids clothes, mommy clothes and perhaps some pillows
Errands: go to the drug store and the post office -DONE!
Home: find, wash, dry and package all items sold. (2 diapers, 3 longies, 2 soakers) - DONE!
Cleaning: scrub toilet,(DONE!) take out trash, vacuum living room and kitchen.
If I have time: pick up master bedroom, box up old baby clothes
Its 3am, and there is so much to do, but I simply don't have the energy tonight!
A friend just had her baby (like 30 minutes ago) so I have been waiting up for that. She is a beautiful healthy little girl! I stopped to order her a new baby gift, and stayed up to make sure Lee's clothes were ready to go. But now I must sleep!
Day 10
Today was another simple day. Lee had to do some household repairs, which required me to contain the babies, so there wasnt much I could do.
-laundry:diapers, Lee's clothes, kids clothes, spare bedding. All done!
-fix nursery door and pick up nursery-done!
-fold a few more baskets of clothes-done!
I was not planning on making a big dinner, but that changed last minute so I made a big pot of chicken and dumplins, which took much longer then the burgers I planned on having.
Also managed to wash a few dishes and pick up the bathroom. Yay me!
I was hoping for more progress this week, but between family visits, surprise errands, and a teething toddler, I got less done than I hoped for. But tomorrow ia another day, with room for growth and more progress!
-laundry:diapers, Lee's clothes, kids clothes, spare bedding. All done!
-fix nursery door and pick up nursery-done!
-fold a few more baskets of clothes-done!
I was not planning on making a big dinner, but that changed last minute so I made a big pot of chicken and dumplins, which took much longer then the burgers I planned on having.
Also managed to wash a few dishes and pick up the bathroom. Yay me!
I was hoping for more progress this week, but between family visits, surprise errands, and a teething toddler, I got less done than I hoped for. But tomorrow ia another day, with room for growth and more progress!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Day 9
Because the last two days have been smaller tasks, though still progress, Tuesday's list is slightly more intense.
-organize filing cabinet
-dust and organize desk, bookshelf, end tables
-move shoe rack from living room to closet, replace with wicker basket
-wash and fold 4 more loads of laundry
-wash diapers, fold and put away
-clean out large dresser in bedroom
The chores are smaller, but more tedious. If I can get all this done, my bedroom can be easily cleaned and organized!
-organize filing cabinet
-dust and organize desk, bookshelf, end tables
-move shoe rack from living room to closet, replace with wicker basket
-wash and fold 4 more loads of laundry
-wash diapers, fold and put away
-clean out large dresser in bedroom
The chores are smaller, but more tedious. If I can get all this done, my bedroom can be easily cleaned and organized!
Day 8
Today my list was short, and even though it took until midnight, I got it done.
-put away all clean laundry (9 baskets)
-wash a few dishes
-run all my errands
Even though running errands is not cleaning, it did get my finances and paperwork organized! I got all my bills paid, every bill or expense got its own budget, envelope, and cash balance for the month. Now I can actually save what is my checking account! This took care of the pile of bills and papers on my desk. I also got my grocery shopping done, made arrangements for tax payments, and went to Austin's old school to transfer his records. I'm quite happy with today's progress!
-put away all clean laundry (9 baskets)
-wash a few dishes
-run all my errands
Even though running errands is not cleaning, it did get my finances and paperwork organized! I got all my bills paid, every bill or expense got its own budget, envelope, and cash balance for the month. Now I can actually save what is my checking account! This took care of the pile of bills and papers on my desk. I also got my grocery shopping done, made arrangements for tax payments, and went to Austin's old school to transfer his records. I'm quite happy with today's progress!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Day 7
Furniture has been delivered, assembled, and is looking fantastic! This gives me even more motivation to continue on my cleaning challenge! Last night I managed to fold and put away several loads of clothes, in the nursery, while the babies were sleeping. I was quite proud! So on to Day 7 tasks...
-wash, fold and put away: Lee's clothes for the week, blankets, and another load of diapers.
-scrub down kitchen table, freezer, counters, and windows
-attempt to make more progress in my bedroom. Though this may get put on hold until Monday. Lee is trying to encourage me to get out of the house while he watches the kids. I'm undecided if I'll go or what I'll do, but if I can, I would rather get a small break than clean some more. While I'm excited about my progress, and really motivated to keep going, I am starting to freak out when I have to leave the house. I have been to my parents' house a couple times a month, and a few trips to the dr, maybe a handful of times to the store at 2am. But I still freak out around people. I have no idea why. I've gotten so used to being at home all the time, that I can't even function in a normal society. So right now, getting over my fear is slightly more important than more cleaning. But I do plan to finish the kitchen and laundry before doing anything else.
-wash, fold and put away: Lee's clothes for the week, blankets, and another load of diapers.
-scrub down kitchen table, freezer, counters, and windows
-attempt to make more progress in my bedroom. Though this may get put on hold until Monday. Lee is trying to encourage me to get out of the house while he watches the kids. I'm undecided if I'll go or what I'll do, but if I can, I would rather get a small break than clean some more. While I'm excited about my progress, and really motivated to keep going, I am starting to freak out when I have to leave the house. I have been to my parents' house a couple times a month, and a few trips to the dr, maybe a handful of times to the store at 2am. But I still freak out around people. I have no idea why. I've gotten so used to being at home all the time, that I can't even function in a normal society. So right now, getting over my fear is slightly more important than more cleaning. But I do plan to finish the kitchen and laundry before doing anything else.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Day 6
Today's tasks are quite different, because today we will be moving furniture! Lee is going to pick up our new living room furniture, and moving around/hauling off some old stuff. So most of today's things will revolve around keeping the kids out of the way, and making space.
-Vacuum the living room (after the moving, I'm sure it will make a mess)
-Clean off and organize old/new furniture (current entertainment center is going upstairs for Austin's tv, movies and books)
-Laundry: Wash Mommy's clothes!!! And diapers. I won't have much time to do more, but those need to get done.
-Vacuum the living room (after the moving, I'm sure it will make a mess)
-Clean off and organize old/new furniture (current entertainment center is going upstairs for Austin's tv, movies and books)
-Laundry: Wash Mommy's clothes!!! And diapers. I won't have much time to do more, but those need to get done.
Friday, August 5, 2011
30 Days of Cleaning Day 5
Day 5:
Today's tasks are out of order, but, 'the show must go on!' Since I had a sleeping child in my bedroom yesterday, I was not able to get much work done in there. So I worked more in the living room instead. So today I need to get done what I should have done yesterday.
-pick up laundry in bedroom
-vacuum living room
-fold and put away clean laundry
I now have 7 loads of clean clothes to put away, but I'm not adding much more to my list for today. Once I get my bedroom in decent shape, I can work on thoroughly deep cleaning each room next week. Then organizing specific sections the next week. Then repairs and maintenance the last week. We actually got a couple repairs done yesterday, since I didn't want to do nothing, but couldn't work on my scheduled chores. Fixed a door, cleaned out the vacuum, fixed the shoe rack, bolted down the toybox, and moved more things to upstairs storage. This allowed me to get more work done in the living room, like cleaning off the couch, getting rid of an oldchair, wiping down the fingerprints and filing some papers. Not major work, but more than the picking up I did before and allows for easier deep cleaning next week. The nursery still got done, so the day wasn't a total waste. Hoping Day 5 is pretty productive!
Today's tasks are out of order, but, 'the show must go on!' Since I had a sleeping child in my bedroom yesterday, I was not able to get much work done in there. So I worked more in the living room instead. So today I need to get done what I should have done yesterday.
-pick up laundry in bedroom
-vacuum living room
-fold and put away clean laundry
I now have 7 loads of clean clothes to put away, but I'm not adding much more to my list for today. Once I get my bedroom in decent shape, I can work on thoroughly deep cleaning each room next week. Then organizing specific sections the next week. Then repairs and maintenance the last week. We actually got a couple repairs done yesterday, since I didn't want to do nothing, but couldn't work on my scheduled chores. Fixed a door, cleaned out the vacuum, fixed the shoe rack, bolted down the toybox, and moved more things to upstairs storage. This allowed me to get more work done in the living room, like cleaning off the couch, getting rid of an oldchair, wiping down the fingerprints and filing some papers. Not major work, but more than the picking up I did before and allows for easier deep cleaning next week. The nursery still got done, so the day wasn't a total waste. Hoping Day 5 is pretty productive!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Day 4
30 Days of Cleaning: Day 4
Today's tasks are:
-clean nursery: empty & wash toy box, scrub down furniture, clean carpets
-pick up master bedroom: pick up all laundry, take out trash
-laundry: one more load of kids clothes, 2 loads of mommy/daddy clothes, extra bedding
The nursery will take a while, I'm sure, since I will have two toddlers "helping" me. And I don't expect it to last long. But it needs a thorough deep cleaning. Master bedroom isn't ready for a deep cleaning, all the clothes are in the way! The bedroom will be a ten-part project. LOL Baby steps.
Today's tasks are:
-clean nursery: empty & wash toy box, scrub down furniture, clean carpets
-pick up master bedroom: pick up all laundry, take out trash
-laundry: one more load of kids clothes, 2 loads of mommy/daddy clothes, extra bedding
The nursery will take a while, I'm sure, since I will have two toddlers "helping" me. And I don't expect it to last long. But it needs a thorough deep cleaning. Master bedroom isn't ready for a deep cleaning, all the clothes are in the way! The bedroom will be a ten-part project. LOL Baby steps.
Day 3
30 Days of Cleaning: Day 3
Today's tasks are:
-clean out and organize hall closet
-pick up living room
-laundry: more kids clothes, extra bedding, pillows
-if I have time, fold and organize all diapers. With one almost completely potty trained, I can stash some of his day time diapers away and pull out the big boy underwear. But this involves being in the nursery, so can't be accomplished during nap time. Daddy will have to take over for a while.
Lee was pretty impressed with the bathroom and actually managed to not make a mess, and he promised to help in the kitchen this week. If nothing else got done, I would be satisfied knowing he at least wants to help now.
UPDATE!
Day 3: Done!
Closet is all neat and organized, living room was picked up (twice, darn kids!), laundry is washed and still drying, and I even managed to get some diapers folded!
Today's tasks are:
-clean out and organize hall closet
-pick up living room
-laundry: more kids clothes, extra bedding, pillows
-if I have time, fold and organize all diapers. With one almost completely potty trained, I can stash some of his day time diapers away and pull out the big boy underwear. But this involves being in the nursery, so can't be accomplished during nap time. Daddy will have to take over for a while.
Lee was pretty impressed with the bathroom and actually managed to not make a mess, and he promised to help in the kitchen this week. If nothing else got done, I would be satisfied knowing he at least wants to help now.
UPDATE!
Day 3: Done!
Closet is all neat and organized, living room was picked up (twice, darn kids!), laundry is washed and still drying, and I even managed to get some diapers folded!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Day 2
30 Days of Cleaning: Day 2
Today I have slightly bigger tasks, but I'm hopeful I can get it all done!
-Kitchen
-Pick up nursery
-Laundry: blankets, nursery bedding, and a few more towels.
My downfall will be the kitchen. I don't expect to do as thorough of a job as I did with the bathroom, but I hope to make a noticeable dent in it. I need to take out the trash, clean off the counter tops, and wash down the table. Currently my table is covered in papers, dishes, groceries that have yet to be put away, and my sewing supplies. Ideally, I would like to get my sewing supplies and Lee's crap out of the kitchen and upstairs. Then take out the trash, clean off the tables, and wash some more dishes. I don't expect to get to the details, like washing the stove and fridge, or sweeping and mopping the floors. But no matter what I do, I will be making progress. And unfinished tasks will stay on the list and be moved to a later day. If I can tackle most of the kitchen early in the month, I can do the detailed projects later and not be overwhelmed. I'm determined to stick to my plan!
Update: Day 2 done!
Got a few more loads of laundry done today, cleaned up the kitchen and did a little in the nursery. Both kitchen and nursery still need some work, but I'm happy with my progress! Got the floor swept, pantry cleaned up, table cleaned off, and boxes moved out. Still needs some detail work, but I got a lot done. Now to rest up for tomorrow!
Today I have slightly bigger tasks, but I'm hopeful I can get it all done!
-Kitchen
-Pick up nursery
-Laundry: blankets, nursery bedding, and a few more towels.
My downfall will be the kitchen. I don't expect to do as thorough of a job as I did with the bathroom, but I hope to make a noticeable dent in it. I need to take out the trash, clean off the counter tops, and wash down the table. Currently my table is covered in papers, dishes, groceries that have yet to be put away, and my sewing supplies. Ideally, I would like to get my sewing supplies and Lee's crap out of the kitchen and upstairs. Then take out the trash, clean off the tables, and wash some more dishes. I don't expect to get to the details, like washing the stove and fridge, or sweeping and mopping the floors. But no matter what I do, I will be making progress. And unfinished tasks will stay on the list and be moved to a later day. If I can tackle most of the kitchen early in the month, I can do the detailed projects later and not be overwhelmed. I'm determined to stick to my plan!
Update: Day 2 done!
Got a few more loads of laundry done today, cleaned up the kitchen and did a little in the nursery. Both kitchen and nursery still need some work, but I'm happy with my progress! Got the floor swept, pantry cleaned up, table cleaned off, and boxes moved out. Still needs some detail work, but I got a lot done. Now to rest up for tomorrow!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Day 1
My tasks for today are:
-Clean the bathroom
-Wash dishes
-Laundry: diapers, kids clothes, and towels.
So far I have washed the diapers, got the bathroom half cleaned-before I was interrupted by two cranky toddlers-and I'm starting a load of towels.
Update:
DAY 1 DONE!
I scrubbed the bathroom, top to bottom. Got down on my hands and knees and really scrubbed the floor. Washed out the diaper pail, trash can, training potty, and cabinets. I washed a load of diapers, a load of towels, and two loads of kids clothes, with a few of Lee's shirts thrown in. :) I washed dishes, then they got used immediately, so I need to rewash them just to stay caught up. All in all, I'm happy with my progress. I managed to get all my tasks done, despite the hectic morning and two cranky toddlers all afternoon. Now to plan out Day 2 and get some rest!
-Clean the bathroom
-Wash dishes
-Laundry: diapers, kids clothes, and towels.
So far I have washed the diapers, got the bathroom half cleaned-before I was interrupted by two cranky toddlers-and I'm starting a load of towels.
Update:
DAY 1 DONE!
I scrubbed the bathroom, top to bottom. Got down on my hands and knees and really scrubbed the floor. Washed out the diaper pail, trash can, training potty, and cabinets. I washed a load of diapers, a load of towels, and two loads of kids clothes, with a few of Lee's shirts thrown in. :) I washed dishes, then they got used immediately, so I need to rewash them just to stay caught up. All in all, I'm happy with my progress. I managed to get all my tasks done, despite the hectic morning and two cranky toddlers all afternoon. Now to plan out Day 2 and get some rest!
My List
Here is my list of things to do for the next 30 days. Again, tailor your list to fit your needs.
30 Days of Cleaning List:
Kitchen:
-take out trash
-separate and wash dishes
-sweep floor
-clean stove (top and front)
-clean refrigerator
-scrub counter tops
-scrub table, put on new table cloth and place mats
-scrub walls (fingerprints and pen marks by homework station)
Laundry:
-wash diapers first
-table cloth, towels, high chair cover, dish rags
-blankets, kid clothes
-bedding, extra blankets
-Lee's clothes
-Mommy's clothes
-pillows, bath mat
-fold and put away as each load is done
Bathroom:
-pick up clothes, towels, toys, etc
-clean out and fill soap bins
-clean sink and drain
-scrub tub, faucet, shower head
-clean toilet
-clean off shelves, medicine cabinet
Nursery:
-empty and wash toy box
-put all toys away, toss broken toys
-scrub dressers, doors, baseboards, beds
-wash stuffed animals, bed rail cover, curtains
-hang diaper organizer
-clean under beds
-scrub and vacuum carpet
-clean (sanitize) mattresses and put on clean bedding
-store extra bedding in closet drawers
-wash foam mattress pad
Master Bedroom:
-pick up and bag all clothes
-put all shoes in basket (in closet)
-take out all trash
-dust walls, ceiling, fan, dressers
-hang all clean laundry
-vacuum
-store purses, suitcases, and other bags in plastic tub (in closet)
-store all unused items (spare alarm clock, back massager, etc) in plastic tub (in closet)
-clean out large dresser; store socks, underwear, and out of season clothing
-clean air unit
-wash blinds
Living Room:
-take out all trash
-pick up and bag all clothes and other laundry
-put all toys in nursery
-move storage tubs to upstairs room
-fix and fill shoe rack, extras go in bedroom closet
-put all tools, paint, xbox and computer parts in storage tub upstairs
-dust all surfaces
-clean air unit
-scrub and vacuum floors
-clean off and organize bookshelf
-move tacklebox, fishing poles, extra tool box upstairs
-hang purse, backpacks, and diaper bags on coat rack
-scrub walls and doors
-move file boxes and all paperwork to new filing cabinet
Hall Closet:
-sort and re-organize medicine bins
-wash and fold extra blankets and bedding in storage tub 9bottom of closet)
-put all school supplies, arts & crafts, games on top shelf
-move all cleaners to laundry shelf in kitchen
-scrub closet door
Upstairs:
-take out all trash
-vacuum
-sort, wash and put away all Austin's clothes that still fit, suitable for school
-clean (sanitize) mattress and put on new bedding
-clean and store ferret cage and accessories
-clean out closet
-move drawers, bookshelf and chair to corner
-scrub walls, baseboards and doors
-straighten up storage closet
Miscellaneous:
-clean off and scrub washer and dryer
-vacuum hallway
-scrub walls and baseboards in hallway
-set up laundry system in hallway
-scrub back door area
-clean off front porch and surrounding area
-store extra laundry baskets upstairs
-clean out and scrub inside fridge and freezers
30 Days of Cleaning List:
Kitchen:
-take out trash
-separate and wash dishes
-sweep floor
-clean stove (top and front)
-clean refrigerator
-scrub counter tops
-scrub table, put on new table cloth and place mats
-scrub walls (fingerprints and pen marks by homework station)
Laundry:
-wash diapers first
-table cloth, towels, high chair cover, dish rags
-blankets, kid clothes
-bedding, extra blankets
-Lee's clothes
-Mommy's clothes
-pillows, bath mat
-fold and put away as each load is done
Bathroom:
-pick up clothes, towels, toys, etc
-clean out and fill soap bins
-clean sink and drain
-scrub tub, faucet, shower head
-clean toilet
-clean off shelves, medicine cabinet
Nursery:
-empty and wash toy box
-put all toys away, toss broken toys
-scrub dressers, doors, baseboards, beds
-wash stuffed animals, bed rail cover, curtains
-hang diaper organizer
-clean under beds
-scrub and vacuum carpet
-clean (sanitize) mattresses and put on clean bedding
-store extra bedding in closet drawers
-wash foam mattress pad
Master Bedroom:
-pick up and bag all clothes
-put all shoes in basket (in closet)
-take out all trash
-dust walls, ceiling, fan, dressers
-hang all clean laundry
-vacuum
-store purses, suitcases, and other bags in plastic tub (in closet)
-store all unused items (spare alarm clock, back massager, etc) in plastic tub (in closet)
-clean out large dresser; store socks, underwear, and out of season clothing
-clean air unit
-wash blinds
Living Room:
-take out all trash
-pick up and bag all clothes and other laundry
-put all toys in nursery
-move storage tubs to upstairs room
-fix and fill shoe rack, extras go in bedroom closet
-put all tools, paint, xbox and computer parts in storage tub upstairs
-dust all surfaces
-clean air unit
-scrub and vacuum floors
-clean off and organize bookshelf
-move tacklebox, fishing poles, extra tool box upstairs
-hang purse, backpacks, and diaper bags on coat rack
-scrub walls and doors
-move file boxes and all paperwork to new filing cabinet
Hall Closet:
-sort and re-organize medicine bins
-wash and fold extra blankets and bedding in storage tub 9bottom of closet)
-put all school supplies, arts & crafts, games on top shelf
-move all cleaners to laundry shelf in kitchen
-scrub closet door
Upstairs:
-take out all trash
-vacuum
-sort, wash and put away all Austin's clothes that still fit, suitable for school
-clean (sanitize) mattress and put on new bedding
-clean and store ferret cage and accessories
-clean out closet
-move drawers, bookshelf and chair to corner
-scrub walls, baseboards and doors
-straighten up storage closet
Miscellaneous:
-clean off and scrub washer and dryer
-vacuum hallway
-scrub walls and baseboards in hallway
-set up laundry system in hallway
-scrub back door area
-clean off front porch and surrounding area
-store extra laundry baskets upstairs
-clean out and scrub inside fridge and freezers
30 Days of Cleaning
As I look around my house, I see disorganized piles, dishes in the sink, laundry to fold, and general disarray. I am determined to fix this, once and for all. Not just clean up the mess of toys, or put away the laundry, but to make a real change. To ensure that my house not only GETS clean and organized, but stays that way. So I have made a plan, and would love for you to join me! In 30 days my house will be a spotless, well organized, machine!
The Plan: make a list. Anything that needs scrubbing, sorting, donating, repairing, or just throwing away goes on the list. Just deciding to clean has never worked for me. I lack the time and motivation to tackle such a large task. Once I have my list, it goes on the schedule. Every task is assigned a time to get done. For my schedule, I chose 2 big tasks a day, and one ongoing task. For example, in the morning while the kids have a snack and quiet play time, I will surface clean the bathroom. In the afternoon while they nap, I will tackle the bookshelf-sorting through the papers, trading old magazines, etc. My ongoing task will be laundry. Mondays are kids laundry: this includes each child's clothes, bedding, blankets, stuffed animals, and diapers.
Tuesdays tasks will be: morning-surface clean the kitchen (wipe down countertops, sweep the floor, take out trash, etc). Afternoon: vacuum the floors. Ongoing task (laundry): Household laundry (towels, table cloth, dish rags, bath mat, etc). Most people probably don't do as much laundry as we do, but it takes us forever. With the babies issues, everything must be rinsed twice to ensure no detergent residue is left on their clothing. From start to finish, each load takes about 3 hours. So laundry is an ongoing task, and source of frustration for us. Perhaps your ongoing task will be dusting if you have allergies, vacuuming up pet hair, or watering the plants. Make your list and schedule to fit your needs. I will be posting my detailed list and schedule later. My goal is to have the big tasks done, so each week I only need to do maintenance, which takes far less time.
Tips for making your own list and schedule: know your routine. If your child has soccer practice on Wednesdays and you don't have much time, opt for a simple task, like vacuum the living room or take out all the trash. Don't schedule all the chores you hate in one day. Knowing when you get up that you have to do something you hate will kill your motivation. Spread them out. Schedule scrubbing the toilets with an easy chore, like putting away the folded laundry. Choose one big chore and one easy chore a day. Reduce weekend chores. Nobody likes cleaning all weekend, so pick one chore those days. Perhaps washing and changing all the bedding, or enlist the whole family in a quick dusting. If, like me, you have small children who aren't able to do much, let them help on their level. I give Chloe a basket to gather all the toys, and Will gets a small spray bottle of vinegar and a rag to clean the finger prints off the fridge. They learn to help, but don't get in the way. Giving them separate tasks, often in separate rooms, keeps them from getting distracted and playing.
So get started on your list, make a schedule, and join me in a 30 day cleaning spree! Feel free to comment with any tips or just share your accomplishments! We can encourage and motivate each other. :)
The Plan: make a list. Anything that needs scrubbing, sorting, donating, repairing, or just throwing away goes on the list. Just deciding to clean has never worked for me. I lack the time and motivation to tackle such a large task. Once I have my list, it goes on the schedule. Every task is assigned a time to get done. For my schedule, I chose 2 big tasks a day, and one ongoing task. For example, in the morning while the kids have a snack and quiet play time, I will surface clean the bathroom. In the afternoon while they nap, I will tackle the bookshelf-sorting through the papers, trading old magazines, etc. My ongoing task will be laundry. Mondays are kids laundry: this includes each child's clothes, bedding, blankets, stuffed animals, and diapers.
Tuesdays tasks will be: morning-surface clean the kitchen (wipe down countertops, sweep the floor, take out trash, etc). Afternoon: vacuum the floors. Ongoing task (laundry): Household laundry (towels, table cloth, dish rags, bath mat, etc). Most people probably don't do as much laundry as we do, but it takes us forever. With the babies issues, everything must be rinsed twice to ensure no detergent residue is left on their clothing. From start to finish, each load takes about 3 hours. So laundry is an ongoing task, and source of frustration for us. Perhaps your ongoing task will be dusting if you have allergies, vacuuming up pet hair, or watering the plants. Make your list and schedule to fit your needs. I will be posting my detailed list and schedule later. My goal is to have the big tasks done, so each week I only need to do maintenance, which takes far less time.
Tips for making your own list and schedule: know your routine. If your child has soccer practice on Wednesdays and you don't have much time, opt for a simple task, like vacuum the living room or take out all the trash. Don't schedule all the chores you hate in one day. Knowing when you get up that you have to do something you hate will kill your motivation. Spread them out. Schedule scrubbing the toilets with an easy chore, like putting away the folded laundry. Choose one big chore and one easy chore a day. Reduce weekend chores. Nobody likes cleaning all weekend, so pick one chore those days. Perhaps washing and changing all the bedding, or enlist the whole family in a quick dusting. If, like me, you have small children who aren't able to do much, let them help on their level. I give Chloe a basket to gather all the toys, and Will gets a small spray bottle of vinegar and a rag to clean the finger prints off the fridge. They learn to help, but don't get in the way. Giving them separate tasks, often in separate rooms, keeps them from getting distracted and playing.
So get started on your list, make a schedule, and join me in a 30 day cleaning spree! Feel free to comment with any tips or just share your accomplishments! We can encourage and motivate each other. :)
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