7/24/2008

A System That Works

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There have been big changes around our house in the last 6 months, and I'm finally coming out of the closet. I am not a "Domestic Diva" and my home was a disaster for the first few years we were married. Drop in visits from friends would leave me profusely apologizing for the condition of my home, and I always had an excuse as to why my house was not in the best condition. I had tried Fly Lady and Motivated Moms but nothing cut it - I was a cluttered mess. Every few months I would get on a kick, and the house would look great for a couple weeks but it never lasted.

I finally came up with a plan that works for me. It's a combination of many things I have found on the net, but I tailored it to fit my personality and my needs. The system has worked out wonderfully and I want to share it with the other domestically challenged people out there.




I have two lists side-by-side on my fridge. I took two dry erase boards and split them in half. In permanent marker I wrote out a daily chore list and a weekly chore list on the first board. On the second board I have a "To Do" list and a "Buy" list.


My Daily Chores Include:

- Make the Beds
- Do a Load of Laundry (wash, dry & put away)
- Take Vitamins
- Have Quiet Time
- Exercise
- Circle Time/Read (Kids)
- Empty/Clean Sink (Kitchen)
- Clear Kitchen Counters (Our trouble spot - declutter & wipe down)
- Wipe Down Bathrooms (Clear Counters, Wipe Down Sink & Toilet)
- Empty Trash Cans
- Sweep & Wipe Floors (Towel tied around a squeegee through house)
- Pick Up Clutter:
- Living Room
- Play Room
- Kid's Room
- Master Bedroom

My Weekly Chores are as Follows:

Monday:
- Kitchen (clean out & clean fridge, clean stove, wipe down cabinets, straighten spices/dry goods)

Tuesday:
- Mop
- Plan meals

Wednesday:
- Clean Bathrooms
- Grocery Shop

Thursday:
- Dust (Includes wiping fan blades and glass globes on lights)
- Vacuum

Friday:
- Mop
- Organize a Needed Area

Saturday:
-Indoor or Outdoor Project

Sunday:
- Off (Still do daily chores)

As I accomplish a task I put a dot next to the chore. Some chores, like picking up certain rooms, get done a couple times a day and I add a dot each time the chore is done. It's rewarding at the end of the day to see all I have done. This also helps me to not feel discouraged when the kiddos create a mess in a room I already cleaned because I see what I have done. Both lists take me about 1.5 hours a day to finish and I'm learning what jobs the boys can help me with.

The best reward, by far, has been being able to rest at night. I know that when I wake up in the morning last nights dinner mess won't greet me, the boys won't have an additional mess to add to, and I also love knowing that Brandon is walking into a pretty clean house. Some days I still slack, but those days are now the exception and not the norm.

1 comments:

natalie said...

wow! you're amazing! I ordered flylady's journal thing last month, and I got it put in a binder--oh, I lie, my husband did that--but that's it. I try to say that b/c I work from home then it's hard to keep everything neat and organized while working, raising a precious boy, and cooking, but it's just an excuse--I know that I could fit 2 hours of good cleaning in everyday! thanks for the motivation!