Sunday, July 29, 2018

Covering the Essentials | Of Housekeeping With Small Children


#Confession: I hate schedules. Mom thrives on them. We're night-and-day different in that department. She's likened our relationship to the "Anne and Marilla" from Green Gables type. I needed her to give me a head start in the unsung degree of "PRACTICALITY" during my growing up years. I'm so thankful for all the hours she spent organizing the basement...and the kitchen...and our bedrooms together. It's really been helpful for me, now that I have my own house to keep!

So. Between my "Free Spirited" version of housekeeping and her "Scheduled" version of housekeeping, there should be some helpful suggestions for both personalities.

1. BARE BASICS FIRST

By order of importance, that looks like:

  • One chapter of Bible reading and at least ten minutes to pray
  • Getting dressed makes you feel productive and ready.
  • Keeping the house picked up and uncluttered (once before the kids get up, once again before nap time, again before Dad comes home, again before bed.)
  • Making the beds.
  • Next, the sink and toilet should be wiped down every morning.
  • Kitchen counters should be cleared and wiped after every meal and the floor swept.
  • Get something out of the freezer for supper.
  • Wash, dry and fold at least one load of laundry.
  • For fifteen minutes, (Seriously. Set a timer.)  run around dusting/sweeping/polishing whatever needs it. Hand the kids a feather duster and they'll be entertained while you do it!


TA-DA! That alone leaves anyone feeling fabulous and prepared for the day. Being honest though, sometimes, for my crew, we all get dressed, have breakfast, clean up the kitchen, pick everything up, start the laundry...and everything  else has to wait until nap time.

When you’re the only person taking care of that whole house (your kids aren’t big enough to help yet) don’t be discouraged if it’s not all done by 12:00. One thing at a time.


2. WHAT YOU LOVE SECOND

What makes the house feel clean and peaceful to you? Does your husband have anything he particularly likes to have kept up?

I can't stand gritty floors, for instance, while Ethan almost dies if there's dust underneath the bed. I keep the two of those as priorities, but they aren't as high on my morning list as the BARE BASICS, above. If they don't get done, I will be annoyed, but not distraught.

3. WEEKLY DEEP CLEANING

A few weeks ago Mom discovered another scheduling system. Surprisingly, She  and I BOTH love THIS LADY'S system of keeping your house in a constant state of deep cleaned-ness. Mom follows it to the T...I adapted my own version. If you want to do exactly what Mom does, sign up for the daily emails. They'll tell you specifically what to do each day.

I spend a week on each of the following rooms, from light fixture, through the drawers, down to the baseboards. Leave nothing out! Set the timer for 15 minutes while the kids are napping and go at it!

Kitchen
Living Room
Bathroom/Laundry Room
My Bedroom/Bathroom
Girls' Bedroom
Guest Bedroom

4. YOU DO YOU!

We housewives do these things to create and sustain a peaceful atmosphere. This list is what makes me and my family happy to be at home at the end of the day. You’re family might require more than that to feel comfortable and at peace, it may require less. You have to do some honest searching to decide which chores are too much and which ones need to be added to the morning list. You could even *gulp* ask your husband if you're brave.

 Do you have any tips or tricks to share?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

great post! and I know my Mum schedules too, and while I don't mind having a schedule, following one, now that's a different story;)
-Rose

Anna said...

I feel ya! It’s always good to be orderly and have a rough-draft plan, but box-checking isn’t for everybody. All the box-checking that I learned growing up, on the other hand, is what taught me to be disciplined enough to create my own daily plans. God knows everything, doesn’t He?!

Anonymous said...

and by the way my Mum LOVES flylady:)
-Rose

Anna said...

I think FlyLady’s system has become pretty popular!! It keeps surprising me how so many people already know about her:) It’s good stuff!

Anonymous said...

I love it when individuals come together and share ideas.

Great website, keep it up!

Anonymous said...

I love to listen to Flylady Kat on YT. She has taken her own approach to Flylady. Chris W.