Thanks for the home-schooling ideas! This started out as a comment on my post, but it got too long, so I’ll just post it. You'd think the "after-lunch-while-he's-sleeping" solution would be a no-brainer. I hadn’t really considered it though because I was thinking I want to get it all done in the morning or something. And, that's my nap-time too. Thankfully, my naps are much shorter than they were and sometimes I can even skip them! So we're going to try that. Also, this morning, Caleb took his "table-work" that he can do mostly on his own to the basement and we shut the gate. That worked quite well! Less distractions for him too. As far as Daddy is concerned, he is doing the Bible stories and also the science activities. So that helps a lot. Anyway, today was a better day.
I also had the idea to insert regularly scheduled chores in each morning in place of the school work that we'll be doing in the afternoon. That feels good too. It was okay that Caleb and I were doing language at 3:00 because we had already folded all of the laundry in the morning. I’m thinking of the following schedule: Monday – swimming lessons, no extra chores, Tuesday – clean bathrooms and either dust or change sheets (those last two might not always happen. tee hee.), Wednesday – fold laundry, Thursday – send the kids to their Grandmas – no extra chores, Friday – vacuum and mop.
While I’m on the subject of housework, I’ve been meaning to ask sometime…. What is a favorite “routine” or household tip that really helps you get something done, stay organized, make a job you don't like easier, etc.??? I’d like to hear some good ideas from lots of people. We all have little things that we do that make housework more efficient. I thought it would be neat if we’d share some of our favorite ideas. So, let’s hear it for – and from – all the Hilda the Housewives out there!
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I guess I'm banned from commenting on this post, but my best tip is to work 800 hours a week so the messy house really isn't a problem... = P helpful, eh?
my newest 'thing' is to keep a running to-do list. it has 3 columns: 1. the date i add the item to do 2. the item to do 3. the date i do it.
i like this a lot so far for managing non-routine things. i bought a notebook for this, and in other parts i am keeping my menus, birthday gift ideas, kid quotes, etc. the key for me is to keep it with me throughout the day, or it doesn't work.
can't wait to read what everyone else has to say!
rachel, no offense, but i just don't like your idea. :D
I have several ideas. One thing I've liked to do is just give myself 15 minutes (or 20 or 30, etc.) in one room and just work like crazy to get everything done in that amount of time as possible and then move on to other things. You'd be suprised how much you can do when you don't get overwhelmed by the big picture...like the whole messy house or the whole filthy room.
The other thing I did for awhile (and plan to again in the future) was make a schedule for all those jobs that only need (or get) done every other week/once per month. I also included my weekly chores on that schedule. Week 1 could include wiping off the cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathroom and then not be on again till Week 3 of that month or Week 1 of the next month, etc. Also on there were things like cleaning under and behind furniture, wiping baseboards, wiping walls in hallways and stairwells, cleaning the fridge and washing trash cans and rugs. (some of those things only got done every 2 months.)Made things much more manageable and not all pile up on me.
Lists, lists and more lists! However, I'm not as organized as Rhonda (but I like that idea!). I find that if I have a list made I'll get stuff done. If I don't have a list I tend to jump from one thing to the next without finishing anything.
Iris, I like your idea too! I think you should type up a schedule like that and post it on yoru blog so the rest of us can learn from you. Some of the things you mentioned only get done at my house when my mom visits! :(
now THAT is a first...i am sure those words have never been uttered before: 'I'm not as organized as Rhonda'. I might engrave them on a plaque. Or maybe paint them on my wall. with Sabrina's name in beautiful gold letters beside it.
I'm with Rachel; just work enough so that when you come home if the couch is free of stuff so you can sit (or lie), the house is clean.
my second best idea - have a small house! I find it slightly more motivating to know that if I work for a solid two hours my entire apartment will be spotless! (sorry, know you can't really take advantage of this idea!)
okay so a serious tip (at least it works for me): clean while doing something else, like watching CSI for instance! it takes forever, but at least I get to do something fun in between! Or the old faithful: turn some motivating music up really loud and sing along!
great responses, ladies! part of me wants to like iris' ideas, but the reality is sorta like sabrina's. :-) "you mean i'm supposed to wash off my cupboards??" seriously, it's a good idea, iris. and i like the 15 minute/room idea!!
and i'm with heather on the size of the house... we obviously wouldn't want to live in her tiny apartment, but i definitely don't want any more space than we have! it would just be more to clean and easier to collect more junk!!
rhonda, congratulations on being more organized than sabrina!! you rock! :-)
okay, anyone else out there?? carolyn, twila, eunice, kathy (yeah, you in new york!), lisa, betty, becky??? i know you all have smart things you do!!
Wow. You all seem organized. I don't have any cleaning routine. When it's messy, clean it. That's about it. Maybe I should try your methods...
Rhonda, I'm glad I made your day!!
I just spent a good part of my morning trying to organize (AGAIN!) kids clothes. I think a bigger house would be helpful, but maybe it would be worse.
My husbands best tip -just put it away right away. (he's good at this, I'm bad at this. :( )
I am catching up today!!!!:) on blogs and house work! I am not a list person either, but when its dirty it gets cleaned. I find it alot easier to clean also when the kids are out of the house and even if I only have a short time, I can get alot done while they are out. They either go outside and or go with Dad!
I don't know what else to say, I don't like it dirty so I will clean it!
hmmmm....not so sure any of my ideas are so great!! One thing I've been doing lately, is just doing laundry on thursdays (so I'm not constantly folding a little bit everyday and putting away!), and that is also house cleaning day. Either I do it when the boys are at school or they get lists and do it when they get home....either one works. I guess alot of times I write myself a list...and if I do something that's not on the list, I go ahead and write it down after I do it and scratch it off so the list looks bigger ( I really do this...quite immature of me...eh?!).
lisa, you're not the only one that writes things on lists so that you can cross them off! i do that all the time!
Hi Jenni!
I figured it's about time I post a comment..which I never have on a blog before. (So I'm feeling very adventurous!) I DO love reading yours though...As far as my tips...let's see..one thing that really helps me is staying up after my hubby goes to work (which is 4:30) & having my devotions & prayer time then & then getting jobs done before the kids get up. School always goes better around here if mom has has "her own time" in the morning! Also I had read a tip one time about doing 1 or 2 loads of laundry every day, so that you never have a huge day of it, so that's something I've started as well & I really like it. Well, I've finally commented..aren't you proud of me?!! Kathy ( from NY :-) )
yay, kathy!!! welcome to the comments section!!! i knew you were out there because your mother-in-law told me. :-)
so, if you get up at 4:30, when do you go to bed?!? that's pretty amazing!
Believe me, since Dean has to be at work at 5, our life style has CHANGED! We were always night owls, but not anymore. :-( I do love the early mornings though..(after I'm up) We usually try to be in bed somewhere between 9 & 10. It doesn't always happen though. :-) And I also love an afternoon nap... after school is done... Kathy
probably everybody already knows about this. Its a small time saver my sister-in-law shared with me. It is to keep a box of garbage bags in the bottom of your garbage can. Then when the one needs to be changed you can just reach in the bottom and pull out the next one. Saves a few steps. Jen
Well maybe I could share a comment or 2. We just got home today from a week long camping trip to Custer State Park in SD. So putting away all the STUFF actually happened in 1 day. Having older children that help makes a big difference. But the younger did their part also. So after driving all night and getting home at 7:30 this morning we got all the laundry done and put away, pop-up cleaned out, camping stuff put away. Whew what a day. That is all except my bed has a pile on it =( But of course here I set instead of doing that=) As for a few tips. One thing I often do to give the bathroom a quick face lift is as I take the wash clothes to the laundry I take one of them and wipe around the sink and or bathtub. Along the same line if I am getting something out of the cupboard and see it could use a cleaning I grab a rag and give it a quick once over just to keep the crumbs from piling up until it gets a real cleaning. It seems the more my older children do some of the bigger jobs I find myself coming behind and giving things a quick straightening up. Your idea of getting some of the house cleaning jobs out of the way is a big help. I know that when I first started home schooling I wondered what my Mom did all day while we were at school. Then I realized she spent all morning doing what I had my children help do before we start school like get the breakfast dishes done, get laundry started, make beds and all that good stuff. Another thing that helps any day go better is to not go to bed with a messy house. Getting up to an unkept house or unwashed dishes would make me want to go back to bed. Well enough from my corner of the world.
Well Jenni not sure your still checking on comments but since you mentioned my name I better comment something! With no children at home to help it all falls on Leonard and I ha,ha, I am diffenetly a list maker too and I love crossing things off, I keep a running list. also I clean other peoples houses and this one place that is so easy to clean has so little "junk"setting around but yet looks nice, so I'm working on getting rid of Stuff so I don't have to dust so much,my daughter is telling me also I have to much stuff setting out! so hey I think some of you have your act together way better then me. Sondra do you read this, you have a lot of good ideas!I enjoyed all the comments,
Twila
thanks, twila! yeah, i'm still reading comments. i'm just amazed at how many of you commented! i guess housework just hits a chord with many of us (or hits a nerve on bad days). :-) something i want to try is to focus on one room a month and try to do a deep(er)clean in that room. that way i might get some of those "less important jobs done that i've been missing.
Well, I'm not a Hilda Housewife, but I feel qualified to post as I have a stake in the status of our abode. My method for cleaning the shop goes like this:
1. throw everything on the workbench.
2. clean all the junk off of the workbench and put it away every time I want to do a job.
3. make a mental note to stop doing that!
4. repeat.
Hey, I didn't say I would recommend that anyone use my method, did I?
Actually, Jenni, I think you are pretty organized most of the time. And you are a great housekeeper. And you make great meals. And you're beautiful. And not only that, I love you so much that.........hey, why don't I just tell you since live so close together anyway?
Ha - that's great, Keith. : )
What's this - TWENTY TOO??? THat's amazing Hilda. Housework - whoda thunkit?
I suppose I'll also venture into the world of leaving comments although I don't have a blog. I save myself alot of time and thinking by making a menu for the week and shopping list. It only takes about 15 min and then I never have to think about what I'm making for supper tonight, just look at my list and take meat etc. out of the freezer. This also helps me try new reciepes cause then I have the ingedients I need. I also save all my past menus so when I'm feeling totally at a loss I can browse through what I've made before and say, "ah ha, haven't made that in awhile."
Karen
hey karen from so far away!! i didn't know you came here to visit! good to hear from you!!
goodness, i've never had so many comments on a blog. i guess this hits home for many of us. housekeeping is a reality of life you just can't get away from, i guess.
Here, I'll make it a nice 25 comments for you. Here's an option - try waiting for your baby for awhile and then your house will stay clean. Somehow when I don't have energy any other time, thinking of leaving for the hospital puts me into cleaning mode! I do NOT want to come home to a messy house.
Hi Twila, I do check these blogs !!And I enjoyed reading everyone's comments !! ME good at being organized in cleaning ?? I need more friends around me, all the time ,like you to be so positive, snd believe in me !! :)
Two things do pop in my mind. I read somewhere one time, to just clean one room really good one week, and then the next week do another room real good, etc. till the house is covered and start over ! And on weeks you have alot of energy, I guess you could do two rooms good. You can just lightly go over the rest of the house, then, each week, or how ever often you clean !
I do not consciencly do this all the time, but do follow that somewhat !
Another tip I heard, and do sometimes, to keep those little waste cans clean-- After you dump out the trash,:), when you are ready to wash the floor in that room; kitchen, bathroom, etc. Use the waste can as your bucket and put the soap and water in that; your waste can will be nice and clean too, when done !! :)
Just a tip for you young Mothers; your children will not grow up remembering how clean your house was, but how much time you spent with them !! I don't understand why it is that when we come to the "Grandma" stage in life, a clean house is just not as important as it was in those early years, when the children were small !?!?
By the way, Sabrina are those windows still sparkling clean ??
Sondra
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