Establishing a Routine
OK lets get started:
Think of 11 things you need to do everyday to keep your house running smoothly this will be our daily morning routine.
- Get up and dressed - shower if necessary
- Make your bed
- Wipe down the shower, sink and swish the toilet
- Unload the dishwasher
- Sort your laundry and start one load
- Check your clutter catching spots for clutter and clear them off (Fly Lady calls these "hot spots")
- Sweep your kitchen floor
- Vacuum carpets
- Put laundry from washer into dryer
- Do your weekly chores for the day
- Fold laundry and put it away
Weekly and Monthly Chores
Once you have a daily routine established it is time to work on weekly chores.These are just what they sound like,chores you do once a week. But instead of working all day once a week to do all these chores plus do the normal daily work we are going to divide them throughout the week.
First of write a list of the chores that need to get done once a week. This can just be on scrap paper it doesn't have to be anything fancy- we are just brain storming here.
Here are some examples these may not apply to you or you may have others that do.
- dusting living areas
- dusting bedrooms
- vacuum bed rooms
- mop floors
- vacuum stairs
- vacuum hallways
- change sheets
- clean out fridge
- clean out/ organize pantry
- wipe mirrors and glass doors
- ironing
- yard work
- clean out our car
- clean out your purse
Now on piece of paper or where ever or however you determined to keep track of your daily chores write down the days of the week with room beneath or next to each one. If you do not want to do much housework on the weekend only include Monday through Friday on your list.
Before you start dividing your chores,first determine a day of the week for errands. To keep gas use down and help keep yourself for running to the store for 2 items and then coming home with $20 spent at the store we are going to try to limit our errands to one day a week. I realize sometimes this is not always possible with children's busy schedules and practices, but that is not exactly the running I am talking about. Reserve your errand day for things like trips to the library, post office,dry cleaners, weekly grocery store trips. (I do one huge shopping a month but then need to go out for more milk,bread and produce.) Try also to schedule appoints on this day if possible. Errand day can also be used as a make-up day for anything that didn't get done on a previous day if there are no or very few errands that week.
Now look at your list of weekly chores. Group the chores into groups that make sense and work for you. Maybe all upstairs chores in one day. Or all vacuuming or all mopping. Now assign a day of the week for each group of chores (excluding your errand day of course).
For Monthly chores I am less particular. I have a list of chores I would like to get done throughout the month. As the month progresses I check my list and work on different chores as time allows.
The chores I have on my monthly list are:
- scrub out the fridge
- vacuum the cold air return,the fridge vent and the dryer lint trap
- vacuum furniture
- thoroughly clean the microwave
- remove and wipe down items from the kitchen counter
- clean kitchen trashcan
Getting Dressed
I realize for some of you this sounds pretty ridiculous to tell adults to get dressed in the morning. But I assure you that for many especially,stay at home moms or dads this can be a difficult thing to do. Getting dressed "to the shoes" is something Flylady preaches about often. Although I don't always follow her advice I have learned that I should. Here are a few reasons why:
- You feel better about yourself and motivated about doing your job. I fight this a lot because part of me feels if I stay in sweats or pajama pants I wont mess up my clothes when I clean or get sweaty and need another shower. But the truth of the matter when I treat my housework like it is my job I actually get more done faster. Would you show up for work in your P.J's? Unless your a Victoria Secrets model probably not.
- No more embarrassment if someone stops by unexpectedly at noon and catches you in your robe and slippers.
- If you have to run out in a hurry you are already hurry. We've all had those days when we've had to go pickup a sick kid from school,or have an unexpected trip to the ER. If you are already dressed and ready to go you can.
- Wearing laced up shoes really is helpful, but in the summer it is hard for me. I like to go barefoot all the time and in the summer I prefer flip-flops to tennis shoes. However, Flylady is right that lace up shoes not only tell your feet and your whole body that it's time to get busy but this also goes with point number 1 would show up for work in your slippers or bare feet? In some office jobs heals or flip flops are proper for the work environment, but for manual labor they would not appropriate. What is more manual then chasing kids,cleaning house and running errands?
Thanks Flylady !
