Yes, I am that lame. I am doing a post about cleaning. Better yet, a cleaning schedule. I am in the process of trying to find one that fits my life style. I am still, as of yet, undecided which type of cleaning works for me. The two I've got now are the type where you drag it out throughout the week doing a little bit each day or the type where I do a marathon cleaning session and get it done in one day or less. Pre-Caleb days, I did the marathon thing because, well, there was no reason not to. Now, however, I find that the only way that has worked so far is to spend a little time each day getting some done. To be honest, I think I'd rather just get it over with in one day and not feel like all I do each day is clean!! I just haven't found a method that works for me. My Grandma Stevens is a little obsessive about cleaning (I absolutely adore her for the record) and has a daily/weekly/monthly cleaning schedule that includes, but is not limited to, cleaning every nook and cranny of her house on a routine basis. I have considered this schedule and then promptly set it aside. I just can't go there. So onto the purpose of this post. I am wondering what all of you use for a cleaning schedule or if you have any suggestions that would help to feel a) like I'm not spending my life cleaning my house and b) like I'm not neglecting my child to do a marathon cleaning day. This may all become a mute point if/when I put Caleb in a mother's day out/preschool program but since we do eventually plan on having other kids, it is something I'm interested in figuring out. Let me know what you think and thanks in advance for your input!!!!
2.20.2008
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I don't do this, but I've heard of an idea to give yourself an amount of time everyday (like 30 mins?) and you just clean what needs to be cleaned in that amount of time. Anything else will wait until next time! (I wish I were that laid back about it!) I end up just cleaning as needed, and sometimes (unfortunately) it turns into a marathon! Good luck figuring it out, and let me know if you find a great solution.
I have tried to do Grandma's cleaning schedule and I too get burnt out. It is just too much with the kids and school. I usually try to keep up on getting things put away during the week, so a bunch of junk isn't piling up and then on the weekend when there is more time do a marathon day. My house isn't as clean as I want it to be, but I would rather enjoy the time with the kids instead of feeling anxiety about having to do so much stuff! I am sure things will be easier when the kids are both in school and time isn't so demanding. So pretty much I am just like you, sista!
I marathon clean every Monday. I like to get it out of the way and not worry about it the rest of the week. I sort and start the laundry early in the morning and then start in on the rest of the house. If I do everything, it takes the whole day but if I do the basics I can usually get it done around lunch. I know that I don't spend that much time with Eva on Mondays but it gives me the rest of the week with no interuptions. I pick up before bed every night but besides that, I don't let myself do any serious cleaning or laundry the rest of the week. This seems to work for me but Eva is still small and so therefore is still making small messes.
K I feel the same way and I really don't know if there is a way out. after the laundry and dishes and vacuuming and dusting and the mopping and sweeping and the toy clean up and the changing diapers and sheets and ................about a thousand other things that need to get done to feel like the house is under control. But I have found that I like to do certain things, like dishes, so they get done daily and thing I don't really like to do I have to do the marathon thing, like laundry and just force myself. And also I try to only give Jake one or two toys to play with and the others are out of reach. put away and I trade off. Last but not least HIRE A MAID!!
Go for the Maid, go for the Maid!!!... OK, sorry I was just dreaming that I had a maid.
I do Grandma's schedule as much as I can. I would rather spend an hour a day instead of six in one day. It also really helps keep the house organized year round. Once you hit, three kids plus one hubby, things are always out of place and messy. Good luck with whatever you choose!
I'm hanging on everyone's advice here since I need some major help in this area. Sorry no advice to offer you. I clean as I go..sadly usually the best when we have people coming over. I guess I just need to have people over more often and I would have a much cleaner house.
Wow Laura, you hit a jack pot with this poll. What a hard thing to figure out. I wish I was some kind of help. I'm just a compulsive tidier and as for deep cleaning I seem to do best when we are stuck home for a month while Kaylee has the stomach flu...lol. I think I might try to do a schedule where I do certain things each day, but it does feel like I am constantly cleaning when I do it that way, and it never ends. I really don't have a day that is open enough for a marathon clean, minus Friday, and who wants to clean on a Friday. Anyway, you're wonderful and the most important thing is for you to feel like you've spent good time with your family, housework can wait! Love you and good luck!
I am guilty of not being able to stay on top of the cleaning. It becomes very difficult when you have 6 bathrooms. Yuck! The best way I have found to keep up a house is to have a cleaning lady come every other week and do a real deep clean. It is totally worth the money and my sanity. The day she comes the kids and I go do something fun and we come home to a spotless house. I love it. On the off week I clean a little bit each day so it is not too overwhelming. I really like the cleaning techniques used by the FLY LADY at flylady.com She has really good ideas for keeping a clean house. Hope this helps. Good Luck!
So I have been trying to work this out too. I actually think I have found a good idea right now for me. We are pretty busy and Mondays, and Tuesdays so Wed. is now my morning for cleaning the bathrooms. Then on Thursday I attack the floors. All the other stuff: laundry, dishes, putting toys away usually get done daily. Steve really likes things clean so he helps a lot. I don't really worry about it. Splitting it up makes it doable, and then the girls only have to entertain themselves for about 30-45 min. Since we haven't really lived in one place for more that about 16 months, I usually don't do a lot off real deep cleaning until we are moving! Some day that will change, or at least I hope it will! Good luck with it.
I know it sounds corny but, enlist the help of your men at home. Clutter drives Chris crazy so he's pretty good about always having the dishes washed and vacuuming every week. Two less things for me to do :) I'm OCD when it comes to laundry and that's my Saturday job. I wash and fold and everyone puts away their own clothes. I don't have the "kid messes" yet but when I was little I remember my mom assigned each of us kids chores on a chart and we got stickers for doing them (only if we did them well). Then when we went grocery shopping we could "redeem" our stickers for a treat. Maybe a Helpers Chart would make Caleb feel grown up in helping mamu. Then you clean and spend time together simultaneously. As long as you act like cleaning is fun Caleb will think so too and want to "play" along. That's how my mom and grandma did it anyway.
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