HELP! How do you do it?

[AuntJamelle]

You are are inspiring me! I like the idea of mixing and matching plans! I struggle to keep up with working full time, taking care of a toddler, 2 dogs, 1 husband and a large house!

DH does most of the outside upkeep, maintenance,etc. but we have a large property too - 1.5 acres and he works more hours than I do so I try to pitch in when I can. Especially with weeding.

I feel like I would get more done if I could get to bed earlier and get up earlier. Our struggle is that DS's bedtime is 9P - which gives DH and I one whole hour to relax and just veg before a 10 PM bedtime.

DH can't sleep that early - or won't. I may just have to put my foot down and start going to bed earlier regardless.

Our house is structured such that I could get up early and work on quiet cleaning tasks on the lower level as well as laundry without waking anyone else.

I try not to let the bulk of the cleaning chores fall on the weekend if I can help it. I hate feeling like I worked all weekend on the house.

Will be watching for more ideas! Also have some tips/tricks to share when I get a few more minutes to come back!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Thinking Big vs. Thinking Details

Fly Lady, Holiday Grand Plan, Houseworks, etc. are what I would think of as BIG ways of thinking about managing cleaning chores. A broad canvas, filled with schedules, weekly assignments and goals.

Obviously there are many, many smaller tasks that go into making up the whole. Each plan may list things like “Dust the living room” or “Reorganize bedroom closet” but each person goes about accomplishing those tasks in their own way.

That’s when what I think of as “The Details” can come into play. Each person has their own methods for getting through a task. We often share time saving tips and tricks for this or that. I so often find myself saying "I must remember that!" but am afraid I've forgotten at least some of good tips I've seen.

My constant journey is marrying the Big Plans to The Details. I am always open to retuning the small details that help me work more efficiently within the larger goal. But it can be overwhelming to think about things from both perspectives at once.

Trying to stay one step ahead of everything is like being one of those acrobats that balance multiple spinning plates on sticks. Trying to keep all my plates spinning is the goal.

Putting this post together has started my wheels turning. Have to think about this some more…

 

[AnnieClaus]

Aunt Jamelle-
I am loving your thoughts with the Big vs. Thinking Details.

I have ran into this as well!

For example: With flylady, in the before bed routine she has: Pick out your outfit for the next day.

I always think, "No biggee."

But when I actually go to do it, it's more detailed than that. It entails ironing, looking at the weather, what's on my schedule (any meetings, or an ispection to go on), getting shoes ready, will I need to wear tights or nylons (if it's winter), jewelry.

It's a lot bigger than the simple statement of, pick out your outfit for the next day.

WOW- Glad you put words to these thoughts!

Annie

 

[ejagno]

Annie, that's the problem. In these "Big" plans everything looks easy. For instance in Flylady, her Weekly Blessing Hour takes me more like 3 hours. Then add Dailies, Zones and Weelkies on top of that. Who has a whole day for shopping, errands and coupon clipping? Not me, I've got too many zones to worry about.

And zones shouldn't take but 15 minutes a day......really? By the time I get my cleaning supplies, vacuum cleaner, mop water & mop as well as my broom and trashcan 15 minutes is up. All of their times listed make me feel very inadequate and I do keep my basket of windex, furtniture polish, paper towels, duster, mini blind duster and electronics cleaner as well as air freshner in every room just to save steps and I still can barely get started and 15 minutes is up. If I'm going to make the effort then I want to at least experience some satisfaction of completion..........even if it is just a corner, drawer or closet.

I have absolutely no problem with the morning routine or the bed time routine which is basically my dailies. It's those weeklies and zones that are really killing me. Where do you throw in your monthlies, EOM, E6M, Annual and such? I can't imagine having one more thing on my plate. Oh, and "date night", I'm exhausted................a date would be having a nice pedicure side by side because that's the only way I'm seeing any pampering in my lifetime right now. As it is now we consider a real date a trip to Sam's together. We almost got a chance to sneak away today to the Kubota dealer to get parts for the tractor. I guess that would have been a vacation for us.

 

[jinglemom]

By the time I get my cleaning supplies, vacuum cleaner, mop water & mop as well as my broom and trashcan 15 minutes is up. All of their times listed make me feel very inadequate and I do keep my basket of windex, furtniture polish, paper towels, duster, mini blind duster and electronics cleaner as well as air freshner in every room just to save steps and I still can barely get started and 15 minutes is up. If I'm going to make the effort then I want to at least experience some satisfaction of completion..........even if it is just a corner, drawer or closet.

Ejagno, I once read an article about cleaning by task rather than by room. It made a lot of sense based on exactly what you said and this is how I ended up tweaking the way I clean. Instead of taking out all the supplies, setting the timer and what you get done, you get done. With task cleaning, you take out, for example, your dusting supplies and go all through the house getting all your dusting done for the week. I like this approach better because I find I procrastinate less. It's easier for me to just do it all while I have that cleaner out anyway. It also gives me that sense of accomplishment knowing that it is done and I dont have to think about it until next week. For me, if it is only done halfway, (like vacuuming the middle of the room) it's not done, and stays on my mental list of to do's and just keeps me feeling like there is still too much to do. I wrote down all the basics that have to get done each week, dusting, vacuuming, bathrooms etc. Then divided those tasks out Mon-Fri in a way that would be manageable for me to keep up with. I focused on getting all my weekly jobs completed by Friday so the house would be clean by the weekend. The house stays looking clean unless I fall behind somewhere, but it is really easy to catch back up again. On Saturdays, I chose an easier job for me (windows) with the intent of adding the monthly, quarterly type jobs, Alot of them actually end up getting done during the weekly zone focus though. Saturday has also ended up being a make up day for anything I didn't get done during the week. With any zones, I make sure I divide out my rooms so they are manageable too. Ceiling fans and windows one day, vacuum under the bed the next day, a corner or two (if they are easy) the next etc. The dusting for that room would already get done on Monday anyway, so I'm only adding a few more zonework type tasks. I don't focus on any decluttering unless it is general putting back items where they belong. The decluttering is done by priority when I can get to it, and I also try to break that down (a shelf etc.) if I can.

 

[AnnieClaus]

ejagno- WOW! It's amazing- I have been having these same thoughts.
You and Aunt Jamelle have really got me thinking.

With the 15 minute thing- I am convinced that the whole theory behind that is once you get going, you will keep on going. BUT- if you are truly pressed for time and/or just don't feel like it that day- you have met your requirement of 15 minutes and can stop.

I truly live by cleaning/organizing with the timer- only because I get easily distracted so by setting the timer it keeps me on task and focused! But I set mine for at least 30 minutes.

I really do appreciate seeing how others incorporate these big plans.

That's another issue for me- when I see the tasks on the plans I want to be able to cross off each and every one. And then if my time doesn't allow for that- yes, you're right- I feel like I didn't complete the plan!

I'm seeing that the key is to take ideas/ways from each and even our own ideas/ways and make these plans work for us.

Let's keep this dialogue going!

Annie

 

[Cindylouwho]

Ejagno -- I'm still laughing about Date Night at Sams! And the Kubota dealer as a vacation! That is exactly how it is here too! ROFL!!

I just finished my Zone Chart for the next year. It is in Excel and I tack it to the inside of my plates and bowls cupboard. (I keep it separate from my Flipper). If anyone wants a copy, PIM me and I'll email it to you. I based it on Mondays with Entrances being the first week of the month. And I kept it at 5 weeks for now as I really like having Entrances on the first week of the month. I moved some rooms around though. We'll see how that works.

Aunt Jamelle's comment about the little details got me thinking. I've been paying attention to how I did things this morning and noticed a few things.

1. I live and die by my timer too.
2. My 2 (3 is too many) wicker laundry baskets are my most important tools in the house.
3. I don't do my 5 min per room all at once. I do it as I go around my day.
4. My Blessing Hour is also like 2 hours but I break up the time. I do all laundry on one long day and I don't include that. I rotate sheet washing by room. Not everyone gets fresh sheets EVERY week. Too bad. Trash goes out on Tuesdays. All of it. The rest I grab my 10 min here and there.
5. If you buy a Roomba, the Roomba will do the vacumming for you. You can then cross that item off your list. (And you fired the yard guy so you have the budget for it). ;-) I just got one for my birthday (I had ZERO celebration so we could pay for it). On sale at Costco right now.
6. Whatever I haven't gotten done by the end of the week for my Weekly Blessing gets busted out on Friday or Saturday (so I'm just finishing whatever I haven't done during the week already.) -- If I am on track during the week, I have 30 min to do at most.
7. If there's kids around -- I draft them in 5-20 min segments to handle their own rooms and one other small area that they will have helped wreck.
8. Yeah -- so I guess I try really hard to avoid doing that entire hour all at once.
9. The Zone I work into the time of day I am most likely in that room. In the Master, it is the morning, if it is the kitchen I do it when a meal is cooking or when kids are doing their homework.

I have more thoughts, but gotta get moving here. And I'm really loving that "do a quarter section of the kitchen sink each time you wash your hands." That's a great one!

 

[luludou]

My friend bought a Roomba which she calls 'Adele' and she loves, loves, loves it. She makes it work when she's off at work during the day and she says there is much less dust with it.

 

[ejagno]

I'm definitely going to have to check out the Rumba. I haven't heard people talk much about them so I figured maybe they weren't as good as I'd hoped. Thank you!

Well, I'm back in the box. I struggled, fought, cussed and cried over ways to keep track of everything. I don't trust computers because they crash. My planner just wasn't flexible enough and really seemed overwhelming to see everything on one big page. I literally went back to 4 x 6 Index cards. I didn't go all the way back to how Pam and Peggy did theirs in "Sidetracked Home Executives" but it's the same type of tickler file. I grouped tasks on one card that were all handled at the same time or in the same room as seen here:
http://magicalholidayhome.com/forum/album.php?albumid=109

The following are all completed by 10:00 a.m.
Personal A.M. Care
Dailies for all rooms
Pet Care

My weekly tasks and zone cleaning is generally completed by lunch. I then go eat at our restaurant which allows me to run any quick errand that needs to be done because it's in the middle of town and I live out of the city. I can come home and take care of any special crafts or projects for the afternoon or just play.

It's divided up well enough that if I have something fun to to tomorrow afternoon then instead of free time this afternoon I could simply take care of tomorrows weeklies and my zone cleaning today.

I'm working on my project cards. For example I am working on a bed quilt for my grandkids room, my card box, paper mountain, I want to paint my garage, get Thanksgiving decorations planned, Christmas cards and so on. I simply make a card for each and dedicate some time in the afternoons for this. Today I worked on my card box and paper mountain for a while. Until they are completed they continue being moved forward to tomorrows date. If you don't feel like doing one thing you can always work on any of the projects in your file. It keeps you on task and at least their is always progress on them.

I have reward cards each month. Today I used my Pedicure reward card and it felt wonderful. If I have a doctors appointment it is immediately put on a card and filed under the appropriate date. I have a calls to make card. I simply make a note and scratch it off as its completed then moved to the next day. The same goes for errands and to-get items.

I don't know if this works for anyone else but it's working for me and it's still very much in it's developmental stages.

 

[Cindylouwho]

Ejagno - If you get a system and it works then it is a good one! I used index cards for a long time and like them. I also like that you have put in rewards. What I try to remember is that it takes like 21 days to form a new habit. I sometimes track new habits for exactly 3 weeks. After that, the habits are programmed into me and I do them automatically without overthinking it.

Only problem is that the three weeks can apply to bad habits as well! LOL!

 

[HouseElf]

This is the plan I have used this week with success: house cleaning plan

This was 'my' plan for the week, not including HGP chores. As I work during the day I needed something that broke it down for AM before I leave for work, and PM after I get home. This so far has seemed to fit well.
There are areas not covered here: daily - feeding the pets etc... or weekly - cleaning my car & chekcing fluids etc..., filling bird feeders, sorting recycle and garbage day etc... but these I have delegated to the boys/husband.

I liked the plan because it had me touch almost all areas spread over the week - so nothing got too far out of hand (the 'swing day' items)

We use a timer for the boys, each are assigned rotating rooms to 'clean' for the week. They have 1 hour for chores and a list on what a clean room should look like. They really only need to 'clean' the room once and mantain that for the rest of the week if they are clever The only room they do not do is my bedroom and the master bathroom - as I prefer to do those areas myself! My hope is that it will teach them what is involved in homekeeping. There are seasonal items added to the chore list, such as snow removal or mow lawns - yard work is rotated in as well. With three sons and a husband things can get messy here - they grumble but usually do it if they know everyone else has to as well.

 

[luludou]

HouseElf I like that plan with the morning & evenings.

 

[jampss]

Great

Great ideas, y'all! Thanks from me, too.

Right now, every room is a mess, though. We are taking out living room and hallway and master bedroom carpet. Putting in fake wood flooring. We are painting the walls, too. Haven't ever painted ... in 20 years of being here, white walls was it.

Now, it's overhaul time ... boxes and stuff are being stuffed in every room's nook and cranny. Whew!

Might be done by Thanksgiving ...

 

[jampss]

So ...

So, the flooring got delayed by a week. Yes, it will be put in Mon, Tues and Wed ... this Thanksgiving week. sigh ... I think I'll skip Thanksgiving this year.

But it will be nice when it's all done. Painting in the dining room tonight ...

I almost look forward to getting back to a cleaning plan. What's wrong with me? LOL

:thanksgiving4:

 

[Ahorsesoul]

New flooring for the holidays. How lucky you are.

 

[jampss]

Thanks!

Thank you. The 15 years old carpet ... needs to go ...