Hi, I was wondering if some of you could share some tips and pointers on how you manage your fall cleaning jobs. I am a full time homemaker so I am home all day but there never seems to be enough time to accomplish my cleaning goal. Well, what I am asking is how do you do your daily big projects for fall cleaning(example:windows, carpets etc) and tidy the rest of the house, do dinner, laundry, school pickups etc.? I would love to have a daily plan so I dont feel so overwhelmed but I dont know where to start and how much time do you allot for when doing a big project daily? Any tips and advice would be great. Thanks and hope to hear back from some of you.
How do you manage?!
- Thread starter katdw
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I am not so great at this, katdw. However, I try to work with my natural energy flow. I have most of my physical energy in the morning. So that is when I do big physical projects. This is kind of a direct contradiction to my next rule -- which is to do the routines first. We all know that life happens, and we have to go with the flow. But I try to get things in order before I begin a big project. (For example, try to have meals planned and groceries in the house BEFORE the big project day. Try to have laundry caught up and put away; house picked up, etc. Even if it takes the entire day before the project day to get everything in order.) Then - on the big project day -- I do the big project as early as possible. I take frequent short breaks -- that allows me to work longer and more steadily. I also praise myself (mentally) for my wonderfulness in tackling whatever the big project is.
I look forward to hearing ideas from others in the family. We are always trying to manage better! :grouphug:
I look forward to hearing ideas from others in the family. We are always trying to manage better! :grouphug:
I do small jobs all day thru and then bigger jobs I include family members.
~I store a container of Clorox wipes and another of the alcohol, water, and vinegar glass cleaner, under the bathroom sink. When I visit the bathroom during the day, I will take a wipe here and there to keep the counters tidy or the toilet.
~I will spray carpet cleaner in one room, then move to the next room, and then I set the timer for 1 hour for them to dry. I return to Room #1 and vacuum, and repeat in Room #2. I will also use a swifter duster quickly thru both rooms.
~While I have done the carpet spray, I had a sink full of dirty breakfast dishes soaking in extremely hot water. When I get back to the kitchen, the dishes have soaked clean and I just wash and rinse. I sometimes add a small squirt of ammonia to my wash water to aid the cleaning.
So...in this manner, I have tidied my bathroom, 2 bedrooms and washed dishes in a short amount of time. Of course, I could also have laundry going too at the same time.
~For a larger job such as window washing, I usually put a squirt of Tide, ammonia and hot water into a mop bucket. My son will spray the windows down with the garden hose. I use my sponge head mop to "mop" the windows clean. It's easy because I live in a one level home. My son rinses them behind me and then DH squeegies them dry. We can do all the outside windows very quickly in this manner and actually wash them many times thru the summer.
~I store a container of Clorox wipes and another of the alcohol, water, and vinegar glass cleaner, under the bathroom sink. When I visit the bathroom during the day, I will take a wipe here and there to keep the counters tidy or the toilet.
~I will spray carpet cleaner in one room, then move to the next room, and then I set the timer for 1 hour for them to dry. I return to Room #1 and vacuum, and repeat in Room #2. I will also use a swifter duster quickly thru both rooms.
~While I have done the carpet spray, I had a sink full of dirty breakfast dishes soaking in extremely hot water. When I get back to the kitchen, the dishes have soaked clean and I just wash and rinse. I sometimes add a small squirt of ammonia to my wash water to aid the cleaning.
So...in this manner, I have tidied my bathroom, 2 bedrooms and washed dishes in a short amount of time. Of course, I could also have laundry going too at the same time.
~For a larger job such as window washing, I usually put a squirt of Tide, ammonia and hot water into a mop bucket. My son will spray the windows down with the garden hose. I use my sponge head mop to "mop" the windows clean. It's easy because I live in a one level home. My son rinses them behind me and then DH squeegies them dry. We can do all the outside windows very quickly in this manner and actually wash them many times thru the summer.
I'm still working on this too. So far what has really helped me is to divide up the regular weekly chores and divide them up Mon-Friday. I try to pick one day for errands and combining it with jobs that I don't mind doing as much such as mopping, that way I am likely to get the cleaning done. I make sure I do at least two loads of laundry each day, putting one load in the morning and another after I do the dinner dishes. I am trying to get all my regular cleaning done during the week so that I have Saturday for the bigger seasonal jobs. I am bad at procrastinating on jobs that take a large amount of time, so I realized I do much better if I break up the jobs that I can (like window washing). I like fly lady's idea of focusing on one room each week. I get much more done with the cleaning jobs that don't have to be done weekly if I break it down that way. It works much better for me if I break up chores that either take a long time or ones that I really hate to do and divide them up throughout the day, and focusing more on just getting them done by the end of the week. I am also trying to choose a specific day each week as sort of a free day. I schedule a couple quick cleaning jobs on my free day, and I choose whatever else I want to do that day ( (de cluttering an area, crafting, baking, shopping, etc.) I'm still not quite where I'd like to be with my cleaning and de cluttering, but I have begun to see a big difference so far. :
rnament:
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bun1 I work fulltime and have found that chocolate and coffee helps - who needs sleep!?
Seriously though, breaking down the task into accomplishable steps - and working on areas in isolation helps me. I am a big list person!
I also will set a timer for myself (like now) so that I can keep focused on the stuff that has to be done, but still enjoy some 'down' time on MHH. ;-)
Seriously though, breaking down the task into accomplishable steps - and working on areas in isolation helps me. I am a big list person!
I also will set a timer for myself (like now) so that I can keep focused on the stuff that has to be done, but still enjoy some 'down' time on MHH. ;-)
I struggle with this too. My kids are in school all day, but it does seem like some days are better than others. I try to be done with my daily work by noon, that way I can sit down for 1/2 an hour and have lunch maybe watch a little TV. After that I try to start on my ever expanding list of to-do's that just aren't a daily necessity. It has been hard lately, with ds being home more often because of his returning to chemo treatments and I don't always get done with what I had planned on doing. But I do try to get the necessities done like a clean kitchen, master bedroom and bath. The bathrooms do need to be tidied daily, especially with all boys!
What has helped me has been a night time routine, where the kitchen is tidy and set for the next day, the sink is empty and the livingroom is picked up. These two major things help a lot for me. I also keep dirty clothes off the floors as much as possible.
When it comes to tackling many chores, I write out what I want done, decide how many days I want to work on it and then divide the list up into those many days. It helps me to schedule it all out on paper. Also, posting it here and "checking" it off as I go inspires me to really knock it out.
Hope I helped in some way! We all struggle with this in some way or other, so don't beat yourself up if you don't live up to your own expectations.
What has helped me has been a night time routine, where the kitchen is tidy and set for the next day, the sink is empty and the livingroom is picked up. These two major things help a lot for me. I also keep dirty clothes off the floors as much as possible.
When it comes to tackling many chores, I write out what I want done, decide how many days I want to work on it and then divide the list up into those many days. It helps me to schedule it all out on paper. Also, posting it here and "checking" it off as I go inspires me to really knock it out.
Hope I helped in some way! We all struggle with this in some way or other, so don't beat yourself up if you don't live up to your own expectations.
:rotflol:
I've found out if I never sleep and work all the time I get everything done too!!! :rotflol:
:rotflol:
I work 3 days a week and find it hard to fit everything in. In my weekly planner I jot down 5 quick things that I want to achieve for the week in addition to the routine jobs. I find when I have a few minutes spare while dinner cooks or just before picking up DD from school I can easily get these quick jobs done.
I find routine is the key...like making a bed before leaving the room in the a.m. Not leaving a room until everything is picked up, etc...becomes a habit you don't even notice after awhile....
Thank you for all your tips and advice. I guess we are all in the same boat here. Routine is key I think because without it we will loose our mind. It is so great to have this forum to come to and chat, it actually gets me pumped up for the things I want to do. I actually use this site as my goal of getting my things done, I tell myself that when I am done for the day, I can grab my cup of coffee and check in on "magical holiday home" and relax.
I don't know how old your kids are, but teaching mine to do chores definitely cuts down on mine. My kids do their own laundry, clean their own rooms and clean their bathroom. They also load/unload the dishwasher, take out the garbage, swiffer the floors, etc. I have learned to not sweat the small stuff. I used to be very particular, but now I've relaxed a bit. (must be old age creeping up on me!) When everyone else can pitch in to do the routine jobs, I have time to tackle the projects. I agree with whoever mentioned working with your natural energy flow. I'm generally more productive in the mornings too.
I can't remember when the last time I did a big job. I do everything one baby step at a time. Flylady taught me this. Probably the biggest job I do all at once is clean out the car (this doesn't mean I wash the windows or the outside, just the inside-the outside gets done when I go to the car wash).
I do bits and pieces of jobs when commercials come on the TV. 6 to 10 commercials in a row allow lots of time to get small job done. During an hour show I can get 20 minutes of cleaning done. Presto, job done without it cutting into big blocks of time.
The catch is to doing it all the time. Pretty soon it adds up to a whole house cleaned. This didn't happen overnight but I've kept at it and didn't quit.
In fact any plan will work, just don't quit.
I do bits and pieces of jobs when commercials come on the TV. 6 to 10 commercials in a row allow lots of time to get small job done. During an hour show I can get 20 minutes of cleaning done. Presto, job done without it cutting into big blocks of time.
The catch is to doing it all the time. Pretty soon it adds up to a whole house cleaned. This didn't happen overnight but I've kept at it and didn't quit.
In fact any plan will work, just don't quit.
Ahorsesoul -- that is such great advice -- "Just don't quit." We can stop. We can take a break. Take a mental health day. Take a weekend off. But just don't quit. Things do get better!
And it does really help to keep setting goals, and keep posting here at MHH!
And it does really help to keep setting goals, and keep posting here at MHH!
I work full time and only available during weekends to cleaning, but I love to clean when i have time. I used to start it from my bed room first, then moved to living room, kitchen and last is rest room cuz I could take a shower while I'm cleaning it lol.
First of all, I organized small stuff that spread on the floor; socks, toys, dirty laundry, shoes etc. I put them all im a separete containers and label it. Then dusting all the furniture, wiped them all with disenfectant wipes, then Vacuum the carpet or swept and mop the floor. Is not that hard to doing it, it's just need a lot of patience.
I don't like doing laundry and organize it into the closet, I used to let my dearly bf to do it..lol
for cooking, I used to shop all my needs, put it in ziplock bag and kept it in fridge. I don't do major cooking even for holidays.. ( no kids yet ) so lucky me! However, I like to keep my kitchen cleans cuz kitchen is my territory and my kingdom in the house.
First of all, I organized small stuff that spread on the floor; socks, toys, dirty laundry, shoes etc. I put them all im a separete containers and label it. Then dusting all the furniture, wiped them all with disenfectant wipes, then Vacuum the carpet or swept and mop the floor. Is not that hard to doing it, it's just need a lot of patience.
I don't like doing laundry and organize it into the closet, I used to let my dearly bf to do it..lol
for cooking, I used to shop all my needs, put it in ziplock bag and kept it in fridge. I don't do major cooking even for holidays..
( no kids yet ) so lucky me! However, I like to keep my kitchen cleans cuz kitchen is my territory and my kingdom in the house.