A (rather long) Homemaking Post

When I got married at 19, I didn't have a clue as to how to keep house. I bumbled along, trying to find my way, wishing desperately for someone to grab my hand and show me how to keep up with it all. We lived in an itsy-bitsy 450 square-foot apartment in those early days (no kidding- Primrose slept in the bathroom!), and yet I strained and struggled incessantly to make peace with housework.

Nine years later, I feel like I've finally found my groove. Our house is not perfectly clean, and I don't claim to have it all figured out, but I've had a few readers ask about this homemaking routine that I keep raving about, so I'm happy to share it.

First things first. My routine may not work for you. In fact, my routine likely will not work for you. You live in a different house with different people and operate on a different schedule. Everything you do ought to look a little different from the way I do it. Just keep that in mind. I'm not posting this because it's a tried-and-true method, and I'm certainly not posting it to tell you how to clean your home (horrors, no!). I'm simply sharing with the hope that perhaps something here will be of use to you. So many beautiful and wonderful ideas in the blogosphere have helped my home run a little bit smoother, a little more joyfully. That is my intent here.

(Don't be fooled by the photos. They're just there to distract you lest you realize how long this post really is.)

---Making Housework a Priority---

I have been pleasantly surprised that this big house is staying cleaner and more orderly than my very little house in Tacoma ever did. I'm convinced this is due to the priority level I've given homemaking since we moved in. We are devoting a solid chunk of time every morning to homemaking tasks-- from 7-10 am, to be exact. During this time we (and by "we" I mean the children and myself) eat breakfast, get ourselves ready for the day, and tend to the day's chores. Getting them done early means all we need to do later in the day is a quick tidy-up here and there. It's making all the difference! Our family stress level is at an all-time low, and everyone seems more peaceful and relaxed knowing that there's plenty of time already set aside to do what needs to be done.

For years, I tried to fit in housekeeping tasks around the edges. I tackled various cleaning projects after I had noticed that they were in sore need of attention-- and often they all seemed to stack up at once to overwhelm me. I would clean my house really well if we were having company, and not so well for my own family on a day to day basis. What kind of message was I sending them? If I loved them more than anyone else and if I wanted them to feel valued and appreciated, then I ought to give them better treatment than random dinner company, right?

Once I recognized my desire to treat my family members to a company-worthy home, I knew that I had to shift my priorities. Homemaking tasks now happen in the morning-- first thing! We eat breakfast, then we tend to our chores. Every. Day.


---Being Realistic---

This is possible for us because we are home so much. If this season of life finds you running out the door more than staying in, then please be easy on yourself. When you look at my homemaking lists, remember that I don't currently have a baby (sob), we aren't involved in any extracurricular activities, and I'm not working outside of the home. All those things contribute to my being able to devote a lot of time and energy toward my home. Your circumstances are different from mine.

There is a season for everything under Heaven-- and during especially busy times we need to let things slide to make sure all the family needs are being met. This is normal! As long as you let busy seasons remain "seasons" rather than stringing them one after another until what you end up with is a constantly hectic life, you'll have time to catch up and regain order in your home.

This is life. Ebb and flow. Nothing is perfect, so just do the best with what you can today.

---Tips From the Trenches---
Like I said, I'm finally catching on. Here are a few tips that have really helped me get a handle on things.

1. A task must have a place on the schedule if it's going to get done. From dusting a plant to cleaning out the silverware drawer-- if it's not on the list, it's not going to get done. Writing out detailed lists of what needs to be done, how often, and when for every single room is enormously helpful. If, while cooking a big chicken dinner, I notice that the microwave looks rather gross, I don't panic or stress about when I'll have time to get to it. Monday is kitchen day, and I routinely wipe down the microwave then. Every job in every room of my house has a spot on the list. This lets me focus on one day's work at a time.

2. A little done often is better than a lot done all at once. Experience has taught me that even if you can't see the grime on your tub, it's there; give it a few more days and it will look awful. A quick scrub once a week is easier (and more efficient) than an full-on-scrub-down once a month.
3. Pick your priorities. You can't do it all, so decide what's most important to you. Piles of stuff don't bother me nearly as much as grimy baseboards or a bathroom floor in need of scrubbing. If, on an especially busy week, the family room needs a tidy and my bathroom needs to be cleaned, I usually opt for the bathroom. What brings you more peace- neat? or clean? One is not necessarily better than the other, but it helps to know which bugs you more.

4. Enlisting children's help will not reduce your workload. In fact, it will increase it (at least for a while!), but it's worth it. For so many years I resisted letting my children help on a consistent basis because it was so much easier to do it myself. It wasn't until recently that I realized this: the point of teaching young children to help (daily) is not to reduce MY workload. The point is to teach a lesson. Children need to contribute to the smooth running of the home in order to be well prepared for adulthood. That being so, taking the time to walk them through housecleaning tasks is one of the best uses of my time. These lessons are, perhaps, more important than many other lessons I make time for in our day. These are life skills!

For me, the key to doing this well is disciplining myself to pay attention and attend well to the tasks at hand. No getting a child started with a chore and then running off to check my email or read a few blogs. I walk each child through his or her chores, kindly guiding, redirecting, reteaching, and ensuring that the job is done well. Every single day, I inspect their work. It's time consuming, and it takes a whole lot more self-discipline than I come by naturally. Those who've gone before assure me that, in time, all this hard work and training will pay off. I believe them.

5. Music helps! No doubt about it, just about any task is made easier by a cheery song. Find something you all enjoy and let it *whistle while you work.*

6. It all comes down to me. Darn it anyway-- the real key to succeeding is staying faithful, day in and day out. If I feel an overall sense of order in the housekeeping tasks, I don't get constantly overwhelmed by it. If I stay cheerful and keep a light, positive attitude during morning chore time, the kids follow suit. Here's the hard part for me (a flighty, let's-do-something-more-fun-than-this sanguine): I must stay faithful over little things. Skipping chores because I'd rather spend time online or bake cookies with the kids inevitably results in my falling disastrously behind. The fact that I am the key player in this formula is both empowering and intimidating, but knowing that my self-discipline (or lack thereof) either holds the space or fragments it is enough to keep me going.


--My Chores--

DAILY:

~Oversee children's chores (see the end of this post)
~Make my bed
~Wash dishes/tidy kitchen after each meal
~Laundry (1-2 loads daily)

MONDAY:

~Pay bills & file paperwork
~Kitchen Day:
:: Wash floor
:: Wipe down table & chairs
:: Clean out fridge (wipe down inside & out, toss expired food)
:: Wash sink
:: Water & dust plants
:: Wipe down stove & microwave
:: Wipe down pantry shelves (once/month)
:: Clean coffeemaker (once/month)
:: Wipe down garbage cupboard (once/month)
:: Dust chandeliers/replace bulbs (as needed)

TUESDAY:

~Bedroom Day (do the following in each bedroom):
:: Dust
:: Vacuum
:: Neaten
:: Wash Sheets (once/month or more often, if necessary)
:: Rotate seasonal clothes (as needed)
:: Deep-clean closets (once/month)
:: Replace lightbulbs (as needed)

WEDNESDAY:

~Menu plan for the following week
~Bathroom Day (do the following in each bathroom):
:: Clean sink & mirror
:: Clean shower & tub
:: Clean toilet
:: Replace hand towel
:: Sweep & wash floor
:: Wipe out cupboards (once/month)
:: Wash & replace shower curtain (as needed)
:: Replace lightbulbs (as needed)

THURSDAY:

~Laundry Room:
:: Sweep & wash floor
:: Wipe down washer & dryer
:: Neaten & wipe down shelves (once/month)
:: Replace lightbulbs (as needed)
~Office:
:: Dust
:: Vacuum
:: Neaten
:: Replace lightbulbs (as needed)

FRIDAY:

~Living Room & Family Room:
:: Dust
:: Vacuum
:: Neaten
:: Water & dust plants
:: Replace lightbulbs (as needed)
:: Rotate toys (once/season)
:: Freshen art supplies (as needed)
:: Wash couch cushions (as needed)

OTHER TASKS: (do as needed)
~Vacuum van
~Sweep porches
~Wash windows
~Sweep storage room
---The Children's Chores---

Every morning, all three children must:
~Make their beds
~Get dressed and put jammies away
~Tidy their bedrooms
~Brush their teeth & hair
~ Do their "family jobs"

Family Jobs rotate each week.
~One child clears and washes the breakfast table, sweeps, and lays a fresh tablecloth.
~One child gathers the laundry from every hamper in the house, brings it to the laundry room and sorts it.
~One child empties the garbages and wipes down the sinks/toilets in all three bathrooms.

Remember, the children's chores are monitored closely (and hopefully gently) by me-- I don't send them off to do these on their own. That would be a recipe for disaster, I'm sure. :)

--- Recommended Reading---
Anyone still here? And awake? :) Before I go, I'd like to recommend the homemaking resources that have been of the most help to me.
Like Mother, Like Daughter-- I can't praise Leila's blog enough. It is a young mother's best friend.
Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life-- for inspiration. The work we do in our homes is of an innately spiritual nature!
The Well-Ordered Home-- my personal favorite. I just finished this one, and I wish I had had it when I first got married. It would have saved me a lot of trial-and-error. Short, easy to read, and super simple to implement. This one is a must-have.
Happy homemaking!
Follow-up post: Homemaking Q & A

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