"A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Pages

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Home maintenance cheating!

Okay, you have heard me say (and will probably hear it time and time again) that I like to keep my home 10 minutes away from being "ready for company".
I sort of cheat in this area and thought out of common courtesy I should share this with you!
In our home, we live in a state of maintenance. The WHOLE house is never really completely clean except for on Friday, which is our cleaning day and since everyone has jobs to keep them productive. This keeps me from feeling like I have a tornado following after me every day
of the week.
Every morning, all chores (minus table chores and morning routine...brushing teeth etc.) are done before the children sit for breakfast. This includes bedrooms... and so for about 30 minutes, I would say our home is almost-just-about-clean every morning. That is if everyone has been honest in completing all their chores and thorough in their
cleaning.
Gabrielle and I share dish duty, but I also keep one of those scrubbers with the handle that stores soap and I will try to keep our sink as empty as possible throughout the day. Doing a dish or two here and there is much easier than having a mountain after supper. I don't like piles of papers, and so I am continually putting papers inside our family planner binders so at least I can't see them. Then on Tuesday when my focus area is office, I take the time to hole punch and file the paperwork properly. We also have two quick pick ups in our day which are before nap and then again before Phil gets home. Like I said, "We live in a state of maintenance." We have to or as I am sure you all know, it gets out of hand very quickly.
Anyhow, all this to say, I do have an area in which I "cheat" a bit! That would be one big rule we have had in our home for probably a little over 5 years and that would be that there are no toys allowed in our bedroom, the hallway, the living room, the dining room nor the bedroom. I know, when I see this all on paper, I really feel like a bad mom, but...I must say that this has kept the peace in our home. It makes quick pick ups much easier and my stress level under control ;) I know that I can walk through the main part of our home and not step, trip or do the Fred Flinstone over the endless toys my children seem to
accumulate!
Plus, they have 2 bedrooms and a HUGE basement in which they can go to heaven playing with all their things...just so long as they keep in mind that it all has to be picked up when they are finished ;)
Just thought I'd share!

4 comments:

Heavenly Chaos said...

I must let you know that I am FINALLY following the example you set for me before you left. My house has been spotlessly clean for 3 weeks now. I do a little bit every day and stay on top of the cleaning and it has REALLY helped. Staying on top of the kids and making sure their chores are done helps too. Pete said that he feels like a king coming home everyday to a clean house and seeing the vacuum lines on the floor!! :)

Shannon said...

The toy thing racks my nerves to no end! I have a similar rule about the toys, but it only applies to one area really. ;o I need to get tighter on my crew. I fell with my baby (now three) on a toy on the living room steps, so we have a strict rule about that room because of the lack of visibility as you step down. I do not allow toys during mealtimes. Toys are limited in all areas of the house, except bedrooms and some are allowed in the schoolroom play area. Throughout the day if toys start to accumulate all over the house I ask them to pick them up. If they meet me with resistance I tell them I am getting a garbage bag out... so sweet of me to threaten my kids, but it works. Their bedrooms ... arghhhh... a nightmare. Sometimes we hear a little one dump a box of toys and my toes curl. Toys must be the downfall of most homes! ;)

Too Many Kids In The Bathtub said...

Not a bad momma. I have the same rule. Sometimes people, who have never been to our home, ask us if we own any toys! :) I always chuckle! A "state of maintaining things" is a good place to be!

Cheryl said...

Well...we made it for 6 weeks and then the snow hit! = ) With a house of 5 children and a 2 year old in the mix...we all know how those two year old fingers are always moving little toy, by little toy, throughout the house. = ) In the last three days with all the children home it's starting to be that avalanche experience.

Routines and schedules are so important...and learning how to "maintain" when life changes...that's the trick! Haven't figured it out yet, but getting closer. = )

Rossie, I so appreciate your candor...thanks for sharing your life with us!

Cheryl