Some days my house has never been cleaner and more organized and other days it could be a disaster zone. As an interior designer by trade as well as, passion that is enough to make me an unpleasant, very cranky mama. While it is true they are only little once and some day I may miss the sticky floors and surprise spill on my sofa I have to live here today. And tomorrow and most likely the next. Here are the few things I try and do everyday to help mitigate the crazed mom cleaning frenzy and teach my kids a few things at the same time.
First, I did create two charts at the beginning of quarantine, one for daily schedule and one for daily chores. The daily schedule went out the window pretty quick but the chores and cleaning schedule has proven very helpful. I have one sheet combined for all 3 kids, ages 6- 15, that listed daily expectations and a M-F chart with what each child is responsible for that day.
Reasons this has helped:
1) Kids know they are expected to help and it is not a surprise every single day.
2) When they ask me for screen time I can refer back to the daily chores and don't have to stop working to think what tasks I need done.
3) It helps keep the house just a bit neater. Is it perfect? Absolutley not! But it helps and they get to help take care of the home. The younger ones are more excited that the teen but she plans on moving out in 3 years so YAY for life skills.
Second thing I do almost every day is make my bed. Feel free to insert eye roll here, I get it. There are days I make it first thing and days I make it a 5PM. It is the practice of completing this simple task that encourages me to put the sneakers in the closet and walk the dirty laundry down the hall to the hamper. At the end of the day when I get into bed it is calming to have a neat and picked up room.
The third thing I have been actively focusing on is a clean kitchen before bed. When we lived in the cottage and had no dishwasher this was a non negotiable but since we moved and have a dishwasher, not to mention larger kitchen, this one has slipped. I have the tall one, teens nick name, do the dinner dishes most nights. That has been great but over the year I have noticed not all the dishes are washed and the counters aren't wiped. Just a few things left out here and there that just start the next day a little muddy. So I spent a week cleaning the kitchen with her to show her what I expect. She will always push the boundaries, that is part of her life skills, but I am teaching her how to follow through and do a good job... we will see how this goes.
These are things I do on an almost daily basis that keep my house from overwhelming me. A few things I do for me: get dressed every day and not stay in my PJs, workout or go for a walk, and I have worked to keep a regular schedule the has me up before the girls by at least an hour but my aim is two. I hope this gives you some ideas to play with and see how they work for you. The goal is enjoying the home, the kids and the day. #mominthetimeofcorona #chorechart #cleanthekitchen #livingwell
with love and coffee
Janna