QOTD: What do you do daily, to keep on top of housework?

What are things around the house that you do every day to keep the house in acceptable condition?

 

I had to create a calendar for myself. When I stick to it, the house is in much better shape. Monday is cleaning the bathrooms, Tuesday is the kitchen (although as everyone knows, dishes have to be done daily), Wednesday is laundry, Thursday rotates between the more random items (honestly, this is the area I don't even get to as I am supposed to and includes dusting, windows, vacuuming upstairs, yard work), Friday is vacuuming and mopping, Saturday is laundry, sunday is dog poop/yard work.

 

We are supposed to do things daily to keep the house acceptable??? :lol:

Ok, there are some things we do daily here... mostly just dishes, picking up the floors (toys), and when it's muddy out we sweep the kitchen/breakfast room daily (a few times a day actually) to get the dried mud off (it's our main entrance).

Most things though we just do when we see they are needed.

 

this is why I started this thread. I don't do anything and need some ideas. LOL

 

It's been said, and is true at least in my house, that either your house is wonderful and school is sliding, or school's going great, and your house is a mess. It's very difficult to keep on top of both.

 

I sit on it. Works quite well....

 

If you live here, you clean. Period.

I'm not a cleaning nazi or anything, but my children are expected to do cleaning tasks. This means that the house may not "sparkle" like it would if a more experienced adult did the task, but it's acceptable. I don't micromanage (though I occasionally coach) and I don't re-do. I accept their work and their effort as is.

That has helped A LOT.

I don't think it's cruel or slavish. I think it's part of being a family.

Most of the rooms are passed over at least every day. For instance, the chores rotate (with some double-up, especially if a task is assigned to the younger of the older three). Tasks done daily include: dishes, kitchen table, kitchen floor, living room floor, hallway (floor), hallway bathroom (surface, no scrubbing toilets for the kids yet). It takes them a total of about an hour to do all their chores, including picking up their rooms. That's, of course, on days unlike today; days like today, days full of attitude and misery, might see a 2 hour chore window. lol. BUT... the key is that we do them every single day. And it's easier for me to run through the deep cleaning (like those toilets) if there is a clear path and all the surface is done.

Is my house always company ready? Heck no. But it's usually pretty close. (As long as they don't look too close. lol)

 

yeha, i'm not looking for company ready in my house. I just need stuff picked up. but mine are younger (5 and 3) so I don't expect them to clean up the house. At this point I'm teaching them what I know...which isn't very much. :/ I had a cleaning lady growing up and it didn't help me out at all!

I would like cleaning up to be a part of our daily routine. I want my children to learn to keep up after themselves. I need to keep the home clear of floor clutter as my husband is a paraplegic and needs to be able to get around in his wheelchair.I'm that often times he just needs to roll over the trash/clothes/toys that are there.

The husband and kids will be gone this weekend so I'm going to take that time to get caught up on pick-up, cleaning and organization.

 

I do think it is possible though. Finding a happy balance is key. I want to find that happy balance. I want cleaning/picking up/organizing/cooking, etc. to be part of their homeschool experience.

 

OH! Oops. I completely missed ages. Yeah, that's a little young to turn them loose on the dishes. lol.

 

I agree with this. That 1 hour a day in our house is considered Home Ec. (When we were in MO and had to track hours, we counted it as such.)

 

They'd have a blast! but I'm pretty sure my kitchen sink would flood and dish soap would be used in the dishwasher and make a huge bubble mess for me to clean up. :lol:

 

Oh what a mental image that was for me. :lol:

 

I remember Faythe and Rachael unloading the dishwasher. Faythe was probably five. We had Corelle, which are lightweight and (supposedly) unbreakable. Faythe tried to pick up five or six at once and dropped them. All but two broke. She looked up at me, mouth open, eyes wide, and said, "OOPS!" I think her life flashed before her face, but I couldn't be mad; she was trying to help!

 

Every morning I let my kids pick their chore for the day from our list. Once they have their chore they know that every time it is dirty during the day they have to clean it. For example: My 12yo ds has the living room today, so every time he walks through it and sees toys or blankets or papers on the floor he picks them up. Every time we eat and the table has dishes on it, my 10yo dd has to clear the dishes and wipe the table down.

I have found that for us this is the ONLY thing that has worked. Of course I do have to stay on top of them, but not in the nazi-everything-has-to-be-clean way. I just remind them of their chore if I see a mess. Usually they pick things up pretty quickly. Even my 4yo dd has a chore, and usually she picks unloading or loading the dishwasher. I help her when needed but she can pretty much do it herself. I do however make sure everything is picked up and vacuumed and swept before dh gets home. He doesn't demand the house be clean, but it really helps him be in a better mood when he isn't tripping over all the toys and books.

 

I like this idea! I'll have to file that away for future years!

 

I really like it too, a lot! I have never heard of anyone doing that, but I might just have to give it a try. Thanks.

 

I am glad I was helpful! Honestly I have tried chore charts, chore cards, and everything else under the sun. I accidently found out that having them choose chores and being responsible for that one chore was working! We have been doing it for nearly 9 months and so far my house stays pretty clean...as in people can come over or just show up and I am not embarressed about how my house looks! A side benefit to having a clean house and responsible kids is that I don't feel I am having to choose between a clean house or schoolwork. It all gets done. and no, it is not always perfect, but we have found our groove and things mostly go smoothly.

 

Minthia~
Did you train your children in each chore and let them get use to it or "good" at it before you stared letting them pick? How do you decide who picks first? What kind of things do you consider chores that they get to pick from? Sorry for all the questions, but this is one area I want to change in our home and I really could use some help and like this idea. Please feel to PM me if you feel like I am high jacking this thread. If I am, sorry, I don't mean to be.

 

We do a hour clean up when I remember to do it and we have an hour. printed out 3 pages of chores on business cards (front and back) This gets the house to Daddy approval. This works best when we are actually home. With the craziness it's hurry up and make it look clean because so n so is going to be here for this or that.