House Routines that work...

[Soror]

I'm deep into 2nd trimester nesting here and trying to refine some routines around here. I was laid up a few weeks back with sore hips and it made me see that while some things were working well and easy other things were not.

 

So, I've decluttered and organized the whole house again and am focusing on putting routines in place for those problem areas. So, tell me what works in your house and how it works for you.

 

For me here:

Laundry and bathrooms are my easiest things. I don't sort clothes, every other day or so I fill up the washer sometime that day and then that evening everyone pitches in and puts them on the line together. The next evening we all gather them and put on a short show while sorting and folding. Everyone does their own (but the 2.5 yo) and it usually takes about 10 min, then everyone puts their own away.

 

My bathrooms are massively decluttered, so picking up takes about 30 seconds. I put things in drawers if needed, check for laundry and hang towels. Sinks, mirrors and toilets are usually washed when I happen to be in there at some point a few times a week- less than 5 min. About once a week dc's are assigned to clean a bathroom as well. Floors are swept when I sweep the back of the house 1-2x a week.

 

My bedroom and ds' room stay clean easily as well, neither of us have many things. Since we do laundry together it is always put away. My bed takes about 1 min to make and maybe another minute to put away any odds and ends. Ds always keeps his room clean easily. He gets daily reminders still but it is a habit now. I just cleared a bunch more things from dds' room as I noticed it was becoming more of a struggle so hopefully she is able to keep hers cleaner more easily. It seems to have done the trick so far but I'll have to wait and see. She generally gets 2x a day reminders.

 

My problem area is the kitchen. I noticed when I felt bad I fell behind there the quickest. I didn't quite have a set routine for dishes as I would try to wait until is was completely stuffed, meaning I would run it at different times and then sometimes end up with a pile of dishes to wash if I forgot. However, I'm trying to institute a new routine of always running it at night, even if it is not quite full and then unloading in the morning. That seems to work best for me. I still cannot quite figure out the best time for sweeping as that needs to be done daily at least and optimally 2x a day. I'm thinking I should perhaps institute right after meals as sweeping time or at a minimum do it after lunch. We eat bfast and lunch in the kitchen as dh isn't home and supper in the dinning area of the greatroom.

 

I need to get better as well at clearing the dining room table. It is used for school during the day and often it seems right at supper time I'm on everyone to clear it off. Dds' are always getting out things to draw.

 

I like everything to be as organized as possible so it runs very easily with minimal effort. I realized when I was laid up that the kitchen was taking up too much time and energy and thus if I don't feel well I fall behind there very easily.

 

So, tell me your tips and tricks on organization and routines.

[brownie]

Wow! You're a lot more organized than I am. The only thing I have to say is that after breakfast, my littlest guy wipes down the kitchen table, my middle guy sweeps the kitchen and my biggest guy unloads the dishwasher. So at least my kitchen looks nice once a day :) But I easily get behind as well in the kitchen.

Brownie

[dzingirl]

:bigear: I've been working on this too.

[Soror]

brownie that sounds like a good routine to me! I like doing the dishwasher in the am as I'm always in there cooking anyway, it just makes sense.

 

I came upon this blog and it has a lot of organization, cleaning, etc. ideas:

http://home.yourway.net/

 

It has contributors from two blogs that I like becomingminimalist.com and minimalistmom.com along with others as well. Lots of good tips that I'm reading through now.

[2squared]

Well, the kitchen is easy for me since that's where I put most of my energy.

 

Before each meal, I empty the dishwasher if it has clean dishes in it. As I cook, I put dirty dishes into the dishwasher. I wash things by hand as well. When we are done eating, I fill the dishwasher, finish washing by hand, put leftovers away, and wipe down everything. If the dishwasher is too full for another meal, I run it. Rinse and repeat for every meal and snack. :glare: After dinner the kids sweep the dining room.

 

We have afternoon pick-up which is when our dining table gets cleared. That time works b/c it has to be cleared so we can set it for dinner. After my 4yo is done with her shoe chores, she helps me clear the table and then she sets it for dinner.

[Critterfixer]

I put my housekeeping on a schedule where every day has it's own particular work. Laundry and dishes get done daily and there is to be nothing in the sink and nothing in the washer or dryer before bedtime.

 

I schedule two hours a day for housekeeping four days a week. I handle about three rooms a day, full cleaning. Every two days, or more it we are doing a lot of things outside (red clay country here, well, red dust right now!) I will do a quick sweep of what I call the "dog-tracks", places which get walked through and used a lot. I keep the schedule in the computer where I can change it seasonally and print out as I need.

 

What I need help with is the boy's bedroom. I need a little more storage. Both of them have collections and a large group of stuffed animals. They are big into imaginative play with those animals and collections. While I've been able to thin collections as needed, thinning out the herd is difficult as all the animals have names, personalities and the boys write about their stories constantly. But I really need a way to keep those animals up off the floor. I don't like bins. Pet nets perhaps?

[nova147]

My best kitchen tip is to keep paper plates, cups, and disposable utensils on hand for days when you can't function. I keep a supply in my laundry room, so the kids don't see them and just use them. But if I'm sick, or we're getting ready for a trip, or some other such thing happens, I just forgo dishes for a day or two. If I get behind on dishes, I will stay that way, so using disposable stuff for hard days keeps me on track.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I put my housekeeping on a schedule where every day has it's own particular work. Laundry and dishes get done daily and there is to be nothing in the sink and nothing in the washer or dryer before bedtime.

 

I schedule two hours a day for housekeeping four days a week. I handle about three rooms a day, full cleaning. Every two days, or more it we are doing a lot of things outside (red clay country here, well, red dust right now!) I will do a quick sweep of what I call the "dog-tracks", places which get walked through and used a lot. I keep the schedule in the computer where I can change it seasonally and print out as I need.

 

What I need help with is the boy's bedroom. I need a little more storage. Both of them have collections and a large group of stuffed animals. They are big into imaginative play with those animals and collections. While I've been able to thin collections as needed, thinning out the herd is difficult as all the animals have names, personalities and the boys write about their stories constantly. But I really need a way to keep those animals up off the floor. I don't like bins. Pet nets perhaps?

 

You could get a few of those hanging bin type things and they could group the animals into "homes".

[Ellie]

My kitchen is always clean. It makes me crazy for it not to be. :-)

 

There are never dirty dishes in the sink. Everything that can go in the dishwasher goes in as soon as it's used. I run the dishwasher whenever it's full, regardless of the time of day, and I empty it right away. Things that must be handwashed are handwashed right away, and set on a clear plastic drainer until I'm finished, and then they are dried and put away. And I clean the kitchen *immediately* after a meal, always, even if I'm late for an appointment.

 

:-)

[amo_mea_filiis.]

My kitchen is always clean. It makes me crazy for it not to be. :-)

 

There are never dirty dishes in the sink. Everything that can go in the dishwasher goes in as soon as it's used. I run the dishwasher whenever it's full, regardless of the time of day, and I empty it right away. Things that must be handwashed are handwashed right away, and set on a clear plastic drainer until I'm finished, and then they are dried and put away. And I clean the kitchen *immediately* after a meal, always, even if I'm late for an appointment.

 

:-)

 

If you need a new kitchen to obsess over, feel free to stop by here any time!

 

The kitchen and laundry are my weakest spots. Part of my problem is kid training; they have to help which means it all takes much longer than it should which means i lack motivation to deal with it as often as i should.

 

The kids laundry is working fine right now because they have no clothes! Lol. I still have mine and household stuff.

[melbotoast]

I need to get back to this again, but this is what worked when I had a good routine going.

 

In the morning, wake up and unload dishwasher. After breakfast, lunch, and snacks, put everything away before you leave the kitchen (food away, dishes in dishwasher).

After dinner, put food away, load dishes, wipe all surfaces, and sweep. Run the dishwasher every night even if it's not full to keep on your routine. Even if I couldn't get DH to help, I would sometimes drag him in the kitchen to keep me company while I cleaned.

If I'm lucky, I will do some dinner prep earlier in the day so there's not so much to clean up after dinner.

 

Lately, I've been doing the main clean up in the morning which is kind of a depressing way to start the morning:tongue_smilie:

[myfunnybunch]

My problem area is the kitchen. I noticed when I felt bad I fell behind there the quickest. I didn't quite have a set routine for dishes as I would try to wait until is was completely stuffed, meaning I would run it at different times and then sometimes end up with a pile of dishes to wash if I forgot. However, I'm trying to institute a new routine of always running it at night, even if it is not quite full and then unloading in the morning. That seems to work best for me. I still cannot quite figure out the best time for sweeping as that needs to be done daily at least and optimally 2x a day. I'm thinking I should perhaps institute right after meals as sweeping time or at a minimum do it after lunch. We eat bfast and lunch in the kitchen as dh isn't home and supper in the dinning area of the greatroom.

 

I need to get better as well at clearing the dining room table. It is used for school during the day and often it seems right at supper time I'm on everyone to clear it off. Dds' are always getting out things to draw.

 

I like everything to be as organized as possible so it runs very easily with minimal effort. I realized when I was laid up that the kitchen was taking up too much time and energy and thus if I don't feel well I fall behind there very easily.

 

So, tell me your tips and tricks on organization and routines.

 

A couple ideas:

 

Are the chldren helping? Sweeping after breakfast clean-up and after dinner clean-up is a great kid chore and can be done well by a 2nd and a K'er. :)

 

They are also old enough to clear and set the table before a meal.

 

LOL, seems my tips are all about sharing the joy. ;)

 

Cat

[Soror]

Taking notes....

 

Melbotoast that is what works best for me as well, exactly that. Ellie- that is what I'm working on here but with running the dishwasher every night and unloading in the am, it throws me off when I do it at odd times. I have the most concentrated time to clean while cooking bfast and supper. So I like to plan activities around that.

 

 

The kids do help they are the ones that clear the table while I'm cooking, were just not in a good routine with it yet and it takes more reminding than I want. They help set the table as well and clearing. Generally I plate food and they take their own plate to the table. The older 2 are responsible for filling cups and silverwear as well.

 

On the sweeping they do some but that is something I'm picky about tbh I don't think dh sweeps well enough (or most people I see sweep for that matter!). I could let them do it once a day and then do it once myself to get it done well.

 

My main issue is cleaning up with cooking and after. I do fine while I've got plenty of energy but not so hot if I don't. I cook 2-3 hot meals a day from scratch(we sometimes have leftovers for lunch) so lots of dishes and things. I've got to get and keep myself in the habit of doing it after after meal even if I'm not feeling great. I've noticed if dh is home he seems to think I'm dragging things out and getting too obsessed if I try to keep it clean every evening. I just reorganized my cabinets and pantry as it was starting to get a bit out of whack and that seems to be helping with making it easier to work faster and more efficiently and also make clean-up faster.

 

I never use disposable, that is something to consider for the really bad times but I think for most times it is just a matter of training myself better in those things.

[Ellie]

If you need a new kitchen to obsess over, feel free to stop by here any time!

I'll be right there. :auto:

 

The kitchen and laundry are my weakest spots. Part of my problem is kid training; they have to help which means it all takes much longer than it should which means i lack motivation to deal with it as often as i should.

Maybe there doesn't have to be as much time-sucker training as you are making it to be. If you teach (i.e., instruct, model, constantly remind, nag) everyone to put dishes in the dishwasher immediately, and to clean up after themselves immediately, there's less need for long kitchen-cleaning times. Also, I don't know what your household rules are for this, but if you don't already, you could disallow between-meal snacks and cooking and whatnot. A friend who had six dc (last time I saw her) did that: they all had breakfast and cleaned the kitchen; they all had lunch and cleaned the kitchen; they all had supper and cleaned the kitchen.

[melbotoast]

I've noticed if dh is home he seems to think I'm dragging things out and getting too obsessed if I try to keep it clean every evening.

 

:iagree: DH just doesn't get it! :tongue_smilie: I can't wait until my kids are old enough to be more helpful in the kitchen. It is tough to be the only one who is willing/capable of getting it all done.

[Soror]

:iagree: DH just doesn't get it! :tongue_smilie: I can't wait until my kids are old enough to be more helpful in the kitchen. It is tough to be the only one who is willing/capable of getting it all done.

 

I'm going to have to talk to dh about this. He loves a clean house but he doesn't understand quite that these things that make it happen with 3 kids. One has to be on it constantly a little at a time. (Not that he doesn't usually help but as I said it is though I'm just doing too much and taking too long when I want it cleaned up after meals- but in order to keep it clean all the time that is what must happen) Whenever everyone pitches in it works splendidly for after super clean-up but I have to be the one to enforce and coordinate. We need to get this well-established before baby #4!!!! I have to make it to where it is so automatic that no one thinks about it we all just do our part. It only takes 10 min or less if everyone works together.

 

My oldest 2 are almost 8 and 5 though and they do help out a lot, so I've got an advantage there. The older they get the more they can do. My 2.5 yo isn't much help as of yet but she is in training :)

 

amo_mea- I assign the kids tasks while I'm there working on something and generally am not waiting on them or it is something we all pitch in together. With our laundry it really takes us less time working together and it keeps them motivated much better when we do it together rather than just assigning them. I know lots of people have different systems that work well for them but this works splendidly for us on laundry.

Edited July 4, 2012 by soror

[bamagirl]

I use this schedule and it has worked wonders around here!

[Bee Happy]

I just posted about this on my blog.

 

Here is my schedule:

 

 

 

Daily

 

Make bed

Load dishwasher

Clear/wipe kitchen sink, stove, & counters

Sweep kitchen floor and entryway

Straighten entryway

Wipe out bathroom sinks

1 load of laundry

20 minute tidy of house & bedroom before bed

 

 

Sundays

 

Bathroom (includes sweeping, mopping, toilets, shower walls, mirrors)

 

Mondays

 

Living room (includes sweeping, mopping, dusting, window sills)

 

Tuesdays

 

Kitchen (includes sweeping, mopping, wiping down cabinets & appliances)

 

Wednesdays

 

Bathroom (quick tidy)

 

Thursdays

 

Living room (quick tidy)

 

Fridays

 

Kitchen (the girls do it this day)

Wipe down walls and doors

Mop entryway/hall

 

Saturday

 

Bedroom

 

 

Monthly

 

Help the kids in their rooms

Wash shower curtains

Clean out kitchen cabinets

Fridge (this needs to happen more, but I can never find the time — sue me)

Bathroom cabinets

 

 

Bi-Annually

 

Clean carpets

Wash curtains (maybe blinds, eh)

Wash windows

Closets

 

 

Kids

 

Clean rooms (including 10 minute tidy before bed)

Cleaning the other bathroom (once per week)

Feeding pets

Emptying dishwasher daily

Keeping their things put away

Helping clean after the baby

[mrs.m]

I really struggle with keeping up with household chores. But I have been persistant in trying to make improvements. I did a baby-step philosophy and then built on that. Dishes, weekly grocery shopping & Laundry are the priority. The rest of the house can fall apart, but I make sure these get done so we have food to eat and clothes to wear. What's interesting is that usually this spreads to other areas and maintaining these makes the rest of the house work out. But recently I made a list of everything that needs to be done. Then I divided my house into 4 sections and we clean a section 4 days a week. My youngest dusts, wipes, and does windows. My middle child vacs the floors and baseboards. And my oldest mops (we have wood floors and very dirty little boy feet). Daily chores were also divided by ability. My jobs are the bathrooms, the laundry, and managing the food whether that be cooking or teaching someone how to cook. We stop everything at 4:00 to finish up laundry, get dinner started and finish chores. If I know we will be gone then I pick a time to make it work for the day.

 

It wasn't until recently that I could get my kids to do this much because they were too young. But they have seen the benefits of a clean house, such as I am much more willing to allow friends to come over and play. So if you have young children, know that if you are willing to work at it later, it can get better.

[Soror]

I use this schedule and it has worked wonders around here!

 

Aha, that is very similar to what I'm doing. Or try to make sure I do. Even down to the fact that I like to mop on Thursday for some reason. I don't like to have official schedules though because it drives me crazy. I also like to sweep the house on Monday- the whole thing (we have all hardwood/tile). I try to avoid doing extra jobs on the weekend though so we can do family projects or whatever else together. I like that it is simple. I hate lots of detail wrote out, it is too much mental clutter for me.

 

I prefer to have the morning, afternoon and evening routines and then some extra tasks to be completed during the week but not on a specific day. Bigger tasks are generally done during seasonal cleaning or when they need to be- I like to do a big clean out for every season.

 

I did motivated moms for a year a couple of years ago and it really helped establish basic routines for the morning but the evening I guess is the weak spot. I ended up getting tired of it though as I hated the daily lists, as I said I hate mental clutter and there were always things that didn't apply or some days I had extra time or not enough, so then I'd have unmarked things or if I wanted to do something else I just didn't know how to categorize it. I know that makes no sense to anyone else likely but my brain doesn't like strict schedules but routines. I need something automatic, that I don't think about, that is flexible or otherwise I feel I am messing it up.

 

8filltheheart wrote about pegging before and that is exactly what I'm trying to do here. Pegging the important activities to meal preparation and eating because those things always have to happen, even if it isn't a the same time.

[craftyerin]

I can't handle set schedules and to-do lists for household chores. I have tried countless times and I never stick to them. What works for me is to have basic upkeep set into my daily routines, and do heavy cleaning in zones.

 

My daily upkeep tasks are:

 

• One load of laundry every day, including folding and putting it a way.
  
• Wipe down the bathrooms with a baby wipe or clorox wipe daily (well, kids' bath daily, mine probably 2x/week)
  
• Run the swifter vac through the main areas of the house (all hard floors) probably 4x a week, right after kids go to bed, spot sweep as necessary after meals (usually a kid does that)
  
• DH runs the dishwasher right before he goes to bed every night, so I have a kid help unload after breakfast, and then we put all dishes in it right away after breakfast and lunch. DH does major kitchen clean up after dinner.
  

 

 

Big chores:

I divided my house into 5 "zones" where cleaning them requires a roughly equal amount of time. In my house, those zones are kitchen, living/dining/playroom, bedrooms, bathrooms, and entry/school room/mud room. When I have chore time, I take a quick walk through the house and see which zone looks nastiest and clean it (vacuum, dust, baseboards, tidy/declutter, etc). As long as I stay on top of the basics, things stay looking presentable. In reality I don't get to every zone every week, but the ones that get nasty fastest (kitchen, baths) get done weekly. The ones that can go longer get done every couple of weeks, and that's good enough.

[Soror]

I can't handle set schedules and to-do lists for household chores. I have tried countless times and I never stick to them. What works for me is to have basic upkeep set into my daily routines, and do heavy cleaning in zones.

 

My daily upkeep tasks are:

 

• One load of laundry every day, including folding and putting it a way.

• Wipe down the bathrooms with a baby wipe or clorox wipe daily (well, kids' bath daily, mine probably 2x/week)

• Run the swifter vac through the main areas of the house (all hard floors) probably 4x a week, right after kids go to bed, spot sweep as necessary after meals (usually a kid does that)

• DH runs the dishwasher right before he goes to bed every night, so I have a kid help unload after breakfast, and then we put all dishes in it right away after breakfast and lunch. DH does major kitchen clean up after dinner.

 

 

Big chores:

I divided my house into 5 "zones" where cleaning them requires a roughly equal amount of time. In my house, those zones are kitchen, living/dining/playroom, bedrooms, bathrooms, and entry/school room/mud room. When I have chore time, I take a quick walk through the house and see which zone looks nastiest and clean it (vacuum, dust, baseboards, tidy/declutter, etc). As long as I stay on top of the basics, things stay looking presentable. In reality I don't get to every zone every week, but the ones that get nasty fastest (kitchen, baths) get done weekly. The ones that can go longer get done every couple of weeks, and that's good enough.

 

 

Your brain works more how mine does. I do bigger tasks as needed and generally stay on top of those fairly well without much difficulty.

 

I'm not sure if I want to call my bigger weekly tasks zones. I think I should attach those to lunchtime though. If I try at bfast then we can end up behind and I have enough at supper and it interferes w/ family time. Lunch is most likely to be the quickest cooking meal of the day.

 

I made a quick list of what I want done and needs to be done, to see where we are coming up short at times and it is certainly w/ after supper clean-up. Also, with weekly jobs like mopping as I used to do those in the morning but then it seemed I just didn't have time to get them done and eat at a decent time. I've got to move that to lunch time. I've got a new baby coming and bfast time isn't going to get less hectic/busy especially w/ a nursing baby.

Morning

Beds Made and Get Dressed

Start Laundry (if needed)

Sweep Kitchen

Bathroom Wipedown

Unload Dishwasher- Handwash if Needed

ds-Rabbit, dd1- Compost, dd2-Cat

Kids- Cups and Silverware

Kids-Clear table, Mom- load dishwasher

 

Lunch

Kids-House Pick-Up

Mopping/Bathrooms/Dusting-Wall Wipe Down

Kids- Clear Table and Sweep

Load Dishwasher, Handwash if needed

 

Supper

Kids- Clear Dining Table

Kids-House and Bedroom Pick-up

Kids- Cups and Silverware

Hang Clothes- Get Clothes off Line

 

Wipe all Counters, stove etc.

Kids- Clear table and sweep dining area

Load dishwasher, handwash dishes if needed

 

(Everyone)Fold Laundry and Put Away if needed

Bedroom Tidy

[craftyerin]

I generally do my "zone" cleaning during kids' afternoon rest time or I'll either throw them outside or put on a show for them in the late afternoon and try to knock it out then. I can't get it done during our mornings. Too many other things fight for my time and attention before rest time.

 

Do I see that you're expecting twins? Want me to tell how much I did NOT do when my twins were babies? LOL

[Soror]

I generally do my "zone" cleaning during kids' afternoon rest time or I'll either throw them outside or put on a show for them in the late afternoon and try to knock it out then. I can't get it done during our mornings. Too many other things fight for my time and attention before rest time.

 

Do I see that you're expecting twins? Want me to tell how much I did NOT do when my twins were babies? LOL

 

LOL not expecting twins, just one!

 

I don't like to do things during rest time because I like to rest as well :) I'm sure I will want to with a newborn especially and being pregnant now I like my down time. I did have enough time this am but it was a quick bfast morning- porridge. I have 2-3 quick bfast during the week and if evening clean-up goes as it should that might leave enough time to do those tasks in the am.

[Tammyla]

flylady...I'm a broken record, but her baby-steps can empower many of us to gain control and a general peace of mind.

 

 

(Most days...I still need to get going of the books from last year before next year's arrive.)

[Soror]

flylady...I'm a broken record, but her baby-steps can empower many of us to gain control and a general peace of mind.

 

 

(Most days...I still need to get going of the books from last year before next year's arrive.)

 

I do appreciate the suggestion but Flylady is soooooo not my cup of tea. All that detail and bossiness makes me head explode. I can clean just fine without shoes on, thank you very much :) Generally things go very well, unless I'm not feeling well. Then my dishes are the first thing I get behind on. I keep up on deep cleaning, laundry, bedrooms, and bathrooms regardless.

 

As I said I did Motivated Moms a few years ago and that helped me get routines in place to keep those things in order, along with constant decluttering.

 

This has been really helpful to write out and ask for opinions because it has helped me see why I fall behind on the dishes the easiest and it is because our nightime routine is not near as solid as our morning one. I have to make it just as automatic. It has also helped me understand what works for me and what doesn't in a way I didn't before.

[craftyerin]

LOL not expecting twins, just one!

 

 

Well, I'm relieved for you. :lol: I wouldn't trade mine for the world, but I also wouldn't wish that first year on my worst enemy!

 

I read your signature to mean that DDs #s 2-3 were arriving in November. But you meant that DD2 is a 2yo DD, didn't you? :tongue_smilie:

[Soror]

Well, I'm relieved for you. :lol: I wouldn't trade mine for the world, but I also wouldn't wish that first year on my worst enemy!

 

I read your signature to mean that DDs #s 2-3 were arriving in November. But you meant that DD2 is a 2yo DD, didn't you? :tongue_smilie:

 

Yes, dd2 is 2.5 and dd3 is coming in November :)

[Bee Happy]

I do appreciate the suggestion but Flylady is soooooo not my cup of tea. All that detail and bossiness makes me head explode. I can clean just fine without shoes on, thank you very much :) Generally things go very well, unless I'm not feeling well. Then my dishes are the first thing I get behind on. I keep up on deep cleaning, laundry, bedrooms, and bathrooms regardless.

 

As I said I did Motivated Moms a few years ago and that helped me get routines in place to keep those things in order, along with constant decluttering.

 

This has been really helpful to write out and ask for opinions because it has helped me see why I fall behind on the dishes the easiest and it is because our nightime routine is not near as solid as our morning one. I have to make it just as automatic. It has also helped me understand what works for me and what doesn't in a way I didn't before.

 

FlyLady made my head explode with all the emails.:001_huh: