It’s been a week since I mentioned my plans to implement a summer routine. I’d like to say I have it all worked out and it’s going just swimmingly. But I can’t. It seems that my days vary so much that it’s hard to come up with a consistent schedule. I think I’m just going to have to accept that fact and think outside the box.
I do firmly believe that when it comes to housework, keeping up is MUCH easier than catching up. That means that a roster of basic tasks done DAILY helps you stay afloat even if the usual weekly tasks are skipped now and then.
These are the things I consider daily, bare minimum, essentials (your mileage may vary):
- make bed (even if the rest of the room isn’t perfect this makes a huge difference)
- keep up with dishes, wipe counters/stove/sink
- a load of laundry washed, dried and put away (most days)
- tidy each room
- take care of pets
- meals
- clean up spills and messes as they occur
If those things are done every day the house will be livable and not terribly embarrassing if you have unexpected company. And I actually do these things as a matter of course, without much thought.
I also have a few things I do every Monday:
- wash bedding and remake the bed (I just have one set of sheets and put them on straight from the dryer)
- refill food and water for parakeet (and again on Thursdays)
- water all my houseplants (I have a LOT)
- catch up on all the rest of the laundry, including a load of dishtowels/dishcloths/napkins
What I don’t have firmly in place is a plan for all those other household chores such as:
- dusting
- vacuuming
- mopping
- cleaning bathrooms
I tend to do these when they look like they need to be done and/or when having people over but not on a set day.
And there are seasonal/outdoor chores I need to work in as well:
- sweeping porch, walkway, patio, balcony
- watering porch plants
- watering garden
- weeding
- wiping down porch furniture
I’ve been a little overwhelmed with the whole thing, especially in light of the fact that I also want to make sure I make time for exercise, writing, blogging, reading, porch time, etc. And of course there are also errands to run, groceries to purchase, meetings to attend, various appointments, time with family, parties, entertaining, church, date nights, etc.
I think the best starting point for me is to come up with a 45-60 minute daily housekeeping routine which covers the essentials plus at least one weekly task. I believe that if I do the same tasks in the same order each day I will get faster and will be able to do them without much thought. Because my schedule varies from day to day I’m not going to set a particular time for this daily routine but will determine the time the night before after looking at what I’ve got going on the next day. My goal will be to get this done as early as possible but some days that might be 9 a.m. and others might be noon.
You are probably familiar with Flylady and likely have an opinion on her methods. Some people swear by her and others can’t stand her. One complaint I often hear is that they don’t like being told what to do. Well, I don’t either but she hasn’t come to my house to boss me around; if I follow her methods it’s because I have sought out help and have chosen to do so. I am also perfectly capable of selecting which of her routines, methods, suggestions work for me and which do not.
After “shining your sink” and “lacing up your shoes” (another bone of contention for many; I opt for Birkenstocks rather then lace-up shoes), the next part of Flylady’s basics is the “Daily Flight Plan” which starts with a morning routine. This is where I want to put my focus for awhile. I think if I get this part down, the rest will start to fall into place. At least that’s my hope!
It’s getting late and I’ll be out of town all day tomorrow doing my monthly grocery shopping. I’ll post a tentative daily housekeeping routine before I leave tomorrow (hopefully!).
Now it’s your turn. Do you have a list of daily household tasks? If so, do you do them all at once in a set order or here throughout the day in a random order? Have you ever followed Flylady? If so, what do you think of her methods?
I'm a fan of Flylady, although I don't follow her rules to the letter. Rather, she helps me give my days structure and get me back on track when I feel overwhelmed.
Same here. I'm very much a fan of her "you can do anything for 15 minutes" tip.