Getting Control

I've been in recovery mode all summer...trying to get control of our schedule, chores and schooltime.  I should have known...I'm pregnant!  I didn't get a clue until I was 9 weeks and looking back, I get it now.  Most people get morning sickness or swollen feet.  Me, I get the undeniable urge to reorganize.  I look at that as a total blessing, by the way.  I am completely happy when combing through new curriculum and chore charts.  The next best thing is finding stuff to throw away.  Clutter is my enemy.

But we are so excited about our new little one who is on the way.  Groundhog Day is a very special day for us to look forward to now, and I'm praying we don't go past that date like we did with Grace...10 days overdue was no fun.

But I am so excited about our new chore system that I've gotten organized for us!  Our old system was no longer working for our growing family.  It was based around me checking chores.  A good thing, I know, but it was starting to get difficult to find the time to check them.  So many needs, so little time!  So just as I've been working on bringing us back together for school, I've been working on bringing us together for chores.  I adapted FlyLady's cleaning schedule for us all to work on together every day.  No more checking chores because I will be right there with the kids as we all work on cleaning two particular areas of the house each day.  Here's what I've done:

I've taken the house and divided it up so that we can get through each room, plus a little scrapbooking! - in 4 weeks.  But first is our Daily Home Blessing.  This is our first chore that we will work on after breakfast. 

Monday: vacuum & sweep entire upstairs & downstairs
Tuesday: dust every room in the house!
Wednesday: everyone changes sheets
Thursday: empty trash cans & clean out cars
Friday: grocery shopping
Saturday: clean kitchen & bathroom floors
clean glass in the doors & bathroom mirrors
Sunday: REST!

Here's the 4-week cleaning plan.  Thursdays are our run-around-like-crazy-people-day so I've made it an easy day for us.

                                                                Week 1 – Weekly Home Blessing Schedule

Monday: Entrance Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean windows & window sills
            2. Clean front door with All-Purpose cleaner
            3. Clean out shoe box
            4. Clean baseboards
            5. Straighten & clean out coat closet
            6. Sweet front porch
            7. Sweep & mop floor

Tuesday: Schoolroom Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean windows & sills
            2. Dust shades
            3. Dust bookshelves
            4. Dust baseboards
            5. Vacuum fan
            6. Dust piano
            7. Clean kiddie table & chairs
            8. Wipe down kitchen
            9. Sweep & mop floor

Wednesday: Lydia & Sophia’s Room Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Empty trash
            2. Dust shelves & dresser
            3. Clean out one dresser drawer
            4. Clean from under beds
            5. Clean windows & sills
            6. Vacuum w/hose around edges of room
            7. Clean fan with vacuum hose
            8. Clean out closet
           9. Vacuum the rest of the room

Thursday:  

            1. Dust the top of the refrigerator
            2. Clean garage door inside & out
            3. Lydia clean downstairs bathroom

Friday: Scrapbooking Minute
            Everyone pick out pictures from a particular event & put it down on a page or two.

Week 2 – Weekly Home Blessing Schedule

Monday: Living Room Detailed Cleaning List

1. Dust clock & pictures on wall
2. Dust mantle & knick-knacks on mantle
3. Clean out end table drawer & inside other end table
4. Dust lamp & end tables
5. Wash Joy’s bed
6. Vacuum in couch & chairs
7. Vacuum fireplace w/hose
8. Clean, organize & dust entertainment center
9. Clean window, sill & shade
10. Sweep & mop floor

Tuesday: Mom & Dad’s Bathroom Detailed Cleaning List

1. Wash area rugs
2. Clean shower stall
3. Clean outside shower door
4. Clean scale
5. Clean bathtub
6. Clean toilet
7. Clean mirror
8. Clean sinks & cabinet
9. Clean window & sill
10. Dust dresser
11. Clean floors

Wednesday: Ben’s Room Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean windows & sills
            2. Dust shades
            3. Clean out closet
            4. Dust/clean credenza
            5. Vacuum/clean behind credenza
            6. Clean behind bed
            7. Dust dresser & clean out one drawer
            8. Vacuum around edges of room w/hose
            9. Vacuum fan with hose
            10. Vacuum room

Thursday:

            1. Garage Two-Step: everyone go to the garage & put away or throw away two things.
            2. Wash & fold whites together
            3. Lydia clean downstairs bathroom

Friday: Scrapbooking Minute

Week 3 – Weekly Home Blessing Schedule

Monday: Office Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Organize & dust desks
            2. Clean & vacuum behind desks
            3. Clean windows & sills
            4. Dust shades
            5. Vacuum leaf thingy w/hose
            6. Detail dust fish tank
            7. Dust sewing table
            8. Vacuum around edges of room w/hose
            9. Vacuum room

Tuesday:  Kid Bathroom Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean window
            2. Clean tile from top to bottom
            3. Clean towel rack in shower
            4. Clean tub
            5. Clean toilet
            6. Organize linen cabinet
            7. Clean light fixture above sink
            8. Clean mirror
            9. Clean sink & cabinet
            10. Organize inside cabinet
            11. Clean baseboards
            12. Vacuum edges of room w/hose
            13. Vacuum/mop floors

Wednesday:  Stairway Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean window & sill
            2. Dust shade
            3. Clean baseboards
            4. Clean walls
            5. Clean banister & spindles
            6. Vacuum steps

Thursday:

            1. Garage Two-Step
            2. Lydia clean downstairs bathroom

Friday: Scrapbooking Minute

Week 4 – Weekly Home Blessing Schedule

Monday: Jack & Henry’s Room Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean & dust dresser
            2. Clean out one drawer
            3. Clean & organize shelves in blue dresser
            4. Clean out drawers in blue dresser
            5. Clean under bed
            6. Dust shelf above Jack’s bed
            7. Clean windows & sills
            8. Vacuum w/hose around edges of room
            9. Clean out closet
            10. Vacuum room

Tuesday: Mom & Dad’s Room Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean windows & sill
            2. Dust shade
            3. Dust dresser
            4. Dust bedside tables
            5. Fill diaper basket
            6. Clean under bed
            7. Vacuum edges of room w/hose
            8. Dust shelves
            9. Vacuum room

Wednesday: Laundry Room Detailed Cleaning List

            1. Clean tops & sides of washer & dryer
            2. Dust & organize shelf
            3. Clean gunk from under washer lid & inside dryer door
            4. Throw away empty bottles
            5. Check behind dryer & washer for clothes & garbage
            6. Vacuum floor w/hose
            7. Put in a load of laundry!

Thursday:

            1. Garage Two-Step
            2. Put away ironed clothes
            3. Lydia clean downstairs bathroom

Friday:  Scrapbooking Minute