Cozy, Cute AND Clean
Being a mostly stay at home mom I have had to work out a way to make my home cozy, cute AND - here's the big AND - clean.
Anyone else need a little help on the clean bit? I think it's a real value to have my home safe and clean. The other is bonus.
I'm all about organization, decorating, rearranging - but keeping it clean - real, actual, clean - is a discipline.
So I started this rotation this summer and have loved it - and I know each section of my house is clean per week. I used to have a "cleaning" day and spend 3 hours cleaning the whole house once a week - but this was exhausting and overwhelming. And I begrudged the time Robby was at a friends house instead of doing something enjoyable.
Here's my system (thanks, Jamie - she got me started on it!)
Mondays: Downstairs only: Dust and Floors (vacuum and hardwood sweep)
Tuesdays: Laundry Day (I hate folding laundry, plain and simple, but I now watch a show with Robby while folding and it goes quickly)
Wednesdays: Kitchen (wipe down counters, scrub stove top, sweep and mop floor)
Thursdays: Upstairs: Dust and Floors
Fridays: Upstairs Bathroom and Wash Bed Sheets (it's fantastic to slip into clean line-dried sheets for the weekend)
Saturday: Water Plants
Sunday: Sabbath. Rest. The house has been cleaned.
Daily: a 10 minute pick up for Robby before rest and before bed. We pick up my stuff and he does his. Since there is a "home" for everything he owns - it is pretty easy. I usually have to give him specific directions. "Put all Car Movie Cars in your basket. Ok, now put all markers in your bin." But he will....or he knows I get to sleep with his blue blanket for the evening. Haven't had to snuggle with it yet.
Some rules I have made along the way:
-Each daily chore should take no longer than 25 minutes.
-Robby can help me with the chore - he gets out his broom or he gets a rag, etc
-Resist moving on to another area. Rest. It's clean and done.
3 Times a Week:
-I choose 3 areas in my house to organize, de-clutter and remove "stuff" to keep things simple. This helps me not spend - I see what "things" take up my time already.
-This should also have a 20 minute time on it - when 20 is up I need to either come back to it again or it's done.
-I regularly have a box for my car that is Goodwill bound. I drop it off when it's full.
What are your Cozy, Cute and Clean ideas?
(An Ode to Vinegar: I use one part white distilled vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle for cleaning. For hard wood floors I use the 3:1 Water to apple cider vinegar. Being pregnant has brought out a less harsh way of doing things. Fantastic!)