What is the worst part about school being out for the summer?
Easy - the house is a disaster.
During the school year, we leave the house at 7:30 am to catch the school bus, and I picked them all up from the sitter at 4:45 pm, and came home to a clean home. Clean because I make it my morning mission (5 mins - tops) to put breakfast dishes in the dishwasher, and wipe down the table and counters and sink before heading out the door. If there's time, I even run a broom over the floor. And then nobody touches it again until we get home.
But in summer -- whole different ball game. No matter how clean the house is when I leave it, DS (8) and DD's (7 and 5) spend all day in and out, mud on the floor, making crafts, making juice, eating lunch and snacks under the care of our wonderful teenage sitter. The first two weeks school was out I thought I'd go insane.
And then I figured it out.
It's not the mess that gets me. I'm used to soccer cleats on the floor. It's coming home to the clutter that causes my eyes to boggle and for mom to be grumpy mom instead of fun mom.
So I made a daily routine and posted it on the fridge for the kids and sitter. Every day in the morning they have to make their beds and put their own dishes in the dishwasher. And every afternoon before I get home - they have a 10 minute chore (See below) and they (as a group) have to wipe off the counters and the table and sweep the floor. Now when I walk in, I am met by a clear kitchen, and that makes all the difference. Not perfect. But manageable.
For more housekeeping tips, check out:
http://www.absolutelybananas.com/2008/07/housekeeping-tips.html
Daily 10 minute Chores
Monday - Book roundup: Put them back on shelves in library
Tuesday - CD/Movie ROundup: Put them back in cupboard
Wednesday - Toys and Games: Put away on shelves & toychests in rooms
Thursday - Garden: Pick a basket of whatever is ripe
Friday - Make Mommy Smile Day: Pick a chore and surprise me.
4 comments:
Great tips. I've often thought that if we weren't here all day making a mess then the house would stay cleaner. I think it is great that you are putting the responsibility back on the kids/sitter. It isn't fair for you to have to come home to a messy house after a long day at work.
We have Belties too !
I love your Friday! When I used to sit, I'd always spend the last 30 minutes or so picking everything up and putting it away. I always left it at least as clean as I found it.
What a fabulous idea... especially Friday's chore!! thanks for sharing!
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