My Life As It Is...

It's really basic, cleaning, that is...isn't it? Pick up the things that don't belong, find them a home, wipe up dirt and grime and make it a routine.

I think my problem with cleaning is that it N.E.V.E.R. ends. I mean never. There is always laundry. There is always that ONE dish that you missed. There are always one toy not put away. Or JUST when your kitchen floor is it's cleanest and shiniest...the dogs come in with muddy paws...or the kids track in bits of dirt and grass from playing outside. Even if we all lived in our own little bubbles...we'd still have to clean that bubble. I just don't like to clean...it doesn't relax me, it doesn't make me feel good to make things shine, and it doesn't really bring me a sense of satisfaction...because well, the cleaning doesn't ever end.


I'm hoping a bit of a revamp in my cleaning schedule will help motivate me to get going and make cleaning a priority and a routine.

Laundry is still a daily focus. I've now proven to myself that doing a bit at a time, makes laundry less overwhelming and chaotic...and I'm less likely to "forget" that load in the washer for 2 days. I've switched up the days a bit but here's the new outline:

Monday: Darks
Tuesday: Whites
Wednesday: Sheets
Thursday: Towels
Friday: Colors
Saturday: Daycare
Sunday: Curtains (monthly)

I am still insistent that the Room-Daily-Focus is a good idea for me. It gives me specific goals to accomplish every day...and allows me a specific time frame to focus on the task at hand and then move on. I know I don't have to clean in one room for 2 hours, it's 30 minutes tops. When 30 minutes is over....I'm done. This means, for me, there's a light at the end of the tunnel! I've split the RDF into two weeks, because frankly, there's too much to be done in one week...and some rooms just don't need that weekly attention, IMO.

RDF Week 1:
Monday: Living Room
Tuesday: Master Bedroom
Wednesday: Kitchen
Thursday: Laundry & Cats
Friday: Daycare & Nursery
Saturday: Office
Sunday: Monthly Jobs 1, 3, or 5

RDF Week 2:
Monday: Living Room
Tuesday: Master Bedroom
Wednesday: Spare Rooms
Thursday: Laundry & Cats
Friday: Daycare & Nursery
Saturday: Entryway
Sunday: Monthly Jobs 2 or 4

I also wrote down the monthly jobs that need done routinely:
Week 1: Outside windows
Week 2: Garage
Week 3: Deck/Backyard
Week 4: Gutters
Week 5: Oven
These are mostly Dh's responsibility but when he's deployed or "conveniently" on TDY...then I need to incorporate them into my routine.

My Daily cleaning schedule will look something like this:
( I took some pressure off of myself and didn't assign times to the job, simply a certain number of minutes each job should take.)
AM:
LDF - wash (10 min)
Make bed(s) (5 min)
Tidy bedroom (10 min)
After shower spruce (Swish, swipe and spray) (5 min)
empty dishwasher (DW) (5 min)
DC Floors (vacuum/Hoover) (10 min)
LDF - dry (5 min)
after breakfast dishes - DW (10 min)

Mid-Day (DC nap time):
LDF - fold and put away (20 min)
After lunch dishes (DW) (5 min)
Up/Dwn Bathroom (20 min)
-- toilets, shower/bath scrub, sink scrub, wash floors, wipe mirrors/knobs/switches, wash walls, doors, trim
RDF - 30 min
-- dust/wipe down surfaces, wash inside windows, remove clothes/towels/bedding, Hoover/Vacuum, remove trash/wipe inside of can, wipe walls, doors, and trim, wipe knobs and switches
De-clutter (20 min)
Dog Piles (10 min)
Computer time (60 min)

PM:
After snack dishes (DW) (5 min)
After dinner dishes (DW & wash, dry, away) 15 min
Run DW (2 min)
Quick kitchen clean-up (15 min)
-- counters, empty/shine sink, stove top, appliance fronts, broom sweep/swiffer floor
Make coffee (5 min)
Lunch/Snack prep (10 min)
Walk Dogs (45-60 min)
Family Project (60 min)

Now, my duty is to get cleaning and USE the time I have wisely. Sitting on my butt, being a couch-potato is no longer acceptable!

Let's see if I can make it happen.