It's been a full few weeks since my last blog post. (Off to a roaring start, aren't I?) If you must know, there have been some pressing matters requiring my attention. For instance, I discovered that Netflix finally released the previous season of Desperate Housewives. I also had a few important birthday parties to attend and several interesting books checked out of the library. Now that my schedule has, ahem, cleared, I plan to blog more regularly.
I need to get into a better routine. My current routine is set around my son's naps and feedings, and I'm very happy with it. I get up at 7:00 with the baby, make myself presentable during his first nap at 8:30, then I usually do stuff around the house until he wakes up from his second nap around 3:00, at which point I may take him out to run errands. The only housework I have fairly firmly set into my day is the post-dinner kitchen cleanup.
I would like to add more housework to my daily routine so that I know what to do and when I'm going to do it so I can stop procrastinating. The only other chore I can think of that should be done daily is laundry. (My dear husband cooks the majority of our dinners. Yes, I know how lucky I am.) I use cloth diapers and wash them every other day, so I should be washing, drying, and folding at least one load of laundry every day.
Are there any other chores I should be doing every day?
Elsa,
ReplyDeleteYay, blogging! With my new job (Suzuki violin lessons four afternoons a week), I think I technically qualify as a SAHW, and have been working on organizing my time/energy/routines in similar ways (just without a "barnacle," as one of my friends kindly calls babies!)
I made a chart a few weeks ago that has the days of the week, and different categories...I think my categories are: Chores/Organization, Cooking/Baking, Errands, Music, Study (reading, etc.), Social, Spiritual, and Active. So, I try to do one of each of those things every day. I think splitting up chores and getting it down to one or two a day works pretty well, and it means I don't spend a whole day feeling like, "Gosh, don't talk to me until I finish cleaning the entire house!" and I can imagine with a baby, two chores is much more do-able than 10. Also, having those categories gives me tangible things to get done and feels pretty balanced.
Looking forward to reading!
Chloe
I'm not sure about chores that should be done daily, but I have a few weekly chores "scheduled" which I find helpful. I change and wash the sheets and towels on Tuesdays and I wash my husband's and my clothes on Thursdays. I wash baby Joseph's clothes and diapers as needed - it tends to be about 3-4 loads a week. I'm trying to work in cleaning the bathrooms every other Friday. I think dusting, sweeping/mopping and vacuuming would also be good weekly chores - I just haven't worked them into me "official" schedule yet.
ReplyDeleteSorting through through the mail and any other papers that come through the house should be a daily chore that way it doesn't pile up. It doesn't take long to do, but if you let it sit for a few days it can get a bit messy - and for me it even gets messy when I try to sort through papers on a daily basis. I usually end up doing a paper purge about once a week or so.
I'm sure there are a lot of other chores that need to be attended to, but those are the ones I try to stay on top of.
Hi Elsa,
ReplyDeleteI thought I posted a comment... hmmm...
Anyways, reading this, we sound so similar! It can be so hard to get started. And with a baby things get exponentially harder somehow! :)
I find that I divided my chores up by the week and scheduled certain ones for each day. Monday: dishes, laundry, sweep and mop kitchen floor. Things like that. I also have to get them all finished before noon because from about 9-11 am is when Wilson takes a great nap.
Thomas and I have found that we have to be so organized now with everything we wish to do throughout the day or else we get lazy and things won't get accomplished. I love keeping up with your family though facebook!
Julie
I was having some trouble commenting on Blogger but figured it out. Thank you for your responses!
ReplyDeleteChloe, I agree that a chart will be helpful to help me get things done and to redirect me when I become distracted.
Betsy, clutter from the mail is terrible in my house! Good Housekeeping had some good tips for dealing with mail in their August issue. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/home-and-office-organization
Julie, I've never been great at doing chores, but I find that having a baby (and subsequently more houseguests) is providing me with increased motivation!