Ok how do you stay modivated to keep up on the day to day house work. It always seams, even with challenges that I am falling behind that things are never the way I want them to be. What systen do you use? what are your biggest tips?

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

Things around here are never as clean as I'd like them. There's always laundry to fold, dishes to do and other odds n' ends to work on. But, I'd rather play with my kids so I work on it for 15 minutes here and there (set a timer!) and after they are in bed I do a quick pick up and call it good enough. There are days when I have motivation and I take full advantage of those.....but, try doing what you can while your little one naps....and reward yourself with some Mommysavers time!

I too have had a struggle trying to keep up..no one ever teaches you how to manage a house, raise kids, cook meals, and take care of every ones needs...and look cute while you are doing it(ha ha). I have 3 children and one more on the way, my life is crazy. The only way I have found to keep up is with systems and list. I have been reading a lot of books lately on organization, the only problem is they tell you how to buy containers to get organized, but not how to stay organized. One book that has helped is the Fly-lady book, she has a lot of great ideas. Something that has helped me with laundry is that I no longer use lots of baskets...if you store your laundry, you think you don't have much to do. I fold my laundry right out of the dryer...if I put it in a basket and take it to another location to fold, it never gets done. This has made such a huge difference. The only problem I came across was all the socks and underwear that I didnt have room to sort. I bought $ dishpans for each person and put them on a shelf I had already. I then could sort every ones small stuff quickly. They then have to put it away. These little things have changed my laundry life...it seems silly but it has helped so much. Good luck!

This is also something that I struggle with. One thing I found that has helped is to make lists. Without a list I tend to "forget" what needed to be done that day because I get sidetracked doing something else.

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DS - 8
DD - 5

I actually have a schedule of my house work. If anyone wants it just let me know. It makes things SO much easier. You can just change it around to better suit you.

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I would like the house cleaning schedule you have. Any other tips would be great too. It's not easy with twin 2 year olds and a 6 week old!!

Susan
Finley and Jude
27 months
Baby Avah 6 weeks

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finleyandjudemommy

Thanks, I am trying something new. I am trying to keep up with the mommy saver cleaning challanges. If you can get them done you at least have made a dent. I have a spread sheet but I can then rely on that list to do what isn't challanged. Thanks for your tips. I will have to check out the fly lady book I have heard of it before.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

I have a list of daily chores that I do everyday..empty /fill dishwaher, clean counters, sinks, sweep floor, etc for every room and then I have a few *extra * jobs I do on different days...like on Monday, I do all of daily chores, PLUS, mop floors and clean out the car..on Tuesday, daily chores, PLUS clean front and back porches and clean out purse..etc. It sounds like a lot, but honestly I am done with it before noon everyday and things run a lot smoother!

I have almost always had to work - my ex husband made good money but he did not share any of it with the kids and I so I needed to work to pay the bills. When he was in Iraq for the first gulf war I was able to be a SAHM for a year (the military direct deposited his check into my account so he had no choice to share it with us.)

The year that I stayed home I felt it was a breeze - all my SAHM friends always complained about how much work it was, how behind they were etc. I approached it like a job - I made a cleaning schedule and whipped through it. I walked the kids to school, returned home and "worked" the entire day. We didn't have a PC back then, just TV which I never watched. i hate talking on the phone so that wasn't distracting me either.

The kids would make messes and there was dinner to make and clean up so I did another 20 minute tidy after they were in bed. When DH came back he resumed pocketing his entire paycheck so I had to go back to work.

Really, once it gets to dirty, I just can't stand it, so it gets cleaned. That does not take to much, so I usually clean my house once a week.