I've been "keeping house" for a little over four years now and all that time had searched in vain for a thorough yet doable house cleaning routine. I would make charts and lists and check off each completed task as I made my way through my week. But inevitably, I would get behind or have a busy day or get sick or have company and my schedule went straight our the window. Then I would play catch up the next week with little success and feel like a total failure. How could I be a good wife if I couldn't even keep my house clean?
I think the worst part of it all was the clutter that would pile up around the house. My husband and I are the total opposite of pack-rats. We actually throw away or give away more things than we probably should. There have been many occasions when I've thought of something that I really needed or wanted but realized we had gotten rid of it. Because of this, I'm was always surprised and frustrated when we had CLUTTER everywhere. Where did all of this stuff come from? I finally discovered it was just our everyday, normal things that weren't getting put away on a regular basis.
While googleing "cleaning routine, cleaning schedules, how can I keep my house clean?, etc, etc", I came across a website called http://www.flylady.com/. Not exactly sure where the name came from, but it has an amazing cleaning routine. The creator of the site separates the house into zones and you only work on a detailed cleaning list of one zone per week. Then there is one hour of "blessing your home" that you choose to do one time a week that involves basic sprucing up around the house. There are small tasks to do before you go to bed and small tasks to do after you get ready in the morning, all helping to keep your house clean without spending hours doing it. Very simple!!! Very easy to follow!!!! I've actually been using this cleaning schedule for about three months now and it works. I used to feel like I had to clean my house from top to bottom every week. With a 2700 sq ft house and ONE person to clean it, it's not going to happen. This schedule keeps me sane, and I always feel like my home is in decent order. Maybe not always spotless but definitely presentable.
Are you feeling overwhelmed with your cleaning routine? Do you even have one? Please, please, please check out this site! It will change your life. It's definitely changed mine for the better.
Flylady http://www.flylady.com/
I've followed the flylady off and on for several years...it really is a neat program. Glad you found something!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for a cleaning schedule that is manageable while my husband is deployed and I am chasing two toddlers around all day. I am going to try the flylady one and set her 'baby steps' page as my home page so I see it every time I turn on my computer.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
@LawDawn: It's great, isn't it? I love that she give options for modifying. It's not so strict that you feel like you've done something wrong if you don't follow it.
ReplyDelete@Elizabeth: Let me know what you think.
ReplyDeleteI love Flylady! During the school, when everything gets hectic, we do the fifteen minute cleaning. We all take a zone(ina common area, ie living room, etc) and do what we can for 15 minutes. Then we go to our rooms and for 15 minutes tidy up whatever is laying around. We set a timer and in 30 minutes things look so great! I love a clean house, and keeping it that way with three teenagers and school is sometimes difficult. She made it easy for us to stay on top of it! ;)~Michelle
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