Chasing Babies... Growing in Grace: My Dailies: A Work in Progress

Monday, April 4, 2011

My Dailies: A Work in Progress

We talked last week about why it's important to have a schedule for our daily tasks around the house. Truly, it doesn't work for me to fly by the seat of my pants in this area (does it really work for any of us to live like that all the time?) I may start out fine, but by the end of the day, I may have started a hundred tasks, but none of them are finished (including dinner) and the house is still in disarray!

Sigh.

But I'm not a schedule person!

It's true. I'm not. I am no good at routine because it gets so old. When I need to do the same thing the same way everyday I start to go crazy.

At least, that's the way I feel. Come to think of it, I tend to give up (for that reason) before too many days are accomplished.

Like it or not ladies... we need to do this routine thing... follow these schedules we set for ourselves. If you don't like it... aren't a schedule person... then just "do it enyway"! Do it, get it over with, and move on to the rest of your day!

That is my goal!

So I started with a schedule. I'm really good at this part. I love making schedules and lists and such. I'm a planner!

What I'm not is a follow-througher. Not at all!

But I'm determined... so I made myself up a new schedule of "dailies". I followed Copperswife's example for now... and I'm tweaking it as needed to fit our family. I just liked the way hers worked. It's pretty detailed... and I like that. I need that if anything is ever going to get clean around here.

So here it is... not for you to copy down, but to show you how I'm doing it. Hopefully to encourage you to make your own. (Note: * means that this is Tornado's job [he's 4], ** means this is Sweet Pea's job [she just turned 3]... not that they always do them without help or that I even make them do it everyday. It's a work in progress... training!)

(Oh, and the green things are the "kitchen duty" part of the day... it helps me see what needs to be done in there after breakfast!)

Dress, Hair, Shoes

Swish and Swipe Bathroom

Pull back bed covers to air bedding

Start Laundry and Recycle throughout day (Washer to dryer, dryer to folding, folding to put away and ironing)

Put away Dishes/Wipe Counters

Make Breakfast

Clear breakfast dishes *,**

Shake out bibs into trash and fold *

Wash dishes **

Wipe Table *

Scour and/or wash kitchen sink

Spray and Wipe kitchen counters, moving things aside to wipe underneath *

Spray and Wipe stove top

Wipe oven front **

Wipe upper cupboard doors

Wipe lower cupboard doors **

Grind flour (if necessary)

Sweep Floor **

Hang up dish clothes and towels neatly *

Check dinner menu and defrost any frozen ingredients

Make beds (everyone makes own bed and mom checks)

Tidy bedrooms (laundry and toys, surfaces, dusting, etc)

Tidy living room *,**

Vacuum living room *

5 Minute de-clutter (of some cluttered space)

Scheduled cleaning (more on this later)

Fold and put away laundry *, **

Make lunch

Clear lunch dishes *,**

Shake out bibs into trash and fold or take to wash *

Wash dishes **

Wipe table and counters *

Hang/straighten towels and dish clothes **

Iron (anything from the day's laundry)

Make diner

Tidy for Daddy *, **

Clear table *,**

Shake out bibs into trash and fold or take to wash *

Wash dishes **

Wipe table and counters*

Clean stove

Clean sink

Hang/straighten towels and dish clothes or take to wash **

Review day and make notes for tomorrow

So... I imagine this looks like a lot. It did to me at first too. But really, once I'm in a routine of doing it, it shouldn't take too long at all. In addition to that... I'm really working to change my mindset about work. (I love this post by the way... and it's becoming my inspiration for a whole [in progress] philosophy of child raising... not to mention life!)

So here it is "in living color". It lives above my sink (and often my drying dishes) so that I can see it and check it often. One day, when I feel like I won't be changing it for a while, I'll laminate it so that sink spray and food splatter don't get it all messed up!

Have you put together your schedule??? I'll be sharing how this week goes with the schedule at the end! I hope you'll share too!

By the way... Those first three things rarely happen in the first part of the day... if ever. It's all a goal... remember!

Joining in...

Labels: Home Making, Keeping My Home, Suzy meets P31

6 Comments:

At April 5, 2011 at 12:25 AM , Little Mommy said...: I really like your "dailies". I used to have a list like that of duties on a 7 day schedule and who was responsible for it and I thought I had shared it on my blog once upon a time but I can't seem to find it. I might need to dust the cobwebs off my blog and post a reworkd more accurate version of that list. Good Job!
At April 5, 2011 at 7:22 PM , Little Mommy said...: If you have time to check it out, here is a link to an organizing blog with a handy little check list of things you can do all day/everyday to keep things clutter free and organized.
http://organizing.yourway.net/10-things-to-do-everyday-to-stay-organized/
At April 5, 2011 at 11:29 PM , Kristin said...: I love a list, too. This may sound a little strange, but I actually had to make myself STOP making lists because I was overly burdened by them. I would make a list and then not be flexible with it. We do have a routine, though, and follow through as much as possible, so I guess my list is in my head instead of paper. My goal is to be more flexible and remember what is important (my husband, my children) while still doing what needs to be done.

Love reading your series, by the way, even if I am just now chiming in.
At April 6, 2011 at 7:31 AM , Stephanie T said...: Hi! I just found your blog at the "Raising homemakers" and I'm really looking forward to read your posts. I like the Proverbs 31 Theme and I've startet to make schedules, cause some of my routines doesn't work anymore.

Greetings from Germany
Stephanie
At April 12, 2011 at 7:58 PM , Bru Crew Mom said...: Until your page is more permanent, you can put it in a page protector and hang it up. That's what I do before I laminate things. Then, you can check things off with a dry erase marker and reuse it, but checking it off each day provides such a sense of accomplishment for me!
At May 17, 2011 at 8:45 PM , Cheryl (copperswife) said...: Hi! Your blog is lovely!

I looked for an address to email you privately, but I couldn't find one. I hope leaving this info for you here is okay.

I appreciate your linking to my old "dailies" article. Unfortunately, the original site is no longer up and running, but the good news is that my new site is!

The "dailies" article you linked to is now available here:

http://copperswife.com/popular-series/scheduled-homemaking/the-dailies/

Thanks again for the link up!

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Chasing Babies... Growing in Grace

Monday, April 4, 2011

My Dailies: A Work in Progress

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