House of Order Tip #2
Setting up cleaning areas.
I like this idea of Areas for a few reasons
*It's easier for me to remember, SIMPLIFY!
*It's something that my children can feel they are steward over and are responsible for.
When I say areas, it's not always a room, sometimes it's a hallway, or a shoe shelf or coat closet. Any place in your home that needs constant tidying up and maintenance can be considered an area.
My oldest son is now apprenticing with his Dad, to start a business together. So he is no longer here on a daily basis, and is off working. However everyone in our house helps to maintain it, and just because Dad and Noble are gone working all day, does not mean they don't have responsibilities around the house. They do all the "manly" work. Check, change oil in vehicles, keep the cars clean, heavy lifting and things I don't want to deal with alone, or don't know how to fix!!! Along with that Noble is in charge of all outdoor lawn care and yard tidying. He doesn't weed alone, or do gardening alone. He mows the law, cleans up animal droppings, maintains the yard! I also requested him to have his younger brothers out helping. He's is helping to train, and it's a great opportunity to have him help with the training. This will better him when it comes time for him to be a daddy!
If he was not gone all week yard maintenance would be part of our regular areas list.
I sat down and wrote up a list of the things I need done to keep a house of order. Along with how often I felt those things needed to be done. My list looked something like this:
*Dishes
*mopping
*laundry
*bathrooms tidy and clean at least 2 times a week (we are a house of mostly boys, and young boys!!)
*family room tidy daily and deep clean
*Dusting
*vacuum Stairways
*Wash windows once a week or twice a week
*Wash sliding door daily or twice a week
*Toy bins daily Organized 1 time a month
*Animal care
*bookshelf organization
I found once I started this list and got my mind thinking in that direction, I found TONS of ideas! I also spent about a week or two just working on this list
Then I figured out the "areas" of the house that I'd like as stewardships.
*Family Room
*Toy area, or bins
*Library/School Room
*Bathrooms, each individual or all as one
*Shoe and coat closet/shelf/area
*Sweep and Mop
I placed all the chores from my first list into the areas they matched up with.
I then called a family meeting.
I used this time to get them inspired and excited about the idea of owning an area, a stewardship! Making it your own, and knowing that when I looked at that area, I thought of you and how awesome you are because of how well you take care of it!!!!
Then I let my children pick their area, youngest to oldest. I gave a very simple idea of what I expected in the area. I also helped my younger children make wise choices :)
Then I took some time to go individually with that child through their room and discuss things I saw that needed to be checked. Things that were maybe missed or not thought of. When they clean their areas, this is more tidying up, place things were they belong, vacuuming or sweeping.
I then made a list of those deep clean jobs that area easily forgotten, not seen by children etc. Along with jobs that I didn't feel was a part of an area from my first list. These jobs I figured out how often they needed to be done. I then made a chart with each of my children's names on it and a column for each day of the week. I also thought about our schedule, who has a busy day and when. When our whole family is gone to Vanguard (our homeschool co-op group) who has lessons in the afternoon, etc. Then I placed those chores on this chart where I thought they would work best. So each day my children (and myself) have 1 area, along with 1 or 2 daily chores. The daily chores rotate daily and the areas stay the same. Along with that a daily chore might be a list of 4 things to be done a certain week of the month. Such as:
1.Library Windows
2.dust library bookcases
3.Wash under fridge
4. Scrub down kitchen table or high chairs
Then that child does the specific week of the month ever Tuesday or whenever!
First off explain to your children that you will be using areas for our main chores. Inspire them to "own that area" Also give clear expectations and of course accountability.
Setting up cleaning areas.
I like this idea of Areas for a few reasons
*It's easier for me to remember, SIMPLIFY!
*It's something that my children can feel they are steward over and are responsible for.
When I say areas, it's not always a room, sometimes it's a hallway, or a shoe shelf or coat closet. Any place in your home that needs constant tidying up and maintenance can be considered an area.
My oldest son is now apprenticing with his Dad, to start a business together. So he is no longer here on a daily basis, and is off working. However everyone in our house helps to maintain it, and just because Dad and Noble are gone working all day, does not mean they don't have responsibilities around the house. They do all the "manly" work. Check, change oil in vehicles, keep the cars clean, heavy lifting and things I don't want to deal with alone, or don't know how to fix!!! Along with that Noble is in charge of all outdoor lawn care and yard tidying. He doesn't weed alone, or do gardening alone. He mows the law, cleans up animal droppings, maintains the yard! I also requested him to have his younger brothers out helping. He's is helping to train, and it's a great opportunity to have him help with the training. This will better him when it comes time for him to be a daddy!
If he was not gone all week yard maintenance would be part of our regular areas list.
I sat down and wrote up a list of the things I need done to keep a house of order. Along with how often I felt those things needed to be done. My list looked something like this:
*Dishes
*mopping
*laundry
*bathrooms tidy and clean at least 2 times a week (we are a house of mostly boys, and young boys!!)
*family room tidy daily and deep clean
*Dusting
*vacuum Stairways
*Wash windows once a week or twice a week
*Wash sliding door daily or twice a week
*Toy bins daily Organized 1 time a month
*Animal care
*bookshelf organization
I found once I started this list and got my mind thinking in that direction, I found TONS of ideas! I also spent about a week or two just working on this list
Then I figured out the "areas" of the house that I'd like as stewardships.
*Family Room
*Toy area, or bins
*Library/School Room
*Bathrooms, each individual or all as one
*Shoe and coat closet/shelf/area
*Sweep and Mop
I placed all the chores from my first list into the areas they matched up with.
I then called a family meeting.
I used this time to get them inspired and excited about the idea of owning an area, a stewardship! Making it your own, and knowing that when I looked at that area, I thought of you and how awesome you are because of how well you take care of it!!!!
Then I let my children pick their area, youngest to oldest. I gave a very simple idea of what I expected in the area. I also helped my younger children make wise choices :)
Then I took some time to go individually with that child through their room and discuss things I saw that needed to be checked. Things that were maybe missed or not thought of. When they clean their areas, this is more tidying up, place things were they belong, vacuuming or sweeping.
I then made a list of those deep clean jobs that area easily forgotten, not seen by children etc. Along with jobs that I didn't feel was a part of an area from my first list. These jobs I figured out how often they needed to be done. I then made a chart with each of my children's names on it and a column for each day of the week. I also thought about our schedule, who has a busy day and when. When our whole family is gone to Vanguard (our homeschool co-op group) who has lessons in the afternoon, etc. Then I placed those chores on this chart where I thought they would work best. So each day my children (and myself) have 1 area, along with 1 or 2 daily chores. The daily chores rotate daily and the areas stay the same. Along with that a daily chore might be a list of 4 things to be done a certain week of the month. Such as:
1.Library Windows
2.dust library bookcases
3.Wash under fridge
4. Scrub down kitchen table or high chairs
Then that child does the specific week of the month ever Tuesday or whenever!
First off explain to your children that you will be using areas for our main chores. Inspire them to "own that area" Also give clear expectations and of course accountability.
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