Household Maintenance Schedules Continued…

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I got a lot of great comments on my last blog post on scheduling household maintenance. I wanted to share a few snippets of those comments and make some of my own comments…

Crystal~ I too have a schedule, but my problem is sticking to it. I have even had to go to the reward system....no crafting (which I love to do) until the days chores are done.

And…

Pray that the Lord will give me the strength to complete my tasks each day and to consider how my family will benefit from organization and discipline.

Both of these comments said one thing to me.. discipline. I think if we are all honest with ourselves we know that the real “secret” to any schedule, or plan is to be disciplined to do it. It is the hardest part of maintenance. There are certainly days I wake up and think.. I can’t do it again.. unload the dishwasher, sweep/mop the floor, vacuum, put another load of laundry in, cook another meal again.. but without the discipline to do it all over the next day the schedule and plan is meaningless.

I loved the comment on having a reward system. It is a good motivator if you have things you really love to do that are not homemaking related. I do the same thing. For me it is spending time working on my website and blog and such. I can’t really feel like I could come and encourage homemaking unless I am doing it! LOL.. I also enjoy sewing, crocheting and a few other homey type things so this too can be a motivator for me.. get the house under control then I can move onto other things I enjoy.

One thing I have learned from being disciplined is that it gets easier the longer you stick with it. Pretty soon it is a habit and this can really help make it not such a huge effort each day.


This comment from Pam I really loved….

I can relate to your need for organization. When my kids were young, I had an 'Orderly House' list on the refrigerator. Everyone had a turn at the different tasks based on their ability. The list was done everyday but if we expected company, were going somewhere or had something special to do, I could call out, "I need an orderly house" and everyone flew into action. Each child would take what they were good at then encourage and help each other. The list provided discipline and encouraged teamwork.

That really put a smile on my face. I don’t have as many children at home anymore but I remember when we were a big and busy home and I had to call everyone together to get into action to get the house in order. Pam, I hope you don’t mind but I am stealing your term “Orderly House” to use with my kids.. :)


On the motivation issue to be disciplined to do what needs to be done here are some of my thoughts… On the very basic level is the fact that I feel so much better once it is all done.. and really is it so different than what my hubby must face each day at work? He has had the same job for 24 years and I am sure he tires of doing what he does again and again. But that is where the Scripture verse “do not grow weary while doing good” comes into play for all of us.

My biggest motivation comes from the feeling of a job well done and time spent doing what I am supposed to be doing with my days. I am a homemaker and I love it.. I would not trade my job any day for any other job. I desire everyday to give my all to my family and to my husband. I want them to live in a clean and orderly home, I want them to have good quality homemade food, and I want my children to learn the value of a clean home and a job well done. This won’t happen without my example for them to see. This won’t happen without my effort. In the end what my heart’s desire would be is for the Lord to look at me and say “well done, good and faithful servant”, no matter the outcome I alone stand before the Lord and am responsible for my actions.. So each day I rise up and do what needs to be done. That is who I am and what I do!!


One thing each of my oldest daughters has said to me is “thank you mom for teaching me how to cook, how to clean and how to work”.... And when my husband never runs out of clean clothes or bath towels or a hearty cooked meal and a packed lunch to take to work each day and he tells me how much he appreciates his home and what I do, well.. that, to me, is a huge reward for all the years of training my children and effort spent each day to run a clean and orderly home.

Happy Homemaking Ladies!!
 

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 9, 2011 at 9:37 AM

    I like the orderly house thing also. I may use that term with my girls, lol..

    I have 3 daughters ( 21, 17,12). They all know how to clean, do laundry and whatever else needs done. But it is the "getting" it done that we sometimes fail at.

    The one thing that works for us is to always invite someone over weekly. That has been the best thing to help us keep the house in order. And when we aren't having company over, they help keep things neat and clean because they remember how hard it will be if I suddenly invite someone over, lol...

    I am enjoying your post very much ! Your recipes have been a BIG help to me here lately. Thank you for posting them.

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  2. Heather's Blog-o-ramaFebruary 9, 2011 at 10:55 AM

    I loved reading the reader comment's, especially the one about the "orderly house". My dad and I "fly into action" when we know that someone is coming over. We hurry up to get things clean. We try and keep things clean, in general, anyway :) :) Oh that is too cute!!! You are so right about discipline. I try to remind myself how I'll feel when it's all done!!1 That's good motivation for me ;) :) My mom never taught me homemaking skills. My dad taught me some..but a lot of I've learned from vari ous books and things..so when I have my family, hopefully, I can pass all of this to them :) :) thanks for the post ;) Love and hugs from ORegon, Heather :) :) :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. ginaFebruary 10, 2011 at 6:43 AM

    I recently discovered a great system called Flylady (www.flylady.net). She teaches about breaking chores apart into smaller jobs, setting a timer for say 5 minutes, and then getting at it! It works. If you just do a little bit every day, it all has a better chance of staying done. I personally dread emptying the clean dishes out of the dishwasher at night when I get home from work. But I just think - I bet I can do it in 1 1/2 minutes, and get to it. Usually it takes hardly any time and then the job I was dreading was done! Also, Flylady teaches about routines like swishing your bathroom each morning as part of your morning routine. And, she teaches that you don't have to use expensive cleaners. Even shampoo can be swished to clean your toilet. That way, no excuses! I love that my bathroom is now always company ready! Anyone having trouble getting motivated or organized should go to that site. I'm not an owner or anything of that site. It just really works for me and has been a great teacher to my children of having routines in order to get through the day.

    Crystal, I continue to LOVE your blog! I only have two kids (22 and 18 years old and about "out the door"). But, your big family inspires me and sometimes I wish I had had a few more kids.... until we had all 4 cars breaking down this week and then I was SO GLAD I only had two!

    Thanks for all of your good posts.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    I love the satisfaction of knowing that my family is well fed, with clean clothes. I like your idea of a schedule. I have a loose schedule in my head, but that makes some chores far too flexible. Then again, so long as I get the house entirely "done" by the weekend, then I feel accomplished. I think that I definitely need to delegate more. ;)

    ReplyDelete

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