Dare I say it???

I'm afraid to utter the words.... but I'm too excited not to tell you, in hopes that it may help someone else as much as it's helped me!! I think I have FINALLY found a cleaning routine that is working for me!

I am a homeschooling mom. I am the director of our local co-op that meets every Friday during the school year. I babysit a soon-to-be one year old. I have to make dinner, do laundry, wash the dishes, clean the house. We don't live in filth by any means, but sometimes it would be one a couple several months that I wouldn't get around to dusting, or it would be too long between bathroom cleaning and vacuuming. It was discouraging and extremely frustrating. We would either have school or clean the house, but certainly not both, not ever. Then I would spend an entire day doing what I like to call "crisis cleaning." You know the one, the one where either you're about to have a nervous breakdown because you can't stand the way the house looks any longer or someone calls and says that want to come over? Flylady calls it CHAOS or Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome. I'd spend hours cleaning the house top to bottom, swearing that this was the last time that I would ever let it go so long. Yeah, right...

I can't tell you how many cleaning schedules I have written, blogs I have poured over, sites I have signed up for. I still could not make it all work together. There was NEVER enough time in the day. I tried Flylady. I loved it. In theory, it looks wonderful. I just personally could never make it stick. I was at the end of my rope, ready to pull out my hair in frustration!!

Cue Pinterest and the pin "15-20 minutes to a Clean House: How to have a {fake} immaculate house." I was totally skeptical. Right, 15 minutes Monday-Friday, and I don't have to do any crisis cleaning before company comes? AND I can fake an immaculate house? Nah, not happening!

..........But I was WRONG!!! I am now going into week 4 of a new cleaning routine, and I am so happy with what is getting accomplished. Now, mind you, it isn't a spring cleaning, but it's company ready all of the time. I can now have someone knock on the door and allow them inside rather than go hide until they're gone! We have actually had several surprise visits, and I was so proud to open the door to them!!!

I did have to rearrange it a little to fit my family, but here's what mine looks like:
Monday-Clean Kitchen-This includes wiping down counters, wiping our microwave, sweeping, quick spray-and-mop, etc.
Tuesday-Dust House-This is done with a swiffer, occasionally with pledge. I personally dust from top to bottom, meaning door molding and vents to heat ducts and baseboard, but you can do what you're comfortable with. It only takes a couple of minutes on each room. You are not spending a bunch of time. Just start at one side of the room and quickly work your way around, dusting surfaces.
Wednesday-Clean hall bathroom. This includes spray and wipe off counters, cleaning the toilet, spray and wipe the tub, and I spray and wipe the floor by hand.
Thursday-Clean half bath and laundry room. Same thing as the hall bathroom, minus the tub. I sweep the laundry room floor and make sure things are put away.
Friday-Vacuum the whole house. Run the vacuum all over and behind things. I pull out baskets and tables and quickly run the vacuum around. We have a few carpeted rooms and a few hard wood, so I use 2 different vacuums. One is a regular vacuum, the other is the smaller $25 vacuum from Walmart for non-carpeted floors.

Almost everything takes 15-20 minutes, but I never spend more than 30. Our house has 3 bedrooms and is 1300 square feet. Everyone can spare 30 minutes a day to have a clean house. It really does work, plus you get the weekends off! :) I can honestly say, this is very doable in my crazy world.

There are a few other tips that I have learned that really help as well:
1. Do one load of laundry from START to FINISH every day, unless of course you don't happen to have any that day. I don't do this every day yet, but I'm working on it!
2. Make sure dishes are done in the evening before you go to bed. It is so nice to wake up to a clean sink! I don't do this every day either. Some nights I call it quits early, because it's been a long day.
3. Put things where they belong! I have a habit of laying something down to put away later, and then forget to it. Do it when you remember. Don't wait. It really doesn't take that long.
4. Give the kids (and yourself/husband) a 15 minute night time clean up. Before the kids go to bed, set the timer and have them put away anything that doesn't belong in the living room, kitchen, den, their rooms in it's *proper* place. *Read:: Do not have them pick up their toys from the living room and drop them on their bedroom floor.* This instills good habits for them and for you.

There are 3 things I am still working on that will be a big help as well.
1. Go to bed earlier. This will help with #2.
2. Get up earlier than the kids. This gives you time to get things done for yourself. Get ready, go for a run, read your Bible, have an uninterrupted cup of coffee, check your emails, etc.
3. Meal planning, meal planning, meal planning. I want to do this desperately, but I just haven't gotten there yet. I am going to set a 2 week schedule. It will be SO nice to look at the menu the night before and be able to know what we are having the following night!
Ten Habits for a Well-Run Home was also a helpful read.

The goal here is baby steps. You can't jump in and do all of it. Take one thing at a time and get into a routine, then add another. It will be worth your while. I promise!! I feel so much better about the house. I can't promise that there won't be toys strewn all over the place, but I guarantee I won't have to tell any surprise visitors that the bathroom is out of order, lol!

So come on over! I'm ready for ya!!