I tried a different approach this past week when we teamed up as a family to clean house, and it really worked!
I went to each room that needed cleaning and wrote down all the individual tasks that needed doing. I put the list of tasks on a small piece of paper and taped it to the light switch in that room.
Because the cleaning was broken down into small tasks, it all got done! (These lists are for weekly cleaning tasks, not heavy deep cleaning, and we started in the morning when the house was still reasonably tidy.)
For example, the kitchen list looked like this:
| KITCHEN |
|
| dispose of leftovers in fridge |
| wipe down fridge & dishwasher doors/handles |
| scour sink & faucet, rinse well |
| wipe down counters with disinfectant |
| clean microwave inside & out |
| clean stove top (& pans), wipe down front |
| sweep and mop floor |
| empty trash & recycling |
| add to the shopping list any supplies needed |
The kids would mark off what they completed, but left the lists in place. I came through when they were done and double checked that each task had been completed properly.
There were a few things that I marked with an "M" meaning Mom would do them (toilets, for example). Mostly because I knew otherwise, they wouldn't get done! :)
I typed the lists up and will just print, cut, and tape the lists up next time. There's something about being able to mark something off a list that is incredibly satisfying, even for kids. :)
My house was clean in record time and I was one happy momma!
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Our maintenance guy gave me a pointer the other day when he was fixing our dishwasher and I had to share! Just before you start your dishwasher, run the hot water tap until the water is hot, turn off the tap, then start your dishwasher. Otherwise, you're starting the dishwasher running with COLD water (unless your water heater is in your kitchen, which most aren't). Your dishes will be cleaner because your dishwasher is designed to work with HOT water. It works, trust me! :)
