Using Time Wisely

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Cleaning for the Holidays

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Cleaning for the holidays

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

With Thanksgiving and Black Friday complete and Cyper Monday here, I am focusing on cleaning our house with an eye on a few items.

We are not in a hurry to purchase. If the price drops within our cost range, then we will snag it. If not, then we will wait. Last year, we bypassed a television that was $50 more than we desired on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The week before Christmas, our flat panel was the Amazon deal of the day, and we snagged it for the price we wanted to pay. Research, establish a price, and wait. The deal will come if you are looking. 🙂

In gathering our gifts and deals, I desire a clean, organized space for these items. Over the weekend, I cleaned our living room from top to bottom and rearranged. We now have an empty space for when we set up the Christmas tree.

Though I am planning to clean every room of my house in the coming weeks, you might not have much time. Because I understand your time constraints, I present the Little Time, Some Time, and More Time Methods to cleaning for the holidays.

Little Time Method

If you can only squeeze in a little time throughout the week to clean your home, then try this Little Time Method.

Little Time Method

Monday – General pickup of every room in the house. Allow children to help by playing a game.

Tuesday – Dust every room of your home. Spend no more than 10 minutes per room.

Wednesday – Use disinfecting wipes to clean your bathrooms.

Thursday – Sweep your floors with broom, Swiffer, and/or vacuum cleaner.

Friday – Spot clean any marks on pictures, mirrors, furniture, and floors.

Some Time Method

If you can devote some time to cleaning, then try this Some Time Method.

Some Time Method

Monday – Picking up every item out of place in your home and returning the items to their designated spaces. Children can help run items to their “homes.”

Tuesday – Dust each room of your house making sure to remove all dust from the tops of tables, dressers, and counters.

Wednesday – Clean your bathtubs and showers and then use disinfecting wipes for sinks and toilets.

Thursday – Sweep and mop and/or vacuum your floors.

Friday – Clean all pictures and mirrors, and then spot clean marks on furniture and floors.

More Time Method

If you can spend time cleaning your home, and then try this More Time Method.

More Time Method

Monday – Work through each space of your home putting items away, reorganizing items, and allowing children to help.

Tuesday – Dust each room of your house including the ceiling fans. Use furniture polish to keep the dust bunnies away.

Wednesday – Clean your bathrooms wiping the outsides of the bathtub, shower, and toilet.

Thursday – Sweep and vacuum your floors. Then wash your hard floors by hand and steam clean your carpets.

Friday – Clean all pictures, mirrors, baseboards, and windows. If any marks remain on furniture or floors, then spot clean.

In using time wisely, I prefer the More Time Method about four times a year, and then the Little Time and Some Time Method between the deep cleans. As you examine your time frame, you might only get to squeeze in the Little Time Method. However you prepare, focus on your priorities. Spot clean as needed until your schedule slows down.

Find a system that works for you and your family. With a plan in place, you can focus your attention on executing your cleaning schedule. Happy cleaning!

Question: How often do you clean your home? 

Scheduling: Keeping It Together (Sort of)

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Cascading Laundry Pile

In between trips to the water park, bounce houses, and day trips boating and tubing, I am back to switching out my children’s clothing.

With the totes piled in the hallway and stacks of clothing in each bedroom, I also have a bathtub filled with stained clothes soaking in OxiClean. Though progress is slow, I am enjoying summer with my children.

I have a l-o-n-g to do list of cleaning projects that will probably take most of the summer. Without stressing, I am just taking the summer one day at time.

In looking back over the last two weeks, I joy in completing my son and older daughter’s closet and dresser while using time wisely with my children.

Besides the piles of laundry (many thanks to those who pass down clothing to my children), we have kept the downstairs picked up, the kitchen cleaned, and a pathway upstairs. 🙂

Does our home need cleaning? Yes! However, I am choosing to schedule summer fun throughout our week while fitting in the cleaning, laundry, and organizing.

Usually very stressed when my home is in disarray, I am learning to accept that I am not supermom. I cannot be everything to everyone, and there are only 24 hours in the day.

By staying organized, knowing what needs to be done, and following through on priorities, I joy in having my children home and enjoying our summer.

If you find summer busier than the school year, then you are not alone. Work from what is most important (your children) down to the nitty-gritty (for me, ironing). Realize that some things are not important now. In using time wisely, do what you can without sweating the small stuff. Happy managing!

Question: What are you letting go this summer? 

Scheduling: Day at Home

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Michael Surtees)

Over the weekend, I participated in a conversation among friends regarding our homes. Two of the participants work to keep a clean home throughout the weekend. On Monday morning disaster may strike (within reason). 🙂

I, on the other hand, allow items to pile up on the weekends since we are out and about attending activities. When Monday arrives, I get back on track. I schedule Mondays to be a day at home to clean up the kitchen, finish the laundry, sort through the projects and items obtained over the weekend, run the vacuum cleaner, and play with my kids. For me, my house is usually picked up through the week. The weekends are filled with too many activities to deal with my house.

What about you? In which scenario do you fit?

A: My house is picked up through the weekend and a bit messy during the week.

B: My house is picked up through the week and a bit messy during the weekend.

C. My house is clean all the time.

D. Yeah, I’m lucky if my house gets picked up at all. (Hang in there!)

Birthday Party: Scheduling your Time

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With the advanced planning and weighing the cost, I have made decisions on games, food, decorations, etc. for the party. I have found that transitioning from planning phase to implementing stage flows when I schedule my time. After planning, I schedule, and then I know how best to execute that plan.

With my son’s baseball party, I had the games, food, invitations/thank you notes, guests’ lists, and goody bag contents decided prior to the party. I decided to use the 9 innings of a baseball game as the timeframe for the party. With most of the details done, I scheduled the party as follows:

Pregame
Prior to 2:00 p.m.             Coloring page – copies and crayons
1st Inning
2:00 – 2:15 p.m.                Game – Pin a Baseball in the Glove: Blindfold the kids and have them pin a baseball in the “glove.” The closest baseball wins. Winner gets to start the 2nd inning.
2nd Inning
2:15 – 2:25 p.m.                Fun Competition
Who can throw the baseball the farthest?
Who can hit the baseball the farthest?
Who can run to the base first?
2:25 – 2:30 p.m.                Drink Break – snow cones
3rd Inning
2:30 – 2:40 p.m.                Game – Musical Bases: Place bases on the ground. Use “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” as the music and have kids stand on a base when it stops. Have a hat that contains 4 cards: Home, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd base. Draw a card from the hat and whichever base is read, the kids on that base are out.
4th Inning
2:40 – 3:00 p.m.                Game – 3-Inning Baseball: For this mini game, follow the rules of regular baseball with these exceptions: use a plastic bat, a Wiffle ball (no mitts needed), and a lawn chair placed behind home plate (exactly where an umpire stands). The seat’s backrest marks the strike zone – if the ball hits it, it’s a strike. Each team is at bat for just three innings.
3:00 – 3:05 p.m.                Drink Break
5th Inning
3:05 – 3: 15 p.m.               Game – Hey Batter, Batter: This game is a relay race where the kids run to one end of the party area, put on a baseball hat, and hold the bat. They shout “Hey Batter, Batter,” take it all off, and then run back so the next teammate can do the same. The first team to get all its players across the finish line – wins!
6th Inning
3:15 – 3:25 p.m.                Game – Dizzy Bat: Place the bat on the ground in a standing position and have the child put his head on the handle at the top. Have him spin around a few times and then try to run back to their team. The first team done – wins.
7th Inning
3:25 – 3:30 p.m.                Baseball-on-the-Spoon Relay: Use ping-pong balls as baseballs for this game. Divide the kids into two teams. Line up the teams and have the players carry the ping-pong balls on the spoon to the opposite side of the yard, around a base, and back to the starting line. Then they will pass the spoon to their teammates, and the game continues in this manner until all players have gone. If the player drops the ping-pong ball, they must pick it up, and resume the game where the ball was dropped. The team to finish first – wins.
Stretch
3:30 – 3:45 p.m.                Sing “Happy Birthday,” Candle, Cake, and Ice Cream with Raspberry Lemonade
8th Inning
3:45 – 3:55 p.m.                Open Gifts
9th Inning
3:55 – 4:00 p.m.                 Thank you and presentation of goody bags

I then scheduled my week. On Monday through Wednesday, clean my house, work on laundry, and complete grocery shopping. On Thursday and Friday morning, I help at my son’s school. Then Friday afternoon, bake the cake. After dinner, decorate the cake. On Saturday morning, gather items for the games, prepare the goody bags, setup after lunch, and enjoy the party.

Next week, I will share the results of the executed plan. Do you stop to schedule your time leading up to an event? Do you have any tips to help us save money, energy, and time while preparing for a birthday celebration? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Time Management: Scheduling my Day

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Do you have a set schedule for each day? If your life is like mine, then you do not. Each day is different and will probably not end the way I had planned. Knowing that interruptions and emergencies will arise, how do you plan your day? Do you keep a time frame schedule where each hour is designated to a specific task; do you have a list of items whether written, typed, or in your mind; or do you fly by the seat of your pants and accomplish items as they arise?

As a planner, I like to have a schedule. The hour by hour designation does not work for me. My little ones need Mommy often, and their needs are unpredictable. Some days they need me a lot, and other days they are happy to play alone or with each other. If I had an hour by hour schedule, then I might lose those precious opportunities with my kids because I am keeping to my schedule. I also cannot fly by the seat of my pants. I will forget something, and I really need a plan, even if it is just one or two items to keep me on track. Having a need for organization in my schedule, I have found the To Do list my tool of choice. Sometimes my list is written, and other times it is just a list in my head.

My Planning:

At the end of each day, I take a look at my calendar for the next few days. I am looking for appointments, assignments, errands, projects, and any other items that need to be addressed. With that information, I designate a day to accomplish those tasks. I then work out my plan for the next morning. For example, start laundry, put dinner in crock pot, file paperwork, and type letter for insurance appeal.

The Execution of my planning:

In the morning, I get my son off to school, and while driving, I remind myself of my morning schedule. After drop off, I am ready to execute. I come home and begin my To Do list of items. When my girls need me to put together puzzles or play restaurant, I can take a break and play with them. If the fabric softener needs to be put in the laundry, then I either get my daughters to help or take a break to put it in the laundry. Then when they are off to play alone, I can return to my list. This system works for me.

When my To Do list is really long, I divide the items into 3 categories: must get done, needs to be done, and would be nice to have done. I work to get the “must done” items finished first which may be pay a bill, meet a deadline, or return a phone call. I then work on what needs to be done, i.e. laundry, dishes, shopping lists with coupons, blog posts, etc. On those rare days when I am able to complete everything on my list in the first two categories, then I go to my on-going To Do list to start on my next project.

Having an idea for my day helps me to stay on-task, organized, and focused. My plan saves me time from having to think of what to do next. A few minutes each night helps me to save time tomorrow. What about you? Do you spend a little time getting organized with a plan for the day? If I did not plan my day the night before, I might plan while in the shower, preparing breakfast, or driving in the car. Having a flexible plan works for me. Please leave a comment on how you plan your day. Happy organizing!