So, I've recently fallen in love with a system that we use that I got from a book I read called Large Family Logistics. The book is a nice read for anyone who'd like to manage their home. Not just those with large families. The system is also one that Emilie Barnes talks about in some of her books. I don't know which ones, but I do know that it was brought up in a Bible study I took part in several years ago(in the arm pit of the world-NW Arkansas). When I first heard about it(back when EmC was just a screaming newborn) I thought, "THANK YOU LORD! A way to get my life in order, but WILL IT WORK!?!" I tried it back then on a very small scale and guess what??? It DID work! So, what is this blessed system that keeps even ME, the mother of 5 children 6 and under in order?? I'll tell you.
Take everything DAY BY DAY! Give each day a special task so that you aren't spinning out of control all the time trying to get everything done. You may remember your grandma having a washing day where she got out her iron and mended anything that needed mending and washed all the dirty clothes, sheets, and underwears? Or maybe your family
Monday
Wash day! This is the day that I do ALL the laundry for our house. That's right! EVERY SINGLE LOAD of laundry is done on this day. Now, there are a FEW times when something has to be washed(like Amelia has a blow out on my new dress or Isaiah pees through his diaper onto his bed) on another day of the week, but on a normal basis I only go into my laundry room on Monday. This is also the day I try to get any ironing done and...SCOTTY does the mending, so I don't worry about THAT!=) I have three little helpers that get all my folding done for me. We do each load as it comes out of the dryer so that it doesn't pile up and take a really long time(which causes my kids to loose focus and end up throwing daddy's underwear around the room!). Olivia helps with the hanging up too. Addison is my load swapper, which means that when it's time to switch from washer to dryer I call her in and she helps me get the clothes out of the dryer and the fresh load into the dryer. This isn't really something I need help with, but I'm training her to do it herself. We'll just stop what we're doing for a few minutes and get a load finished, then go back to what we were doing. I have baskets with each member's name on them, so the kids just put the clothes in those until we are finished at the end of the day, then we take the baskets to the correct place and they are put away nicely.
This is also the day that I spend a few minutes making sure I have enough detergent(which we make homemade). If I need any supplies I make a list so that I can remember when it's time to shop. This is also a good day to clear out closets when you put the clean stuff in just take a look and make sure there isn't something you can sell or get rid of. This is also the day I give my laundry room a good cleaning. It doesn't take long. I just wipe down the washer and dryer with a rag that's already in the laundry. I also take a minute to check for dust and lint around the baseboards. Since I do it once a week this really only take maybe 10 minutes total. About the time it takes to check facebook.=)
Tuesday
IT'S TOWN DAY, YA'LL! This is the day I load everyone up and we go run around town getting things done. We stop by the bank, post office, Target, WalMart, consignment pick-up or drop-off. This is also the day that Olivia goes to Arts School, so I'd be getting out anyway. Throughout the week I make a list of things that need to be picked up or taken back to a store. The night before I make out my route so that I can best manage my time. Before we go in each store I make sure to let the kids know what the rules are and what the reward will be for making good choices.*
*You don't always have to have a reward, but when you have several little kids and you dangle a reward you'll find that it works. So long that you don't use that all the time. For me, I use it on town day so that I can secure we won't be having a melt down on aisle 10. Using an occasional reward doesn't make you a bad spoiling parent. It makes you smart.=)
You should try to plan your town day around when the places you'll need to go will be open. Because we have to drop Olivia off first thing in the morning, there are times when I have to waste a little time in one place so that I can wait for the next to open, so try to be aware of opening times. We always try to be finished with town day by noon, but if you aren't going to be try to pack a lunch for the car the night before so that you don't have to spend the kids college fund getting McDonald's for everyone.=)
This should also be the day that you go to any appointments. If you have a day in your mind then it's easier to plan a sitter if need be.
Wednesday
This is the day I call Office day. This is the day I make any important calls or set up appointments for dentists and the like. I also use this day to tweak lesson plans for school with the kids and to look at my menu and new recipes. Just think of it as a day at the office getting things checked off your list. Make lists of things you'd like to accomplish around your home. Make a honey-do list. Set goals for scripture memory. Anything "clerical" you need to do should be done on this day. I LOVE my office day! I also use this day to be sure my work area(roll-top desk in my bedroom) is nicely organized.
Thursday
This day is my kitchen day. This is the day that I prepare any meals that need to be prepared or frozen. I've recently started doing a lot of freezer meals. They work out really well as long as you have a time to get them prepared. Having a time to be in the kitchen each week allows me to also keep an eye on my pantry to know when we are running low on anything, so I keep a list on Thursdays of things I need to pick up at the store the next week.
This is also the day that I give my kitchen a good deep clean. This is a good thing because I'm going to have to clean up after myself once I'm done anyway, so I might as well clean it well. Again, since you are doing it each week it really only takes a few minutes to get it looking like Mr. Clean just left the room. I'm always dreading the clean-up after meal prep, but after working each week it goes so fast it isn't a big deal anymore. Since you'll be prepping meals I suggest a crock pot meal for this day or one of your quick freezer meals. You won't want to cook dinner after cooking earlier in the day.=)
Friday
This is my ONE and ONLY cleaning day. Yup! The only day I "clean." The rest of the week I maintain my home, but on Friday's I vacuum, dust, sweep/mop(the kitchen is the only room that gets a broom blessing more than once a week. It's usually swept about 4 times a day with all these crumb grabbers nipping at my heels! On Friday mornings I usually get started around 9 or so and I'm ALWAYS done in about 2 hours sometimes less. Now that the kids are really helping out it doesn't take very long. AND, we reward ourselves with a fun girl game after we're done. They like being part of the process on Friday's and I LOVE their help! I'm not sure what all you'd like to know about this process, so let me know and I'll talk you through it.
Saturday
This is our project day. Usually it includes some yard work each week, but we also use this day to get other big things done. Washing cars, cleaning out the garage, painting the dresser, shampooing the carpets. All those projects that you need your manly man for can be scheduled ahead of time on your family calender so that he knows you need him to do on this day. We try to get everything done either in the morning or the evening, so we have lots of time as a family. We also try to let the kids be part of whatever we're working on. Sometimes that means they are picking up sticks in front of Scotty before he mows. Sometimes that means they get to hold a paintbrush and paint with us. Use this day to get BIG things done.
Sunday
This is the day that we set aside to do NOTHING but rest and spend time with family. We get up and go to church, then come home and EVERYONE takes a nap. In the afternoon Scotty and I usually read the paper while the kids read books or we'll play outside with the kids or something, but always together and never any WORK. Scotty won't even let me wash the dishes.=) He does them at the very end of the day or first thing Monday morning.
So, that's the bare bones of our week. Know that these activities don't take up my entire day and don't keep me from my kids, quite the opposite, actually. My little mommas LOVE kitchen day because they get to taste some of my creations. Today Emma Claire sat on the barstool for a long time chatting away waiting for a taste of chocolate chip pancakes for the freezer!=) You have to think of ways to bring your kids into your life so that you can teach them how to live their life. You'll make them feel so important! More on that another time...
You sound so much like me! When my kids were little, I had days for everything.....laundry days, ironing days, etc. I used to clean one room a day, so I wouldn't have to do it all in one day. I never have to clean house anymore, because my boys all do it, except for my own bedroom and bath, of course. We keep things picked up all the time and only "clean" the house every few weeks. Since all of mine are older, we take an hour a day on that cleaning week, and I assign them jobs. Since we first got married, my husband volunteered to clean the bathrooms. He has now done it for almost 30 years! I still occasionally have to do it, but he is our bathroom guru. Once my boys turn into teenagers, I get them their own laundry basket and they are in charge of all their own clothes. They wash, dry and "put away" and yes, sometimes even iron their own clothes. (Unfortunately, the ironing gets left out most of the time.) :)
ReplyDeleteI know that with so many little ones, you have to be this organized or you would get nothing done! I used to really need to be by myself sometimes, so I would always wait until my husband got home from work to go to the store and that was "my time out". It was a life saver for me.
Thanks for sharing your tips with us, Leslie!
this is so nice! I like how everything is organized into separate days. It does seem like its not as big of a "chore" if you do a little each day :)
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