The House That Cleans Itself

Howdy Gal Pals!

Since becoming a full time domestic engineer, I've decided it time to get serious about keeping a tidy house; something which has never been one of my strengths.  I recently read through this book I got for $2 from my local swap group.  It is called The House that Cleans Itself by Mindy Starns Clark.  In her book, Mindy offers up a lot of great suggestions for creating a organized and tidy home.  She goes into depth with regards to creating a floor plan of your entire house on paper and tracking disaster hot spots within your home; those areas which are particularly prone to clutter.  I didn't actually get around to drawing out a floor plan of my home, but I did take a few of her tips into consideration. 

One of these was investing in some tools that would better help to maintain some areas which are prone to clutter, like the front entry way.  So I installed a coat rack at the front entrance and a shoe rack in the closet which is located in the same area. 

Also, she explains that most of us have one room in the house that when kept tidy makes us happy and conversely, when it is messy, makes us irritable.  For me this room is the kitchen.  I can't stand when the kitchen sink is full of dishes and there are cheerios all over the floor.  So, I have gotten in the habit of cleaning this room everyday while my daughter eats her breakfast.   After I realized how good it made me feel to have a tidy kitchen, I decided to take it a step further and put, what I call, my tidy timeline, on paper. 

In order to help me remember what day I clean what, I decided it was easiest if I took the day of the week and had it correspond with chores that begin with the same letter.  Here's what I came up with. 

MY TIDY TIMELINE

MONDAY - Meal Planning & Master Bedroom:  I try to prepare a weekly menu or at least a game plan of a few meals I plan on preparing during the week.  I also focus my attention on tidying up the Master Bedroom; a room that is often at the bottom of my cleaning list and that becomes the "catch-all" storage area for all of the stuff that needs to be put away.  This is also the day that I change the sheets.

TUESDAY - Toilet & Trash: This just happens to be garbage day for our neighborhood.  It is also the day that I clean the restrooms.

 WEDNESDAY - Wash & Watering:  This happens to be a particularly busy day for me.  I do all of the laundry on this day.  Need I say more.  ;)  It's also the day of the week that our Persian kitten gets his weekly bath.  On Wednesdays I also water all of our houseplants. 

THURSDAY - Theology & Recycling: On Thursday evenings my husband and I have our weekly home church evening.  We usually read scripture and have a discussion or some related activity that we do together.  This also happens to be recycling day for the neighborhood.

FRIDAY - Finances, Floors & Fun: I review any bills that need to be paid and make any related phone calls in the morning.  In the afternoon, I vacuum and mop the floors and figure out a fun Friday night game plan for dinner & sometimes an activity like a fun movie or card game that we play. 

I find it so much easier to keep a clean home when I do a little each day rather than allowing it to snowball into a massive avalanche of laundry and dust bunnies.  It makes me feel a sense of relief and accomplishment when I feel like I have the household cleaning somewhat under control. 

Proverbs 31:10-17

¹⁰A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.