Today I’m trying something new. Simpler. Hopefully better. With our recent traveling, cramming in school, attending fall parties and running of errands.. our house is being taken over. By the clutter bug.
It happens when you come home from vacation at 11:00 at night and don’t put all your stuff away. It happens when you hurry out of the house as soon as school is done to make a trip to the store, return home just in time to eat supper and finish supper just in time to put the kids in bed – without making sure all the school items, groceries and dishes got put away.
In other words.. it happens.
I can’t, shouldn’t, won’t slack off on school to recover on the housework – not with as many vacation and holidays we’ve taken in the last month. So we press onward. I can’t, shouldn’t won’t ignore the clutter until the weekend when we’re not doing school. I need to try to find a way to overcome the clutter while getting school done at the same time. And I need to do it now – before the clutter grows.
Because, Y’ALL. Clutter is like rabbits. It multiples. Rapidly.
So last night I made a list of threes. 3 specific chore items I want to get done today, 3 items I need to do for myself today, 3 items I need to have the kids do today and 3 other items that really need to get done (or at least worked on today.) It’s still a full day’s workload, and at the end of the day, the house isn’t going to look a thousand, a hundred or even 50% better than it did this morning. But if I practice MAINTAINING while working on my threes (staying on top of the kids to put things away when they are done using them, taking care of dishes right after lunch, etc.) then every day this week, the house should get a little better and a little better and a littler better.
It’s about biting off manageable pieces. Ordinarily I’d make a gigantic long list of EVERYTHING that needs to be done, and I’d work real hard today and maybe tomorrow, too, but then I’ll collapse from exhaustion at some point. Not today.
Today I begin working smarter. Not harder. How’s that for profound?
My list of 3’s for today is as follows:
- Three Chores
- Wash all the hand dishes
- Clean off the sink & counter in the master bath
- Sweep/Mop the kitchen/dining area
- Three “Me’s”
- Sort the vitamins into the weekly pill box and take today’s. (I never remember to take them! But I do if they’re in the pill box…)
- Bible Study
- Exercise
- Three for the Kids
- All school
- Clean kids’ bathroom/hall
- 30 minutes cleaning/organizing in their rooms
- Three Others
- send invites for Prince’s bday party
- promote bloggiversary
- work on best friend’s website
Tackle It Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom – what are YOU tackling?
I think your list of threes is great! My list went out the window when Mr Whiny Sleepy, got up at 10 and hasn’t been real functional at all today. So we’re listening to Narnia audio books and being mellowwww today. 🙂 I will hold off on my to-do list until after Thanksgiving.
.-= Momma Knows´s last blog ..Name that Sickness =-.
I like your focus! This week, I’m trying to maintain, and work on one BIG thing every day. Monday it was the living room, yesterday was folding & putting away the backlog of laundry, and today I will deep-clean the kitchen. Because…it’s disgusting.
I’m like you in the tendency to make a BIG list and tackle it with vigor…and then collapse and get frustrated that it’s not done, and give up.
.-= Jeni´s last blog ..Best Pancakes Ever =-.