Yay, Saturday if finally here! This year I have been truly enjoying my Saturday mornings - there are some huge benefits to having teenagers, one of them being is that is not woken, they sleep, sleep, sleep! I am not kidding, often times it is around noon that the last two stubble out of bed. I have to admit that it is glorious. I get up, leisurely have my coffee, do my devotions, check my blog - there is no hurry to get anywhere or do anything, no rushing or dealing with a houseful of confirmed night owls - glorious!
I too, for most of my life, have been more a night person then a morning person, but over this last year I have trained my body (with lots of Gods help) to get up in the morning. Sleeping in does not give me the same joy it use to, now, I would rather get up early and go to bed earlier then stay up late and sleep in to the latest time possible. Sometimes this is difficult and causes me to get less sleep, as I am not able to sleep until all my children are home and my eldest sometimes works till 11 pm, but losing an hour of sleep and getting up on time still feels better than sleeping in that hour.
There have been health and lifestyle benefits to trying to keep a regular sleep schedule:
Better sleep - I tend to sleep better over all, I am not a "good" sleeper. I often have difficulty falling asleep and if woken during the night, I will have a very difficult time falling back to sleep. This was not a problem up until my mid 20's and it seems to get worse every year (I think that it is from my mother who also developed sleeping issues). When my sleep schedule is regular, my body seems to naturally want to follow it. I fall asleep faster (most nights) and for the most part, sleep more deeply till morning.
Waking up - I really no longer need an alarm clock. I use it because I my fear is that if I didn't that would be the day I didn't wake up! My body naturally wants to wake up and start my day around 6:30 in the morning. On weekends I often lay in bed and enjoy the feeling of comfort that only your bed first thing in the morning can give. Waking up on your own, and not by the jar of a buzzer going off, is a much better start to your day!
Time productivity - I am a bit of a mover and a shaker, I am most happy when time is being used efficiently and work is getting done! Okay, I admit that sometimes I have been called a slave driver, but I am one of those people who would not be able to relax in a dirty room. Someone told me once to "just leave the dishes for tomorrow" and I could have had a coronary! A good friend who was there choked on her drink she started laughing so hard! Leaving for tomorrow what should be done today is just not my style, but the older I get the more relaxed I seem to get (even if it unrecognizable to some!). Getting up in the morning and feeling good about relaxing for a bit, drinking some coffee, and doing devotions seems to be good for my over all productivity for the day.
So on weekends I do not have a specific schedule that I follow, so I will not post my a "To Do" list. Saturdays are used for working on tasks that the kids have lead roles in, home renovations or maintenance, fun activities out, or just hanging out and relaxing. Today we will be enjoying a fun day out and will be helping with a Soapbox Derby with Tyler's family (over at Titus2:3-5), which I am sure she will post pics on later today or tomorrow!
For more posts like this:
What I did this weekend...
Summer Time
Healthy Living
Have a blessed weekend,
Christine
Showing posts with label scheduling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scheduling. Show all posts
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Friday
Well, it is the end of the week and I saved the best for last…BUDGETING…aaaahhh! It is a horrid task, I admit, but one I feel deeply passionate about! So, to go with my theme of the week, here is…
My Typical “Friday To Do List”:
1. Banking and Budgeting
We may as well jump right in – and I will say up front that I DO NOT enjoy this chore, it gives me a headache and I try and do it when I am alone as I have a tendency to get snappy (my kids will attest to that), but I believe that no matter how dreaded this task, it is one of the most important things to do every week and to do well!
We live on a tight budget, as do many, and I am determined to make that tight budget work. One of the ways that I do this is by KNOWING WHERE MY MONEY IS GOING. I diligently record all incoming and outgoing monies in the appropriate column and so I have totals every month on what I spent on food, gas, dog care, and so on. For each month of the year I have a separate spreadsheet with a column outlining all my fixed expenses (e.g., mortgage, property taxes, insurance, etc), bills (electric, gas, water, etc) and variable expenses (food, gas, etc). The next column outlines the monthly budgeted amount and then there is column is for the actual amount spent/paid.
Every Friday I update my spreadsheet, filling in what was bought, paying bills and recording them and generally making sure that we have a balanced budget each month. If a new expense comes up, I need to find a way to fit it in the budget and still have it balance every month.
There are also some other things that I will do a couple times a year to insure that I am getting the best rates and services I can. I will randomly call my credit card companies and ask for a better interest rate, I have gotten my rates lowered on several occasions by doing this. I will also phone my services like my phone company to make sure that I am on a plan that best suits what I am using and what I need. Sometimes I will also ask what specials they are offering to new customers and then request the same offer for being a loyal customer. Sometimes I get laughed at, but often times I have gotten a couple of months at a cheaper rate. I also make sure that I “bundle” whatever I can, it saved me money by bundling my cable, internet and land phone line through the same company.
Since I have the lead role in finances in our home and I am the one who does the majority of the shopping, it is sometimes easy to forget to involve my hubby (I can be a pretty “take charge” type of gal), so at the end of every month I send him a copy of the monthly budget so he too knows where all the money is going. He especially likes it when I highlight all the purchases he made that I don’t approve of (like McDonalds) and then give him a nice little total (please hear the total sarcasm dripping ;) ). Well, maybe he doesn’t love it, but he admits that I am good at taking care of this chore and he wouldn’t want to do it, so I guess he will take my highlights in good humor, appreciating my hard work.
2. Laundry
On Fridays I wash the bedding. So the kids strip their beds and I wash sheets and blankets and so on. Not everyone gets their bed done every week, I do mine once a week, but the kids take turns and get theirs done about every other week or so. Blankets get done about once a month – there is only so much time in the day after all and prioritizing is key.
3. Dinner
On Fridays I try and plan something special for my husband and kids, after all they have had a long hard work and deserve a little treat. I prepare fun foods that everyone enjoys like lasagna, hamburgers, tacos, or pizza and try and make a special desert, something deliciously sinful like cheesecake or lava cakes to simple pleasures like ice cream with bananas and fudge sauce. Fridays are definitely time to unwind from a busy week.
I am always thankful for Fridays, I feel accomplished by getting through a week full of tasks and activities and look forward to some quieter times with the kids.
More posts like this:
Freeing Your Finances From Being Self-Controlled to God Controlled
50 Money Saving Tips
For more budgeting tips check out Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom!
Have a blessed Friday,
Christine
My Typical “Friday To Do List”:
1. Banking and Budgeting
We may as well jump right in – and I will say up front that I DO NOT enjoy this chore, it gives me a headache and I try and do it when I am alone as I have a tendency to get snappy (my kids will attest to that), but I believe that no matter how dreaded this task, it is one of the most important things to do every week and to do well!
We live on a tight budget, as do many, and I am determined to make that tight budget work. One of the ways that I do this is by KNOWING WHERE MY MONEY IS GOING. I diligently record all incoming and outgoing monies in the appropriate column and so I have totals every month on what I spent on food, gas, dog care, and so on. For each month of the year I have a separate spreadsheet with a column outlining all my fixed expenses (e.g., mortgage, property taxes, insurance, etc), bills (electric, gas, water, etc) and variable expenses (food, gas, etc). The next column outlines the monthly budgeted amount and then there is column is for the actual amount spent/paid.
Every Friday I update my spreadsheet, filling in what was bought, paying bills and recording them and generally making sure that we have a balanced budget each month. If a new expense comes up, I need to find a way to fit it in the budget and still have it balance every month.
There are also some other things that I will do a couple times a year to insure that I am getting the best rates and services I can. I will randomly call my credit card companies and ask for a better interest rate, I have gotten my rates lowered on several occasions by doing this. I will also phone my services like my phone company to make sure that I am on a plan that best suits what I am using and what I need. Sometimes I will also ask what specials they are offering to new customers and then request the same offer for being a loyal customer. Sometimes I get laughed at, but often times I have gotten a couple of months at a cheaper rate. I also make sure that I “bundle” whatever I can, it saved me money by bundling my cable, internet and land phone line through the same company.
Since I have the lead role in finances in our home and I am the one who does the majority of the shopping, it is sometimes easy to forget to involve my hubby (I can be a pretty “take charge” type of gal), so at the end of every month I send him a copy of the monthly budget so he too knows where all the money is going. He especially likes it when I highlight all the purchases he made that I don’t approve of (like McDonalds) and then give him a nice little total (please hear the total sarcasm dripping ;) ). Well, maybe he doesn’t love it, but he admits that I am good at taking care of this chore and he wouldn’t want to do it, so I guess he will take my highlights in good humor, appreciating my hard work.
2. Laundry
On Fridays I wash the bedding. So the kids strip their beds and I wash sheets and blankets and so on. Not everyone gets their bed done every week, I do mine once a week, but the kids take turns and get theirs done about every other week or so. Blankets get done about once a month – there is only so much time in the day after all and prioritizing is key.
3. Dinner
On Fridays I try and plan something special for my husband and kids, after all they have had a long hard work and deserve a little treat. I prepare fun foods that everyone enjoys like lasagna, hamburgers, tacos, or pizza and try and make a special desert, something deliciously sinful like cheesecake or lava cakes to simple pleasures like ice cream with bananas and fudge sauce. Fridays are definitely time to unwind from a busy week.
I am always thankful for Fridays, I feel accomplished by getting through a week full of tasks and activities and look forward to some quieter times with the kids.
More posts like this:
Freeing Your Finances From Being Self-Controlled to God Controlled
50 Money Saving Tips
For more budgeting tips check out Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom!
Have a blessed Friday,
Christine
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thursday
As with all my posts this week, I will continue outlining my weekly schedule, today is Thursday, we are almost to the end of the week, phew! Today's schedule looks much like Monday's schedule.
My Typical "Thursday To Do List":
1. Cleaning
I have this huge list for cleaning, that outlines what needs to be done when. There is a Monday week one/week two, and a Thursday week one/week two. And I "loosely" follow this list. The reason why I say loosely is because it is not like I pour over my list checking of meticulously what has been done and scrambling to do everything on the list. Instead I use it as a guideline of what needs to be done. It is a gentle reminder not to only clean the oven fan once a year or to go 4 months without cleaning the oven.
So today is Thursday Clean - Week 2 (and the nice printed list is on my fridge). I keep track of what week is is as my kids are on a 4 week schedule for kitchen help, odd weeks are week 1, even weeks are week 2. As I explain this, it kind of sounds difficult or confusing, but honestly it really is not. Also, cleaning lists are helpful if anyone is actually helping clean, as all they have to do is look at the list to see what should be done - so if my kids ask "what needs to be done to clean the bathroom?" or "the livingroom looks clean to me!", I don't feel irritated that they don't know aready, or wonder how they are ever going to move out sucessfully on their own, I can just calmly tell them to look at the list.
2. Laundry
All of you with big families know, laundry just goes on and on and on...even those of you with only one or two children may feel like that. I use to really hate laundry, partly because I felt like I was doing it every day and it just never felt "done". Although this will change in the summer (I will probably do one load a day as we will be out more), during the school year I do not want to feel like I am doing laundry all the time, I would rather just set aside bigger chunks of time and do more, this is my preference though.
So today is laundry day (and I actually think my boys forgot to bring down their laundry, ha, ha - looks like it will be an easy laundry day :) ).
3. Shopping
I can not buy enough milk for an entire week normally (although I would LOVE another fridge to help with things like that!), so I will ofen run to the store and grab more milk. I try to stay focused and keep my eyes on the milk, and not buy anything else.
So there you have it - my Thursdays. Not very exciting, granted, but as Thurday evening tends to be a busy one, with 2 - 3 different things going on between the 4 kids, I like to make sure that things are done during the day so I can focus on getting the kids to their activities and off to work and I don't feel crazed at the dinner hour.
Have a great Thursday!
Christine
My Typical "Thursday To Do List":
1. Cleaning
I have this huge list for cleaning, that outlines what needs to be done when. There is a Monday week one/week two, and a Thursday week one/week two. And I "loosely" follow this list. The reason why I say loosely is because it is not like I pour over my list checking of meticulously what has been done and scrambling to do everything on the list. Instead I use it as a guideline of what needs to be done. It is a gentle reminder not to only clean the oven fan once a year or to go 4 months without cleaning the oven.
So today is Thursday Clean - Week 2 (and the nice printed list is on my fridge). I keep track of what week is is as my kids are on a 4 week schedule for kitchen help, odd weeks are week 1, even weeks are week 2. As I explain this, it kind of sounds difficult or confusing, but honestly it really is not. Also, cleaning lists are helpful if anyone is actually helping clean, as all they have to do is look at the list to see what should be done - so if my kids ask "what needs to be done to clean the bathroom?" or "the livingroom looks clean to me!", I don't feel irritated that they don't know aready, or wonder how they are ever going to move out sucessfully on their own, I can just calmly tell them to look at the list.
2. Laundry
All of you with big families know, laundry just goes on and on and on...even those of you with only one or two children may feel like that. I use to really hate laundry, partly because I felt like I was doing it every day and it just never felt "done". Although this will change in the summer (I will probably do one load a day as we will be out more), during the school year I do not want to feel like I am doing laundry all the time, I would rather just set aside bigger chunks of time and do more, this is my preference though.
So today is laundry day (and I actually think my boys forgot to bring down their laundry, ha, ha - looks like it will be an easy laundry day :) ).
3. Shopping
I can not buy enough milk for an entire week normally (although I would LOVE another fridge to help with things like that!), so I will ofen run to the store and grab more milk. I try to stay focused and keep my eyes on the milk, and not buy anything else.
So there you have it - my Thursdays. Not very exciting, granted, but as Thurday evening tends to be a busy one, with 2 - 3 different things going on between the 4 kids, I like to make sure that things are done during the day so I can focus on getting the kids to their activities and off to work and I don't feel crazed at the dinner hour.
Have a great Thursday!
Christine
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wednesday
My days can be summed up as…A. Busy, but running like a well-oiled machine.
B. A blur! Frantic running from one appointment or activity to the next, with nothing ever really getting done.
C. I am slowly going crazy – I don’t know what I will serve for dinner tonight, I have a pile of laundry as high as a 10 year old child, we have been out of milk for two days and we missed the first day of soccer last night.
Having a plan will save you time, money and sanity! Every year in late August I sit down and redo our chore charts for the family. Each of us has lead roles in certain areas, so I after I figure out the children’s chore charts I make one for myself. Basically this is just a weekly schedule of what needs to be done each week, like cleaning, laundry, shopping, etc. It is typically based loosely on last year schedule, making any changes that I think I need due any family or work changes. For the most part things have remained the same for the last few years - this helps the kids get into the routine of what I am doing and what is expected of them, but this is also for my benefit, as the older I get the more routine I like!
Monday
Tuesday
Here is my typical "Wednesday To Do List":
Wednesday is my kitchen day and my kids favourite day of the week. After my quick 20 minute clean I roll up my sleeves and get to work!
1. Baking
I love to bake cookies, squares, muffins, breads, you name it. I have a confession to make here, normally the first thing I bake is cookies, then promptly eat, hmmmm…4…okay, maybe more like 6. What can I say? I have no will power and I LOVE coffee and cookies! After my over-indulgence, I normally have no appetite for anything else I bake, so it all gets stored away, the majority of it in the freezer.
I also will often make 1 – 2 dozen muffins for my parents, which I store and freeze for them. My dad was eating store bought muffins (just saying that makes me cringe), once I found out I just couldn’t abide by that so ever since I make a point of baking them and setting them aside for them.
I also top up my granola, I love homemade granola, as does my eldest son and husband.
2. Casseroles
I always try to have 1 – 2 casseroles in the freezer for those days that nothing goes the way I planned or in case of last minute change of plans. I also do not like to cook much on weekends, I typically love big brunches and no fuss dinners, so casseroles work well for those nights as well. I personally am not found of casseroles, but my boys and husband absolutely love them. There favourites typically include some sort of ground beef, so I just add the ingredients for 2 – 3 casseroles per month into my monthly grocery shopping trip.
Monday
Tuesday
Here is my typical "Wednesday To Do List":
Wednesday is my kitchen day and my kids favourite day of the week. After my quick 20 minute clean I roll up my sleeves and get to work!
1. Baking
I love to bake cookies, squares, muffins, breads, you name it. I have a confession to make here, normally the first thing I bake is cookies, then promptly eat, hmmmm…4…okay, maybe more like 6. What can I say? I have no will power and I LOVE coffee and cookies! After my over-indulgence, I normally have no appetite for anything else I bake, so it all gets stored away, the majority of it in the freezer.
I also will often make 1 – 2 dozen muffins for my parents, which I store and freeze for them. My dad was eating store bought muffins (just saying that makes me cringe), once I found out I just couldn’t abide by that so ever since I make a point of baking them and setting them aside for them.
I also top up my granola, I love homemade granola, as does my eldest son and husband.
2. Casseroles
I always try to have 1 – 2 casseroles in the freezer for those days that nothing goes the way I planned or in case of last minute change of plans. I also do not like to cook much on weekends, I typically love big brunches and no fuss dinners, so casseroles work well for those nights as well. I personally am not found of casseroles, but my boys and husband absolutely love them. There favourites typically include some sort of ground beef, so I just add the ingredients for 2 – 3 casseroles per month into my monthly grocery shopping trip.
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This works for me!
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For more posts like this:
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Have blessed Wednesday!
Christine
Monday, June 15, 2009
Catch All Tuesday
As I stated yesterday, this week I will be outlining my basic weekly schedule. Of course there are always exceptions and changes when need be, but beside my kids weekly chore schedule, I keep this basic outline to help me get the most out of my time. Since I am not a naturally organized person, I feel that sometimes my days can get a little scattered, plus, whenever I feel overwhelmed or tired this really helps - there is not thinking about what needs to get done and it helps me focus on all the tasks of the week.
Tuesday is my "catch all day", Tuesday's schedule becomes Monday's schedule if we had a long weekend or if for whatever reason I had to be out of the house all day long on Monday, but following a regular Monday...
Here is my typical "Tuesday To Do List":
1. Grocery Shopping
Every four weeks I do my big grocery shop, so obviously this is not an every Tuesday occurrence. But the shopping takes all day, I hit Costco, Walmart and Save On Foods, as some foods are cheaper at one place over another.
I have a huge list I go by, that includes all the pantry items and freezer items I will need for my monthly meal plan, plus and extra list of everything I need with regards to household items (e.g., toilet paper), personal items (e.g., shampoo) and some extra staples (e.g., peanut butter, mustard, juice, etc.). Sometimes I guess wrong and run out of baking ingredients or peanut butter, but over all this takes most of the guess work out of shopping and I normally have pretty good estimates of what extras I will need. Typically I always guess on the side of too much for staples or I will buy 2 or 3 extra if I find a really good sale, as extras can just be kept in my huge downstairs pantry that my hubby made for me.
I buy all of my meat in bulk at Costco, so this does take some type to separate into meal size portions. With my meal plan, I also created a list of all the food prep that needs to take place for that month. The list outlines how much hamburger to fry for the month, if I need to separate the bacon (some soup recipes call for just a few strips of bacon), what meat needs to be packaged in a marinade and so forth. Having this all done ahead of time is a huge time saver during a busy week and saves me a ton of money when I buy in bulk, so it is worth the extra effort. Often I run out of time on Tuesday to finish and this chore runs into Wednesday, as my Tuesday evenings are often really busy so whatever doesn't get done by 3:10 (when I have to leave to pick up the kids) typically has to wait till the next day.
2. Appointments
On Tuesdays I will set up appointments needed, like doctor, orthodontist, dentist and so forth.
3. Errands
I always seem to have some errand that needs to be done, whether it is dropping too small clothes of the kids off at a friends or charity, or depositing cheques into the bank, there always seems to be something.
4. Contract/Volunteer work
Whenever I take contract work (that can be done at home) or am helping with Women's Ministry at our church, Tuesday is the day that I set aside a chunk of time to get to work. This is also the day that I will spend more time writing, reading and researching different topics.
5. Baking
Tuesday is not my big baking day, but on those rare Tuesdays that I get everything done with time to spare, I will often bake up a quick batch of cookies or muffins, much to the delight of my kids.
Oh, I almost forgot, there is no way that I can do no cleaning in a day, on Tuesdays I do the basic, sweep the floors, clean up after breakfast, do a quick tidy of the living room and my bedroom (e.g., make my bed, put away anything my daughter or I left out from getting ready in the morning, etc.). I try to limit my cleaning time to 20 minutes, I put on a timer and go (and I do mean go!). I have a tendency to want to clean more than I should (it is a bad habit really), so putting on a timer helps to keep my on track, because I do have other things that need to be done and sometimes focusing is not my strong suit!
So there you have it - my super fun Tuesdays!
For more posts like this:
The Goal of Housekeeping
Making Summer Cleaning Quick and Efficient
Blessings,
Christine
Tuesday is my "catch all day", Tuesday's schedule becomes Monday's schedule if we had a long weekend or if for whatever reason I had to be out of the house all day long on Monday, but following a regular Monday...
Here is my typical "Tuesday To Do List":
1. Grocery Shopping
Every four weeks I do my big grocery shop, so obviously this is not an every Tuesday occurrence. But the shopping takes all day, I hit Costco, Walmart and Save On Foods, as some foods are cheaper at one place over another.
I have a huge list I go by, that includes all the pantry items and freezer items I will need for my monthly meal plan, plus and extra list of everything I need with regards to household items (e.g., toilet paper), personal items (e.g., shampoo) and some extra staples (e.g., peanut butter, mustard, juice, etc.). Sometimes I guess wrong and run out of baking ingredients or peanut butter, but over all this takes most of the guess work out of shopping and I normally have pretty good estimates of what extras I will need. Typically I always guess on the side of too much for staples or I will buy 2 or 3 extra if I find a really good sale, as extras can just be kept in my huge downstairs pantry that my hubby made for me.
I buy all of my meat in bulk at Costco, so this does take some type to separate into meal size portions. With my meal plan, I also created a list of all the food prep that needs to take place for that month. The list outlines how much hamburger to fry for the month, if I need to separate the bacon (some soup recipes call for just a few strips of bacon), what meat needs to be packaged in a marinade and so forth. Having this all done ahead of time is a huge time saver during a busy week and saves me a ton of money when I buy in bulk, so it is worth the extra effort. Often I run out of time on Tuesday to finish and this chore runs into Wednesday, as my Tuesday evenings are often really busy so whatever doesn't get done by 3:10 (when I have to leave to pick up the kids) typically has to wait till the next day.
2. Appointments
On Tuesdays I will set up appointments needed, like doctor, orthodontist, dentist and so forth.
3. Errands
I always seem to have some errand that needs to be done, whether it is dropping too small clothes of the kids off at a friends or charity, or depositing cheques into the bank, there always seems to be something.
4. Contract/Volunteer work
Whenever I take contract work (that can be done at home) or am helping with Women's Ministry at our church, Tuesday is the day that I set aside a chunk of time to get to work. This is also the day that I will spend more time writing, reading and researching different topics.
5. Baking
Tuesday is not my big baking day, but on those rare Tuesdays that I get everything done with time to spare, I will often bake up a quick batch of cookies or muffins, much to the delight of my kids.
Oh, I almost forgot, there is no way that I can do no cleaning in a day, on Tuesdays I do the basic, sweep the floors, clean up after breakfast, do a quick tidy of the living room and my bedroom (e.g., make my bed, put away anything my daughter or I left out from getting ready in the morning, etc.). I try to limit my cleaning time to 20 minutes, I put on a timer and go (and I do mean go!). I have a tendency to want to clean more than I should (it is a bad habit really), so putting on a timer helps to keep my on track, because I do have other things that need to be done and sometimes focusing is not my strong suit!
So there you have it - my super fun Tuesdays!
For more posts like this:
The Goal of Housekeeping
Making Summer Cleaning Quick and Efficient
Blessings,
Christine
Mondays
Since my kids are all in school and I do not work full-time out side of the home, I get asked alot "what do you do all day long?" In order to answer that question I am going to spend the next 5 days outlining my weekly schedule.
Mondays are the most important day of the week for me during the school year (this will change once the kids get out of school, but we still have two weeks of school left this year). Mondays are my cleaning and organizing day, the day I set aside to get the entire week ready and organized.
Here is my typical "Monday To Do List":
1. Laundry
Other then bed sheets, all the laundry in the house needs to be brought down to the laundry room. Our laundry room is in the bathroom on the main floor, and although it is nice not to have to bring the clothes all the way to the basement (especially since that would mean hauling it up and down two levels for 5 of us), the bathroom is not big enough for any laundry piles. So everyone keeps a basket in their room for dirty laundry and on Mondays and Thursdays they need to bring it down to be washed. If they forget (it has happen a few times), they need to wait till the next laundry day to get it done. I do the laundry and put it back in the baskets for the kids to haul back upstairs (or downstairs for my eldest son who is a basement dweller) and put away.
Typically I do about 4 - 6 loads of laundry on Mondays, which unfortunately takes way longer than it should due to the fact that I need a new dryer. I would hang some clothes to dry, but my middle son Justin is very allergic to many different pollens, such as grass, Birch trees and so forth, which causes a rash all over his body, therefore, we do no outside drying.
2. Cleaning
The weekend seems to destroy my house every time, I don't know what happens exactly, but by Monday morning my fingers are just aching to clean, clean, clean!! On Monday I clean the entire main floor (kitchen, dinning room, living room, family room, bathroom, hallways and entrance ways) as well as the two bathrooms on the second floor and the master bedroom.
3. Meal planning
I follow a monthly meal plan and buy all my non-perishables and everything that I can freeze (meat, bread, etc) once a month. I have a list of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy from my meal plan that I pick up on Mondays (and any baking supplies that I have ran out of), although sometimes this is done on Sunday evenings, whichever is easiest and most convenient for me.
On Mondays I always plan my biggest meal of the week and lunches for the week. For instance, I will cook a roast of beef or pork that is large enough for dinner, then lunchmeat for the remaining four days of the week. If I am planning on a pasta salad or soup for lunches that week, then I would also prepare that.
Monday is also my yogurt making day, since I am typically at home for the majority of the day, this is the best day for me. Although making yogurt is not difficult by any means, it does take some monitoring and planning, this is easiest if you are planning on being home.
4. Weekly planning
I have a basic schedule that I follow, but sometimes we have field trips, or special evening events or extra things that need to be done (like getting my wheels aligned or baking something for a class snack or any other of the hundreds of things that come up with kids!). On Monday I plan out my week, adding appointments, tasks, or making any changes in my weekly meal plan due to evening commitments (which often is as easy as swapping meals around a bit, like Tuesdays crock pot meal on Wednesday), but sometimes that means that due to time constraints, we get a fun pizza or mac and cheese night.
So there you have it, my typical Monday…and since I have the majority of these chores left to do I better get at it!
Have a great week!
Christine
Mondays are the most important day of the week for me during the school year (this will change once the kids get out of school, but we still have two weeks of school left this year). Mondays are my cleaning and organizing day, the day I set aside to get the entire week ready and organized.
Here is my typical "Monday To Do List":
1. Laundry
Other then bed sheets, all the laundry in the house needs to be brought down to the laundry room. Our laundry room is in the bathroom on the main floor, and although it is nice not to have to bring the clothes all the way to the basement (especially since that would mean hauling it up and down two levels for 5 of us), the bathroom is not big enough for any laundry piles. So everyone keeps a basket in their room for dirty laundry and on Mondays and Thursdays they need to bring it down to be washed. If they forget (it has happen a few times), they need to wait till the next laundry day to get it done. I do the laundry and put it back in the baskets for the kids to haul back upstairs (or downstairs for my eldest son who is a basement dweller) and put away.
Typically I do about 4 - 6 loads of laundry on Mondays, which unfortunately takes way longer than it should due to the fact that I need a new dryer. I would hang some clothes to dry, but my middle son Justin is very allergic to many different pollens, such as grass, Birch trees and so forth, which causes a rash all over his body, therefore, we do no outside drying.
2. Cleaning
The weekend seems to destroy my house every time, I don't know what happens exactly, but by Monday morning my fingers are just aching to clean, clean, clean!! On Monday I clean the entire main floor (kitchen, dinning room, living room, family room, bathroom, hallways and entrance ways) as well as the two bathrooms on the second floor and the master bedroom.
3. Meal planning
I follow a monthly meal plan and buy all my non-perishables and everything that I can freeze (meat, bread, etc) once a month. I have a list of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy from my meal plan that I pick up on Mondays (and any baking supplies that I have ran out of), although sometimes this is done on Sunday evenings, whichever is easiest and most convenient for me.
On Mondays I always plan my biggest meal of the week and lunches for the week. For instance, I will cook a roast of beef or pork that is large enough for dinner, then lunchmeat for the remaining four days of the week. If I am planning on a pasta salad or soup for lunches that week, then I would also prepare that.
Monday is also my yogurt making day, since I am typically at home for the majority of the day, this is the best day for me. Although making yogurt is not difficult by any means, it does take some monitoring and planning, this is easiest if you are planning on being home.
4. Weekly planning
I have a basic schedule that I follow, but sometimes we have field trips, or special evening events or extra things that need to be done (like getting my wheels aligned or baking something for a class snack or any other of the hundreds of things that come up with kids!). On Monday I plan out my week, adding appointments, tasks, or making any changes in my weekly meal plan due to evening commitments (which often is as easy as swapping meals around a bit, like Tuesdays crock pot meal on Wednesday), but sometimes that means that due to time constraints, we get a fun pizza or mac and cheese night.
So there you have it, my typical Monday…and since I have the majority of these chores left to do I better get at it!
Have a great week!
Christine
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Chore Charts and Lead Roles - WFMW
I am not a naturally organized person, like most others I need to work at it. Things do not automatically fall into place and left up to my own memory, appointments will be missed, bills forgotten and important tasks will never actually get done.
I found out a long time ago that to keep on top of having four kids, a husband that works shift work and a busy extra-curricular schedule needed a lot of planning so that I did not slowly go crazy! Lists are my friend, I have always loved making lists, but the basic list was not near good enough for trying to organize my week, so I started making chore charts. Don’t groan, these are not some hi-tec lists that are complicated and tell you what to do every moment of the day – these charts are guidelines of who is responsible for what and when. I found that if the kids were always responsible for the same thing, for an entire year or on a rotational basis, they were far less likely to argue, roll their eyes, make comments about how it is not their turn and other such complaints.
In our house I sit down every August and do up a chore chart, for both kids and adults, for the entire year, based on skill levels, ability, and typical commitments (like p/t jobs). Each person in our house has a “lead role” in at least one area, meaning they are responsible for making sure that job is getting done and being done well. I have the lead role in:
Indoor & Outdoor Cleaning
(supporting – kids)
Finances
(supporting – Jeremy)
Meals
(supporting – kids)
Children – schooling, activities, etc.
(supporting – Jeremy)
My children have both lead roles and supporting roles:
Brandon:
Lead Role - Snow removal
(supporting – Justin, dad)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Jesse:
Lead Roles:
Lawn care – weed whacking, mowing, fertilizing (supporting – Tia, mom)
Dog care
(supporting – Tia, Mom)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Justin:
Lead Roles:
Garbage and recycling
Downstairs pantry
(supporting – Tia, mom)
Supporting Roles - Snow removal, Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Tia:
Lead Role – Indoor plant care
Supporting Roles - Lawn care, Dog care, Downstairs pantry
This works for me!!
(If you have any questions or want further information about how this works for me – just let me know!)
Happy organizing!
I found out a long time ago that to keep on top of having four kids, a husband that works shift work and a busy extra-curricular schedule needed a lot of planning so that I did not slowly go crazy! Lists are my friend, I have always loved making lists, but the basic list was not near good enough for trying to organize my week, so I started making chore charts. Don’t groan, these are not some hi-tec lists that are complicated and tell you what to do every moment of the day – these charts are guidelines of who is responsible for what and when. I found that if the kids were always responsible for the same thing, for an entire year or on a rotational basis, they were far less likely to argue, roll their eyes, make comments about how it is not their turn and other such complaints.
In our house I sit down every August and do up a chore chart, for both kids and adults, for the entire year, based on skill levels, ability, and typical commitments (like p/t jobs). Each person in our house has a “lead role” in at least one area, meaning they are responsible for making sure that job is getting done and being done well. I have the lead role in:
Indoor & Outdoor Cleaning
(supporting – kids)
Finances
(supporting – Jeremy)
Meals
(supporting – kids)
Children – schooling, activities, etc.
(supporting – Jeremy)
My children have both lead roles and supporting roles:
Brandon:
Lead Role - Snow removal
(supporting – Justin, dad)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Jesse:
Lead Roles:
Lawn care – weed whacking, mowing, fertilizing (supporting – Tia, mom)
Dog care
(supporting – Tia, Mom)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Justin:
Lead Roles:
Garbage and recycling
Downstairs pantry
(supporting – Tia, mom)
Supporting Roles - Snow removal, Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Tia:
Lead Role – Indoor plant care
Supporting Roles - Lawn care, Dog care, Downstairs pantry
This works for me!!
(If you have any questions or want further information about how this works for me – just let me know!)
Happy organizing!
Christine
Monday, April 6, 2009
The goal of housekeeping…
Is not perfection, but the impression of order and neatness.
Okay, here goes, my “dirty” little secret…I totally over clean. Alright, deep breath, my secret is out. You are probably thinking that my house is super clean (not), or in perfect order (not), or that I look like one of those stepford wives (totally not!). Here is my problem, I can find something to clean all day every day and never be satisfied with the cleanliness of my house! Now who doesn’t love a clean and tidy house? Floors sparkling, mirrors gleaming, beds made, pillows placed, not a piece of paper or newspaper in sight…ahhhh…just writing that makes me want to get up and start cleaning! Here is the problem - I will put off other things (important things) in order to clean, clean, clean…and here is the whopper of a problem…it is just a vicious cycle…it is never enough! I have four kids, two dogs and a husband that all seem to oppose my goal of the perfectly clean and tidy house!
So what is a girl to do?
I have tried a new trick this week, which will work for those who tend to over clean (me) and those who tend to under clean (I mention no names…). I make my list in the morning of everything that needs to get done that day, pray over it, then crossed off all items that I feel God is saying does not need to be done (thanks http://titus2345.blogspot.com/2009/02/god/makes/time.html for such a great tip!!). Then I write out a schedule to my day, determining how long each task will take. Then I put on a timer and try to “beat the clock”. How much can I clean in 15 minutes??? I was surprised to find out!
I know that this is not revolutionary or anything, but it does work in helping me keep my time and priorities strait. It is so easy to be distracted or get to the end of a day and think, “what did I do all day long?” I am learning that managing my housekeeping time is just as important as keeping a neat and tidy home, maybe more so for me.
My new goal of housekeeping is not perfection (deep breath), but the impression of order and neatness (exhale).
Christine
Okay, here goes, my “dirty” little secret…I totally over clean. Alright, deep breath, my secret is out. You are probably thinking that my house is super clean (not), or in perfect order (not), or that I look like one of those stepford wives (totally not!). Here is my problem, I can find something to clean all day every day and never be satisfied with the cleanliness of my house! Now who doesn’t love a clean and tidy house? Floors sparkling, mirrors gleaming, beds made, pillows placed, not a piece of paper or newspaper in sight…ahhhh…just writing that makes me want to get up and start cleaning! Here is the problem - I will put off other things (important things) in order to clean, clean, clean…and here is the whopper of a problem…it is just a vicious cycle…it is never enough! I have four kids, two dogs and a husband that all seem to oppose my goal of the perfectly clean and tidy house!
So what is a girl to do?
I have tried a new trick this week, which will work for those who tend to over clean (me) and those who tend to under clean (I mention no names…). I make my list in the morning of everything that needs to get done that day, pray over it, then crossed off all items that I feel God is saying does not need to be done (thanks http://titus2345.blogspot.com/2009/02/god/makes/time.html for such a great tip!!). Then I write out a schedule to my day, determining how long each task will take. Then I put on a timer and try to “beat the clock”. How much can I clean in 15 minutes??? I was surprised to find out!
I know that this is not revolutionary or anything, but it does work in helping me keep my time and priorities strait. It is so easy to be distracted or get to the end of a day and think, “what did I do all day long?” I am learning that managing my housekeeping time is just as important as keeping a neat and tidy home, maybe more so for me.
My new goal of housekeeping is not perfection (deep breath), but the impression of order and neatness (exhale).
Christine
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