Housework....Take a Year to Do It

Most people don't like to do household chores, but let's face it, they have to be done sometime.

When my grandma was a young bride, it was a different world. The women stayed home and took care of the cooking, cleaning and the kids. Growing up in the 50's and 60's, I observed my mother still doing the cooking and cleaning but she worked a job, also. My father worked and usually mowed the grass and shoveled snow and coal. (We had a coal furnace. The coal company would drop a load of coal in your yard and it had to be shoveled into the coal bin in the basement.) I doubt if he ever did a load of laundry.

My husband was raised by a single mom who did everything; worked a job, cooked, cleaned and saw that her son was taken care of. He had chores to do and learned to cook a little. When he spent 4 years+ in the Marine Corps, he really got the cleaning bug and after we were married, I sometimes got "the white glove inspection." He would run his finger over the tops of the doors and if he found any dust, "I hadn't cleaned well enough.

He mellowed out later. I think he gave up on me. I did however, come up with my own cleaning plan, eventually.

Today, in "more modern times," I am glad to see that chores are usually shared by women AND men. Children still don't like to do chores but encouraging them to do their chores builds character and responsibility.

You're not off the hook with daily chores. I know, I said you could do it in a year. Well, bear with me. Divide these chores with the rest of your family. If you live alone, you're out of luck. You have to do it all.

MONDAY

After the weekend, you really need to do this:

Empty and clean wastebaskets

Take out garbage

Clean bathroom tub or shower, toilet and sink, mop floor

Run vacuum and dust

Clean kitchen sink, counters and floor

Make bed

Tidy house (Pick up all clutter and put into a laundry basket. Everyone can put their own stuff away. They will know it's in the basket, if they can't find it.)

Water plants (Even the smallest kid can do this)

TUESDAY

Take out garbage

Make bed.

Tidy house.

Odd jobs. (These are jobs you don't do daily, what I call deep cleaning) I used to have a job jar and I put all the odd jobs in the jar and everyone chose their job or jobs for the month. (I have 3 kids, so everyone got to choose. I'll explain what the odd jobs are later.

WEDNESDAY

Take out garbage

Run vacuum and dust

Make bed

Tidy house

THURSDAY

Odd jobs

Take out garbage

Make bed

Tidy house

Pay bills

Filing (don't put it off or it will pile up fast)

FRIDAY

Get ready for the weekend

Empty wastebaskets and take out garbage

Clean bathroom

Run vacuum and dust

Make bed

Tidy house

SATURDAY

Clean out inside of refrigerator

Change sheets on bed

Do laundry (I taught my kids to do their laundry when they were 12 years old. They thanked me later.) Do any ironing, if needed. Do mending, if needed. (This has a tendency to pile up, also) If you take things to the dry cleaners instead of doing it yourself, do it now.

SUNDAY

Plan your meals for the week

Go grocery shopping

Odd jobs are listed by the month and you have all month to get them done.

SEPTEMBER

Wash windows

Wash kitchen walls

Clean cabinets inside and out

Clean all switchplates

Clean closet and drawers

Clean dining room or kitchen table (hutch, buffet)Clean small appliances

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Change A/C filter

Wash car (at least once a month, some prefer once a week)

OCTOBER

Clean small appliances (if you wipe them off each time you use them, you will avoid this every month)

Clean all woodwork

Wash all overhead lights

Clean wall units, entertainment centers, etc. (I mean take everything off and clean it)

Clean bathroom tile and walls

Wash shower curtain or shower doors

Kids clean their closet

Kids clean out their drawers

Change a/c or furnace filter

Wash car

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

NOVEMBER

Clean front porch and patio

Clean medicine cabinets

Wash or dry clean comforter

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

DECEMBER

GET READY FOR HOLIDAY COMPANY

Clean kitchen cabinets

Wash or dry clean living room drapes

Wash kid's drapes

Kids clean their closet and drawers

Clean your own closet

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

JANUARY

Clean all woodwork

Clean bookcases and end tables

Wash bathroom shower curtain

Clean desk

Clean linen closet

Clean table and chairs (hutch, buffet)

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

FEBRUARY

Wash or dry clean blankets

Clean washer and dryer

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

MARCH

Wash kitchen walls

Clean kitchen cabinets

Clean all switchplates

Wash all overhead lights

Kids clean closet and drawers

Clean your own closet

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

APRIL

Clean all woodwork

Clean bookcases and end tables

Wash shower curtain or shower doors

Clean desk

Clean your own drawers

Clean table and chairs

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

MAY

Clean freezer

Wash windows and screens

Clean medicine cabinet

Wash or dry clean bedroom drapes and comforter

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

JUNE

Clean kitchen cabinets

Wash or dry clean living room drapes

Wash kid's drapes

Kids clean closet and drawers

Clean your own closet

Clean porch and patio

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

JULY

Clean all woodwork

Wash shower curtain or shower doors

Clean desk

Clean your own drawers

Clean porch, patio

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

AUGUST

Wash or dry clean blankets

Clean porch, patio

Vacuum cobwebs

Vacuum furniture or clean leather furniture

Clean lamps

Clean garage

Wash car

Change a/c or furnace filter

If you abide by these rules, you will have a spic and span house without a lot of effort.It looks like a lot but it's easier than doing it all at once.