Mommy's toolbox--cleaning how-to chore lists

This last week was spent "tightening up" in preparation for this season of more intensified academics. I finally took the time to spell out methods of cleaning, mostly by the use of detailed lists.

I have used myriads of different chore systems before, and I can foresee myself using myriads in the future--it is just the nature of the job, the children, and myself that things need to be changed (what can I say, I am a "domestic engineer", and aren't all engineers born to change things?).

After all the work it took to type these things out, I thought it might help someone else, so I will share them here.

*If you are in a different place in life or different situation, please do not allow yourself to become pressured or discouraged by reading these.

Clean a bedroom

Clean the master bedroom

Laundry duty

Kitchen duty

Family room

Front room

Clean a bathroom

I have discovered that my children needed a more specific understanding of just what cleaning entails, not just general directions such as "clean your room". To be honest, sometimes I even become flummoxed when posed with an absolute mess--where do I start?

Time is often wasted with basic things, one being the search for simple cleaning supplies like rags, spray bottles, etc.

Also, there is often a communication problem between parent and child; what do I really mean, and what does my child really understand from what I told him. A clean room from a child's perspective is quite different from an adult's perspective--these things need to be spelled out more clearly, enabling a child to feel more secure and that correction is just, and a parent to feel less frustration.

With my lists, which were put to the test last week, with input from the children every day as to ways to improve them, we have been experiencing a much cleaner house with less frustration and less time spent--these are all gifts of gold to my homeschooling mother's soul!

I don't believe these lists are general enough for someone else to use, but they just might enable someone else to be able to formulate their own.

Blessings!