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House Cleaning List and ScheduleI think it's an urban myth that housework can be fun! I don't have any magic tips to make house cleaning likable, but I do have some suggestions on how to make it a little easier. Simply build yourself a house cleaning list and schedule and then follow it. Just as an aside, I know that Bev, even though she cleans for other ladies, doesn't really like the housework itself. What she does like is the end result of a job well done and a clean house (and the gossip). She was telling me last night that one of her client's daughters had told her client that she had never seen the house cleaner and to tell Bev. That is high praise and helps make up for the drugery of the housework itself. Now, back to the house cleaning list and schedule: there is a website called numsum.com, which allows you to upload and share your spreadsheets, for free. Needless to say, I think this is pretty neat and I put up one called simply "House Cleaning List". (This will open in a new window.) This is viewable by anyone, and you can even copy it to your own computer and modify it as needed. It is a living document, in that it can and will be modified anytime someone (such as yourself) sends me suggestions as to what I missed. One of the concepts of making a list and schedule, is that as it becomes habit, the job itself becomes easier because it is done on a regular basis. You'll notice that I have the same action listed in several different areas in the daily schedule: "Pick up and return to the proper place all toys, kitchen items, books and magazines." By doing this everyday, you will make a huge difference, as most of what we think of as a dirty house is nothing but clutter. By picking up everyday, you stay well ahead of the clutter-beast. If you have kids helping to feed the beast, then you must make them help tame it. Maybe set up a "Time-out-toy-box", in which you place everything that is left out at the end of the day. The kids don't get their clutter...I mean toys, back for a set period of time. For instance, they can get the toys out of time-out after they have kept all of their stuff put away for a week. Of course, they are going to scream and rant and rave, but that just goes with the territory of being a good parent. You make the decisions, and they learn to live with them. (This might work for adults, too.) My recommendation is that you go to the "House Cleaning List", look it over, and see if my suggestions make any sense to your situation. If nothing else, it might give you some ideas for starting your own cleaning list and schedule If you would like to know when I update this site or add somemore content, email me and I'll add you to my notification list. One of my recommendations for maintaining a frugal householdis that you subscribe to my free, weekly newsletter, which alwayscontains a dozen or so of my various tips. (I do put in one ad atthe bottom for you to ignore.) There are several volumes of Return from House Cleaning List to The Frugal Non-Consumer
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