by Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart Newsletter
© 1982 ~ Revised 2004 Reprint Permission Required
Once you put more order into your life, you will reap the benefits of getting more accomplished and enjoying a slower pace and a more relaxed lifestyle.
Organization is very much a matter of common sense! It is looking at a task and asking yourself, "How can I do this better to save energy or time?"
Someone has said, "People that are organized are just too lazy to get up and look for it!"
SCRIPTURE VERSES
Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
I Timothy 5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house...
I Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
Titus 2:3-5 Older women...encourage the younger women...to be keepers at home...
HOUSEKEEPING
Make a list for each day, a week at a time, using your family calendar, and filling in with things you need to do in the home, errands you need to run, etc. Plan the next day the night before in more detail. Use a space on your schedule for things to mention to your husband when he comes home.
Use the "Mount Vernon Method", as described in The Messies Manual by Sandra Felton. Attack and conquer one room at a time, using three boxes for (1) things to keep, (2) things to give away and (3) things to throw away.
Make your bed as soon as you get up and train each child to do the same.
Before leaving the bathroom in the a.m., clean it up.
Keep bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom. It only takes a minute or two, if you keep it up. Keep out of reach of young children, however.
Train your children to do as much as they can by themselves. See that they do it. Don't just expect it, but inspect it.
Have children pick up their own toys and belongings, as well as put their clean and dirty laundry in the proper places at an early age.
Tidy up the house before bedtime. This only takes a minute or two.
Leave a room as orderly as you found it. Teach your children to do the same.
Rules of the House: "If you open it, close it. If you get it out, put it away. If you sleep in it, make it up. If you take it off, hang it up. If you turn it on, turn it off. If you drop it, pick it up. If you clip it, file it. If it's not broken, don't fix it. If it hurts, comfort it. If it cries, love it."
Develop your own cleaning system, and you can have company come without too much cleaning to do.
Plan for easy maintenance. Don't buy white rugs, clothes that need ironed or dry-cleaned, long-haired dogs or a lot of knick knacks that need dusting.
Store things where they will be used.
Keep a small dustpan and brush, as well as a cloth sprayed with Endust or a small, wool dusting wand in your car. When you're waiting to pick up someone, you can do some quick cleaning and keep car dust to a minimum.
Time your jobs. They take less time than you would think. Make a list of mini jobs (jobs taking less than 10 minutes). You can do these when you see you have a few minutes before an appointment. Once the clutter is gone, the actual job takes less time than you realized.
A long-handled wool dusting wand (about $6 to $10) is a great time and energy-saving device, and cuts down on bending and stooping. It is good for hard-to-reach places as well.
When your children are playing outside, set a pitcher of ice water and cups outside, so they don't need to run in and out.
A large basin of soapy water (outside) for children to wash their hands is convenient and saves you a mess in the house. A large Tupperware dish with a lid is good to take to the park, with soapy water, so everyone can wash up well before a picnic.
When you wash your sheets, fold roughly right from the clothesline or dryer and put directly back on the beds. This saves work, time and money. No need to have more than one set of sheets per bed--only extras for company.
When you wash towels, there is no need to fold all of them. Some can be hung up where needed. Skip the fabric softner for more absorbent towels.
Fold towels lengthwise first, so they will be ready to hang up when you need them, without rearranging the fold.
Clean out your refrigerator the day before you grocery shop.
Keep up with laundry daily or every two days, when you have children. When they leave home, you will look for dirty clothes to wash!
Example of a cleaning schedule:
(This is only an example. Every wife and mother will have a different schedule - whatever works best for her family's needs. This is just a guide.)
Mon. Take trash out
Dust and vacuum main floor
Clean kitchen appliances and cupboards
Wash kitchen floor
Tues. Wash sheets, hang out to dry
Clean out refrigerator
Sewing, crafts or hobby
Wed. Cook dinner in crock-pot
Run errands and grocery shop
Thurs. Clean bathrooms
Sweep porches, steps and sidewalk
Do one special job (see list below) - More, if you have a spurt of
Special Cleaning Jobs:
1. Clean silver and light fixtures
2. Wash windows
3. Wax car
4. Clean pots and pans
5. Clean and organize toy room
6. Clean sofas and chairs
7. Shampoo carpet
8. Deep Clean Gertrude's room - cobwebs, walls, baseboards, under
* This list must be written out to match the jobs that need done in your own home. Another method of cleaning your house is to do all the ceilings in the entire house at one time, wash all walls, wash all woodwork, clean tops of all door frames, etc. Do what works best for you.
© 1982 ~ Revised 2004 Reprint Permission Required
Once you put more order into your life, you will reap the benefits of getting more accomplished and enjoying a slower pace and a more relaxed lifestyle.
Organization is very much a matter of common sense! It is looking at a task and asking yourself, "How can I do this better to save energy or time?"
Someone has said, "People that are organized are just too lazy to get up and look for it!"
SCRIPTURE VERSES
Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
I Timothy 5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house...
I Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
Titus 2:3-5 Older women...encourage the younger women...to be keepers at home...
HOUSEKEEPING
Make a list for each day, a week at a time, using your family calendar, and filling in with things you need to do in the home, errands you need to run, etc. Plan the next day the night before in more detail. Use a space on your schedule for things to mention to your husband when he comes home.
Use the "Mount Vernon Method", as described in The Messies Manual by Sandra Felton. Attack and conquer one room at a time, using three boxes for (1) things to keep, (2) things to give away and (3) things to throw away.
Make your bed as soon as you get up and train each child to do the same.
Before leaving the bathroom in the a.m., clean it up.
Keep bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom. It only takes a minute or two, if you keep it up. Keep out of reach of young children, however.
Train your children to do as much as they can by themselves. See that they do it. Don't just expect it, but inspect it.
Have children pick up their own toys and belongings, as well as put their clean and dirty laundry in the proper places at an early age.
Tidy up the house before bedtime. This only takes a minute or two.
Leave a room as orderly as you found it. Teach your children to do the same.
Rules of the House: "If you open it, close it. If you get it out, put it away. If you sleep in it, make it up. If you take it off, hang it up. If you turn it on, turn it off. If you drop it, pick it up. If you clip it, file it. If it's not broken, don't fix it. If it hurts, comfort it. If it cries, love it."
Develop your own cleaning system, and you can have company come without too much cleaning to do.
Plan for easy maintenance. Don't buy white rugs, clothes that need ironed or dry-cleaned, long-haired dogs or a lot of knick knacks that need dusting.
Store things where they will be used.
Keep a small dustpan and brush, as well as a cloth sprayed with Endust or a small, wool dusting wand in your car. When you're waiting to pick up someone, you can do some quick cleaning and keep car dust to a minimum.
Time your jobs. They take less time than you would think. Make a list of mini jobs (jobs taking less than 10 minutes). You can do these when you see you have a few minutes before an appointment. Once the clutter is gone, the actual job takes less time than you realized.
A long-handled wool dusting wand (about $6 to $10) is a great time and energy-saving device, and cuts down on bending and stooping. It is good for hard-to-reach places as well.
When your children are playing outside, set a pitcher of ice water and cups outside, so they don't need to run in and out.
A large basin of soapy water (outside) for children to wash their hands is convenient and saves you a mess in the house. A large Tupperware dish with a lid is good to take to the park, with soapy water, so everyone can wash up well before a picnic.
When you wash your sheets, fold roughly right from the clothesline or dryer and put directly back on the beds. This saves work, time and money. No need to have more than one set of sheets per bed--only extras for company.
When you wash towels, there is no need to fold all of them. Some can be hung up where needed. Skip the fabric softner for more absorbent towels.
Fold towels lengthwise first, so they will be ready to hang up when you need them, without rearranging the fold.
Clean out your refrigerator the day before you grocery shop.
Keep up with laundry daily or every two days, when you have children. When they leave home, you will look for dirty clothes to wash!
Example of a cleaning schedule:
(This is only an example. Every wife and mother will have a different schedule - whatever works best for her family's needs. This is just a guide.)
Mon. Take trash out
Dust and vacuum main floor
Clean kitchen appliances and cupboards
Wash kitchen floor
Tues. Wash sheets, hang out to dry
Clean out refrigerator
Sewing, crafts or hobby
Wed. Cook dinner in crock-pot
Run errands and grocery shop
Thurs. Clean bathrooms
Sweep porches, steps and sidewalk
Do one special job (see list below) - More, if you have a spurt of
energy
Fri. Dust and vacuum upstairs and downstairs.
Sat. Bake, cook ahead, sew or family outing.
Freeze food for lunches
Fri. Dust and vacuum upstairs and downstairs.
Sat. Bake, cook ahead, sew or family outing.
Freeze food for lunches
Special Cleaning Jobs:
1. Clean silver and light fixtures
2. Wash windows
3. Wax car
4. Clean pots and pans
5. Clean and organize toy room
6. Clean sofas and chairs
7. Shampoo carpet
8. Deep Clean Gertrude's room - cobwebs, walls, baseboards, under
furniture, etc.
9. Deep Clean Hortense,'s room
10. Deep Clean Buford's room
11. Deep Clean master bedroom
12. Clean closet and drawers - Gertrude's
13. Clean closet and drawers - Hortense's
14. Clean closet and drawers - Buford's
15. Clean closet and drawers - master bedroom
16. Clean filing box and night stands
17. Clean storage area
18. Clean laundry room
19. Clean family room
20 Clean recreation room
21. Clean study
22. Deep Clean bathrooms - ceiling, walls, baseboards, tile, etc.
23. Clean pantry
24. Clean kitchen cupboards
25. Clean coat closet
26. Clean hall closet
27. Clean game closet
28. Clean family room closet
29. Wash front and back of house (wood) and porches
30. Clean out buffet and China closet drawers.
9. Deep Clean Hortense,'s room
10. Deep Clean Buford's room
11. Deep Clean master bedroom
12. Clean closet and drawers - Gertrude's
13. Clean closet and drawers - Hortense's
14. Clean closet and drawers - Buford's
15. Clean closet and drawers - master bedroom
16. Clean filing box and night stands
17. Clean storage area
18. Clean laundry room
19. Clean family room
20 Clean recreation room
21. Clean study
22. Deep Clean bathrooms - ceiling, walls, baseboards, tile, etc.
23. Clean pantry
24. Clean kitchen cupboards
25. Clean coat closet
26. Clean hall closet
27. Clean game closet
28. Clean family room closet
29. Wash front and back of house (wood) and porches
30. Clean out buffet and China closet drawers.
* This list must be written out to match the jobs that need done in your own home. Another method of cleaning your house is to do all the ceilings in the entire house at one time, wash all walls, wash all woodwork, clean tops of all door frames, etc. Do what works best for you.
