The process of taking charge of the home front in such a way as to feel comfortable in the place where I live and work all day almost every day has, I will admit, has been slow, but rewarding and energizing. Every small step has had its own reward.
I started looking at schedules of other homeschool families (most were in the book KONOS Compass by Jessica Hulcy)and discovered to my amazement that doing household chores first thing in the morning was a common practice among homeschoolers.
Ohhhh.
An idea I had never seriously considered before. Almost a – pardon the expression - revelation.
After another humbling experience, living with my mother-in-law for a month, I began to see me how regular, habitual attention to small details and simple concepts like doing laundry when you have the time to put it away as well helped me understand a little of what I was lacking.
I was lacking the habits necessary to keep a house neat and clean. I became determined to raise my standards and get organized.
So, I painstakingly studied schedules and worked out a weekly schedule focusing on the “school” aspect, blocking in times for each subject in preparation for the time when I would have two school age children. Scheduling helped me get focused on what I needed to do. At this point I planned to do basic chores during a block of time each morning and spend one day a week doing detailed cleaning chores.
But still I was overwhelmed and my husband, dear that he is, saw how overwhelmed I was at the whole task and pitched in to help with kitchen clean up and others chores each evening.
However, now, almost two years later, my husband does very little housework and I manage it just fine without his help or playing the martyr.
Here are my top ten tips for others with messy tendencies.
1. Put things away when you are finished with them. Never set anything down where it does not really belong. Get rid of stuff you don't use regularly.
2. Rise every day early and dress, put on shoes and get to work with household chores. Work toward a goal. Don’t expect your habits and house to be perfect right away. This is a process. But don’t leave the house until your morning chores, whatever you decide they need to be, are finished.
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