Daily Routines

I've been failing miserably at taking control of The Mess. Each day I do a little cleaning that is later replaced by more of The Mess. One area gets better while another spins out of control. One chore is dealt with while another is ignored for days on end. It's overwhelming. That need to clean the entire house is just plain exhausting, so I'm taking the advice of every organizational aid I've read recently and not tackling it all at once. I'm following a Spring Cleaning schedule set out by Crystal of Money Saving Mom. It helps to have an unbiased voice dealing out instructions. It's embarrassing, but the number one thing that makes me not want to clean is having someone I'm living with ask me to clean. It's so ridiculous and a definite flaw, but it's true. I'm hoping that by completing these goals I'll accomplish enough with my time that I will no longer feel bogged down by Mess or guilty for watching X-Files instead of cleaning the toilet or organizing the toys back into their bins. I've crumpled in the face of exhaustion long enough. Time to take a stand against myself. Conquer and clean so that some day cleaning will be a short activity mainly comprised of a quick swiping of the sponge and a whirlwind of a few things back to their appropriate space. One can dream...

To that end I've made up weekly goals, daily routines, and manageable daily to-do lists. I've incorporated Crystal's suggested daily assignments into my life and so far I'm doing all right, although I'm behind due to being out of house too much due to Birch's Spring Break vacation and, you know, having fun? Whoops... or WAHOO!!!

If you're interested in joining 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home, I'd love the company and encouragement. Let's do this!

Putting together my daily routine made me ridiculously tired... I'll have to make a dumbed-down version for myself someday, but for now, with super-duper mommy brain on full non-alert, I'm sticking with a play-by-play:

Daily Routine

6:00 a.m.       Wake up, brush teeth and wash face, make coffee, check email.

6:50 a.m.       Keats and Frida wake up, diaper changes, make breakfast.

7:15 a.m.       Indoor toy time, get dressed, check email/blog.

8:30 a.m.       Frida feeding and nap.

8:50 a.m.       Play in the yard, morning egg collection.

10:00 a.m.     Frida wakes up, diaper changes.

10:30 a.m.      Farm walk.

11:30 a.m.      Play in the yard, chicken scratch and noontime egg collection.

12:30 p.m.      Make lunch, Keats video, Frida feeding.

1:15 p.m.       Frida nap, read books and coloring with Keats.

2:30 p.m.       Keats nap.

2:35 p.m.       Brush teeth, 15-minute clean-up, make bed.

3:00 p.m.       Frida wakes up, diaper change.

3:10 p.m.       Dishes, sweep.

3:35 p.m.       Afternoon coffee/whatever, read.

3:45 p.m.       Frida feeding and nap.

4:00 p.m.       MSM Spring Clean activity.

4:30 p.m.       Keats and Frida wake up. Birch home.

4:45 p.m.       Farm walk.

5:30 p.m.       Play in the yard, afternoon egg collection.

6:00 p.m.       Indoor toy time, Birch makes dinner, Frida to sleep.

6:30 p.m.       Family dinner.

7:00 p.m.       Toys and diaper change.

7:30 p.m.       Pajamas and bedtime books.

7:50 p.m.       Keats to sleep.

8:00 p.m.       Wash face.

8:05 p.m.       Check email/toys & books away.

8:15 p.m.       Free time.

9:45 p.m.       Brush teeth and bedtime!