How organized are you?

[Dutchie]

This is something that I admire in others and aspire to personally but it just never seems to work - good household organization.
How organized are you?
How do you organize your days?

Do you have a certain schedule to fit in your house cleaning - for example Mondays for the bathrooms etc. Tuesday for the kitchen.

I try to do this but when 'life' gets in the way, the whole thing just falls apart. I am usually ok for a couple of days - heck even a week of 'life' won't throw me but things are getting ridiculous in this house and I never seem to catch up with stuff, never mind get to actual serious cleaning.

In my case I have been making and preserving apricots in a zillion ways (this is chronicled elsewhere in the forums) and therefore I have been running behind on most cleaning things but before that there were other things that held me back.

Now I really need to get my b... in gear and just hope that 'life' doesn't get in the way for a few days.

So, how do you deal with this kind of thing?

[TigerGirl1226]

When DD is in school, I do pretty well. Laundry is usually Monday. The rest is a little more "what needs attention more", but I get it all done. She goes back to school on 8/18 and I'm sure it'll take me a few weeks to get stuff back to the level I want.

I would love to have bathroom Tuesdays and Kitchen Wednesday, but I go crazy when I am too scheduled.

[imagine]

I am more scheduled when the children are in school.

This summer we are being less structured. We ( kids and I) decided what had to be done each day and what needed to be done each week. We typed them up.They are OUR chores. We all work on them if we are done by Friday night the we get rewarded as a family. like family swim night or a dvd rental. If not then we can't play since we would still be working.


During school the week is Mon-Wed is chore days
Thursday is paper day - Make menus, shopping lists etc
Friday is shopping day
I think I'll try to fine tune the Mon-Wed chore days this year. But then again have the range of days makes it so I'm not behind.

I also have morning 5 (everyday)
Make bed
Shower/dress
Breakfast for everyone
Unload and load dishwasher
start laundry

Nightly 5 (okay now night 4 the children can bath themselves now)
load dishwasher ( Hubby start it on way to bed)
clean off counters in kitchen
tidy up living room
Make sure nothing is in the washing machine

[jas]

It used to be harder when the kids were both home and they were younger. My son is now off on his own. Well till Dec anyway. And dd 16 is still home. She keeps her room like most teens, a mess. Over the years I have gotten rid of most of her stuff except the essentials. Now she doesn't want many things in her room. Just the clothes on the floor thing. She does her own laundry for the most part. And I keep her door shut.

Every morning I make the bed and pick up anything that needs straightening, tidy bathroom (dh has used it getting ready for work ect) Tidy the guest room. I usually watch tv in there. Not much to do but open curtains ect. Once those two rooms are done make a quick look in the family room, open curtains ect any glasses or anything left from dd. If she has made a real mess it is hers to clean up. Same with her bathroom.
By then the house is pretty much okay if someone were to just pop in. Which does not happen that often.

On to the kitchen. I try to have it all done and clean the night before after dinner. In the morning is mostly cleaning up dh breakfast crumbs.
Then unloading the dishwasher. If I have just rinsed the dishes from the night before then I have to unload and then reload. Yuck.

By then the place is usually in good shape. If i have planned some more deeper cleaning then I will move on to that. Laundry is usually just one day. cleaning the bathrooms usually thurs or fri. so they will be clean for the weekend.

I water my plants every3-4 days in the morning. These are all outside on the porch.

The rest of the day I bake bread, dehydrate food, read about greats ideas here on FV!!

[Jamielane]

Well I used to be able to tell you not only if something was in a closet or drawer but where it was in the closet or drawer. Now there is no way. Since I had the kids everything went to hell in that department. I do have certain chores that I do everyday. I make the beds, empty the wastebaskets, sweep, vacuum, start the wash. Clean up the breakfast dishes. Dinner is when dh comes home and then I clean the kitchen again . I couldnt go to sleep at night if the dishes were not done. In school things are a little more regimented but I try to keep things organized to a degree. I mean I can tell you the general area something is in which is good I guess.

[gapeach]

I have a morning routine which consists of making bed, making breakfast, washing dishes and putting them away, take out recyclables to bin, exercise, shower and taking dirty clothes down to laundry room. Then I work on whatever needs to be done for the day. I have an evening routine of making dinner, washing dishes and putting away, sweep kitchen floor, wipe down counters and clean stove.

This works for me and I am able to keep the house picked up and "company ready".

[Debbie-cat]

I have a routine I follow daily (more or less), it depends on what might happen that day and sometimes one thing might not get done until I have some spare time. I don't sweat the small stuff though. I do what I can and usually it works out fairly well.

[AmyBoz]

Working full-time, if I'm not organized, the house falls apart. So, I am quite organized. Make lunches the night before, everything picked up every night. Toss a load in the washer before going to work/school, toss it in the dryer when getting home. Vacuum and dust on the weekends. I need a schedule for my life to work.

[FrugalMomof3]

I would say I am pretty organized.... my days consist of getting DH off to work, making breakfast, packing his lunch.

When he leaves, I normally check my emails, surf the net for a bit then I make the bed, straighten up the room.

Then I get to the kitchen which always seems the most messiest room so I put the dishes in the dishwasher, clean the sink and the counters.

Next is the bathrooms, just a little tidying up and then I hit the other rooms which are minor like cleaning the dining room table, letting the dogs out, etc.

I am pretty organized with material things as well, I normally know where everything is when someone asks for it and all bills are always paid on time because due dates are always in my brain, lol

[craftypam]

I am very disorganized, my weakness.
I don't know if you are interested but there is a book where you make up 3 x 5 cards going room by room with things that need to be done in each room. Its called Sidetracked Home Executives by Pam Young and Peggy Jones. Fly lady that has been talked about in here is using some of their ideas.

[Libby]

Oh my gosh where do I begin? I live in organized chaos!

I have my presentable areas - living room and hallway for when guests visit and am a stickler for a clean bathroom always!

The rest is up in the air. My desk is still my main dumping ground and its hard to keep clean once I get it there.

I have never ending laundry on the go but I have noticed my downfall is putting it away properly. Washing and drying no problem, folding and putting away is what kills me lol.

My weekly routine is based upon necessity:

Sunday/Monday - I try to grocery shop for lunch/snack items for the upcoming work week etc. I'm lucky my dad does the other half of the shopping - basics and staples etc. I pick up what "I" need/want as extras along with my lunch/snack items.

Monday/Tuesday (either one) I gather up the garbage and recycling and take it out. (Wed is garbage/recycling day here)

Wednesday I clean the bathroom and sweep the hall and vacuum if need be

Thursday is laundry day - wash all the week's work clothes so they're ready for Monday since I hang them to dry and to ensure I have casual clothes for the weekend's adventures

Friday/Saturday/Sunday - is my 'play' time so to speak so I try to relax.

I also go to the gym Mon/Wed/Fri and swim on Tues/Thurs lol.
I try to pick up whenever I can or spend 30 mins decluttering but honestly I dont see it making a difference. I wonder how bad it would be if I didnt do the daily pick up?! Thats the general plan and most times more often then not, I am able to stick to it but...life happens right?

All in all, I think I am an organized clutterbug and couldn't live any other way hahaha!

[frugalfranny]

In my case I have been making and preserving apricots in a zillion ways (this is chronicled elsewhere in the forums) and therefore I have been running behind on most cleaning things but before that there were other things that held me back.

Now I really need to get my b... in gear and just hope that 'life' doesn't get in the way for a few days.

So, how do you deal with this kind of thing?

My HOUSE is very organized......sometimes my life isn't. But like debcat, I don't sweat it. I will get to it when it finally 'gets to me' and I can't stand it any longer. I don't aspire to be super woman and have finally realized that I simply can't do it all in one day.

I have a 'morning routine' and sort of an eveing routine, which includes doing something about the kitchen floor each day. Sometimes it is the dust buster, sometimes the elec. broom and sometimes the serious vac and mop routine. For cleaning, the inside of my house suffers in the summer as I have too much to do outside. (plus 10 feet tracking in grass/dirt...two dogs and me) But I get to it when I get there........

Don't be so hard on yourself.......you have been putting food in the pantry/freezer so at least you won't go hungry this winter. You can't be all things, to all people, all the time!!!!!!

[shoiji]

My week goes like this:

Tuesday - vacuum

Friday - dust and vacuum

Saturday - wipe down stove and sink, sweep and mop floors, clean bathroom.

Since using this schedule to cleaning gets done and I won't be embarrassed if someone dropped by. I used to try and do everything on Saturday, which drove me up a wall.