Obviously, I’m a big fan of a schedule. Without one, I wander through some days like I’m lost and unsure what to do, and then overload myself trying to do all the things at once. A schedule keeps me on track and balanced.

But this is only true if your schedule is working for you. I have pretty grand ideas sometimes that don’t always play out the way I expect. What sounds great in theory may turn out to be a disaster.

If my schedule is not working, then I’m not either.  I’m just reacting.

One such disaster occurred when I tried to make a to-the-minute schedule of my day. I felt like I was going to be super productive, maximize my day, and just generally be a rockstar.

And just as you could have guessed (hindsight is 20-20), around 30 minutes into my new schedule, I was crashing and burning. Unexpected interruptions kept popping up and throwing me off, and nothing was fitting in its allotted time. Not to mention I was one frustrated, frazzled mama trying to single-handedly lift the train back onto the rails.

Believe it or not, I’m pretty stubborn. I kept trying this schedule for about a week, thinking if I just tried harder or did better, that it would work. Boy, was I wrong. While I had a schedule, it was totally wrong for my life and personality, and was destined for failure right out of the gate. As soon as I realized this and moved on, I was able to adjust and make a more productive (and happier) schedule for everyone!

Why Evaluation is Important

Schedules are designed to declutter your life and give everything a space – just like when you declutter your house. They bring order and structure to an otherwise chaotic existence of running around trying to get everything done. That said, schedules don’t always achieve this purpose! Sometimes we make schedules, trying desperately to control everything around us that feels like it’s falling apart, only to find we’re more exhausted and weary as a result. Evaluation is a great tool to lessen future burnout.

Schedules aren’t set in stone or written in Sharpie. A schedule is merely a tool for making your life easier. If it’s not doing that – if it’s stressing you out or just not working – by all means, adjust! We don’t live and die by a schedule, we rule it! If you’re in a place where you feel controlled by your schedule, keep reading. I’ve been there, and I’ve got some tips for you.

What To Do When Your Schedule Is Not Working

When you’re in the thick of things, it can be hard to see the forest for the trees. We might be able to discern how we’re feeling overall (frazzled, stressed, overwhelmed, or withdrawn, to name a few), but not be able to pinpoint why. Being able to visually see my schedule has been a huge help to me in narrowing down what might be the cause of the problem. When I’m ready to evaluate, here’s my plan.

1. If you haven’t already, write everything that you do down.
2. Make note of spaces and times that things are especially difficult, always have you rushing, or that make you frazzled. Look for overlapping events or when you have to rush from one place to another (like if one kid’s therapy ends at 10, and the other kid has practice at 10:15, with a 20 minute drive between the two), and spaces in your calendar where you don’t give yourself enough time for the activity (allowing 10 minutes to vacuum the entire house when it really takes 30 minutes).
3. Highlight the unchangeables (appointments, practices, events, etc)
4. See what’s left, and where you can move it

Once this is all written out where I can see everything in a glance, I can then move on and think critically about my schedule, and what isn’t working!

What to Change?

We need margins. If you don’t feel like you have space to breathe in your day because of your schedule – it’s too full. There are certainly seasons of busyness, and at times, our schedule is out of our control due to outside circumstances. But as we are able, we need to make sure there is blank space in our schedule. This will give you a buffer to allow for things that take more time than planned, as well as give you some time that isn’t running around frantically, but rather an opportunity to savor the day and opportunities before you.

From your evaluation above, take a long look at those moveable things in your schedule. Is there something that you could move to a different day or time that just makes more sense for your family? Maybe moving everything to one day, and knowing that day will be busy, but then the rest of the week flows easier, will work for you. Perhaps you’ve piled everything in your schedule at the beginning of the week, and each week you start out stressed and tired. Moving things to the end of the week, or spreading them out may help you tremendously.

Try Again!

Once you’ve moved some things around, the only way you can test a schedule is to try it on. Write it down, set reminders for yourself, and get busy doing it. It may look like the best schedule ever – until you add life into the mix.

Give yourself a week or two to get used to the new rhythm of things before deciding if it’s working or not. Sometimes, the newness can make things hard or awkward. Other times, just the opposite is true. The change makes things feel better, when in reality, it’s just different. If you allow yourself time to settle into the schedule, then you can really see if it is helping or hurting.

If you find that you still haven’t got it quite right after a couple of weeks, then don’t be afraid to repeat the process. Your schedule is just that – YOURS – and no one else can tell you how to best organize your life. If turning things completely upside down from what is normal works for you and your family, that is perfectly acceptable.

If you do family breakfast instead of lunch, or sleep in and stay up late, or love the 50 different extracurriculars your family squeezes in each week, then don’t change just because someone else says that doesn’t work for them. Keep trying, and you’ll find what works best for you – unique characteristics and all.

Consider Letting Go of Some Good Things (for greatness)

When fitting everything into your day and schedule that you have to do is nearly impossible, it might be time to consider your priorities. There are so, so, so many GOOD things that we can do, and often get busy doing, that we crowd out the GREAT.

We weren’t made to do it all, friends. When your schedule is pressing down on you and choking the life out of you, it’s time to say no to some good things. It will be hard. You will feel like you’re letting people down. But you have to find balance to be able to serve and love well in the roles that God has given you.

Progress, not Perfection

One word of caution about going back to the drawing board – at some point, you just have to be done.

Sometimes, you just have to let go of the desire to make a perfect schedule (as long as there’s housework to do, there will be no perfect schedule, am I right?) and just go with what you’ve got. I can get stuck in a trap of rearranging and planning for days, and actually accomplishing nothing that needs to do be done. This isn’t helping anyone or anything either.

When you’ve got some order that is working well with your family, then run with it. We will never be perfect. We can’t stay in planning mode forever. Get out there and live your best life – knowing that your schedule is there to help, and that it’s not your dictator when things get a little bit derailed!

Keep your eye on the great – loving God, and loving others, starting with your family. With these priorities in mind, slim down your schedule as needed, to free you up for what really matters.

Get started on creating your perfect cleaning schedule by signing up below!

As you’re working through your Perfect Cleaning Schedule printable (You did download it, right?  If not, what are you waiting for?  Grab it here!), one of the hardest things for my cluttered brain to do was break down the frequency of each chore.  Actually, it was more like remembering all the things that needed to be done in the first place, and THEN assigning them a frequency.  If that’s you, too, hopefully this will help you kick start your journey!

Not every cleaning task needs to be done every day (can I get an “Amen!”), and depending on your personal preferences, your list may look completely different.  Everyday tasks are the small upkeep chores that simply need to be done every day.  The good news is that even though you’re having to complete them each day, they don’t require a large time investment since there has only been a lapse of 24 hours or so since it was last completed.  

While it might look overwhelming to see so many things on your to-do list each day, the reality is that these quick chores make life so much simpler when done daily.  No more panicked deep-cleanings – your house will always be clean-ish!  And the “ish” is totally for all the littles, creative brains, and distractions that seek to thwart your best cleaning intentions.  Our houses are lived in, after all!  If you’re wondering what house cleaning should be done daily, while there’s no one right answer, you’ll find some common chores for this category below.  

Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the most common everyday tasks.  While all of these may not go on your list, hopefully it will help you identify the things that will!

So, what house cleaning should be done daily?

Wiping Counters

At the end of each day, or after a meal is finished, a quick wipe down of the counters with a hot, wet cloth (I love the Norwex Envirocloth!) is a must for me.  It gives the best reward (hello, shiny clean surfaces) for very minimal effort.  

Clearing Clutter

Another evening ritual at our house is to make a quick sweep of the common areas searching for things that don’t belong.  We gather them up and return them to their homes.  A handful of rogue items that takes 5 minutes to put away is much better than the hour or more it would take to clean everything up if we let the clutter pile up.

Mail

Mail comes every day, therefore it must be dealt with every day.  Unless you’re nothing like me, and can leave it all in the mailbox for long periods of time.  Even if it’s just junk, there’s something so fun about checking the mail!  A great rule of thumb is to only touch it once!  Have a location for the mail to live until you’re ready to deal with it.  And then, open and pay the bills, recycle the junk, respond to the invitation, and file away what needs to be kept.  Easy Peasy and DONE!

Sweeping

A daily once over with a broom and dustpan in all the high traffic areas is a great idea.  For me, I’m more of a weekly sweeper (I’d rather see more of my hard work in that dustpan!  And sweeping is not my favorite), but I’ve seen the benefits with friends who can’t rest until their floor is clean.  It certainly doesn’t take them as long each day as my once a week sweep does!

Laundry

It’s impossible to stay on top of the mountain laundry entirely, but doing a load a day may help tremendously.  It may be helpful to give each day a theme (towels, sheets, darks, hang dry, etc.) or a person, depending on how you do laundry.  And there’s nothing quite as satisfying than completing a task each day that a machine does most of the work for you.  (We won’t talk about folding right now.  The clothes are clean whether or not they ever get folded, am I right?!)

Dishes

Just like wiping the counters down at the end of the day, I love going to bed knowing my sink is empty.  I load up the dishwasher with what I can (and run it as soon as it’s full!), hand wash what’s left, and leave it out to dry for the night.  In the morning, I put away the clean, dry dishes.  It’s a happy little routine that keeps the kitchen usable!

Make Bed

There’s nothing quite like a made bed to improve the aesthetics of a room.  And all it takes is straightening out the covers.  Two minutes, max, and your bedrooms are looking sharp.  

This is a quick look inside some of the most common everyday chores, to help you think about what will be on your schedule.  While all of these may not be dailies for you, it’s a great starting point!

What are your must-do daily chores?  What do you avoid? 

Grab Chapter 1 of “A Clean House Without Stress” free below!

When it comes to cleaning house, getting started is half the battle. It feels like a never-ending job (because, well, it is!), and definitely not one that you enjoy. I’m always on the lookout for little tips, tricks, and hacks.  Anything that speeds up the cleaning process and makes it more painless is a win. I’ve gathered a few of my favorite ideas here that I’ve taken to over the years.

What are you waiting for? Get to cleaning house like a professional and take back your time!

Tip 1: Keep Your Supplies Handy

Have a caddy or tote filled with cleaning supplies (cloths, cleaners, brushes, wipes, etc) that you can take from room to room with you. You’ll save time by not running all over the house looking for the one item you need, only to repeat again in the next room. As an extra bonus, clean-up is a snap – just find a place to store your caddy until next time!

Tip 2: Clean top to bottom

You’re making more work for yourself if you start with the floors. They should be the last thing you do. As you dust fans or wipe off counters, naturally you’re going to get crumbs and dust on the carpet or floors. Save yourself the hassle of having to re-do your work and wait until you’re finished to vacuum and sweep.

Tip 3: Make a Schedule and Do a Little Bit Every Day

Staying on top of things means you won’t have to deep clean often. A little bit every day adds up to a lot done. If you make and keep a schedule, you’ll be able to fly through what needs to be done and your house will be ready for whatever you throw at it. If you’re not sure where to start or failed miserably at a schedule before (I’ve SO been there!), check out my book course, “A Clean House Without Stress!“

Tip 4: Remove Distractions

Keep your phone at bay, or at least turn off your notifications. You won’t be tempted to stop and check them (and end up watching 10 minutes worth of cute animal videos – anyone else?), so you can keep on moving. Get done what you need to do, and you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on your social media happenings when you’re done.

Tip 5: Don’t Just Clean: Listen!

Make the most of your time! Pop in some earbuds and catch up on that latest podcast you love, or listen to an audio book. Not only does it make the time go by faster, but you’re actually doing two things at once.  You’re saving time AND enriching your work.

What works for you? What are your tips for cleaning house like a professional?

Grab Chapter 1 of “A Clean House Without Stress” FREE:

Why use a Kids Chore List Template?

I’m a big fan of kids doing chores. Not just because it is taking things off my to-do list (let’s be realistic here – it’s really adding things to my to-do list!), but rather for the valuable life lessons and work ethic it is teaching my kiddos.

However, I know just telling my kids what I want them to do, and hoping they remember is about as likely to happen as an elephant in a pink tutu doing ballet in my living room. If I can’t keep up with my to-do list, why on earth do I expect my kids to be able to? Kids need visual cues, reminders, and help to stay on task and get things done. (And, honestly, so do I!)

A kid’s chore list template is an awesome way to keep everyone on track and motivated. There is something so satisfying about marking a task complete, and the visual clues of a chore chart are awesome for readers and nonreaders alike.

It takes some training and practice for the whole family, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how well a kids chore list template keeps things running around here. My kids love completing the tasks set out for them on the chore chart, and I love knowing that my boys are learning that helping around the house is for everyone!

How to Start With a Chore Chart

A kids chore list template isn’t a miracle worker all by itself. It will take some patience, training, and explanation for everyone to get things started on the right foot. Investing the time at the beginning will pay off in big ways as your kids learn how to help around the house.

One of the easiest ways to introduce the concept of a chore list template is to start with something they enjoy doing. Washing dishes and feeding the dog are two big favorites around here.

After introducing the concept that “families help each other, so we will all help with taking care of the house,” it’s important to clearly explain their role as helper, and what is expected of them.

My kids love to help. It gives them a sense of pride and ownership of their place in the family. We will tell them what job they will have as a helper, walk through how to do the job with them, and talk about how we do our very best work with a happy heart because that is one way we can love and serve God and each other.

Start Small

One or two tasks, as they are getting the hang of the idea, are more than sufficient to establish a pattern of consistency. Giving too many chores from the beginning will just lead to overwhelm and frustration.

Praise, Praise, Praise

We give out lots of praise for working hard to help, trying their best, and working with a happy heart. The goal isn’t to shorten your to-do list, but rather to build a strong foundation of hard work and service in our kids – I try to never “re-do” the work they’ve done or criticize, but only focus on the positive. They are learning – and expecting perfection is a surefire way to deflate them and their desire to help.

Be the Example

Another important step in the learning process is to model for your kids the same behavior that you expect from them. I’ve caught myself grumbling about the work before me, while expecting my kids to work with happy hearts, and had to apologize. There’s lots of grace here – none of us are perfect – and these times are also excellent learning opportunities for our little ones.

Ready for your own kid’s chore list template?

There’s no one way to make a kids chore list template. The beauty of making your own is being able to find what works for you and your family. For us, I know the more elaborate, the less likely it is to succeed. With two fun-loving boys, function over frills is the way to make it happen.

That said, I realize our way is not the only way. I’ve seen several awesome chore list templates for kids, and maybe one of these would work fabulously for you and your crew.

Follow the links below the photos for more detailed instructions from these talented (and creative!) bloggers!

Pictures that flip closed to “Done” (what we use!)

A Magnet Board where pictures of chores move from To-Do to Done

A Printable or Dry Erase Checklist

Simple Chore Jar with Popsicle Sticks 

Clothespins that move from To-Do to Done

A Job Board to post available chores

However it looks for your family, I’ve found a chore list template helps tremendously! How does your family do (or not do!) chore charts?

Don’t forget to grab Chapter 1 of “A Clean House Without Stress” for free:

Raising kids to become functioning members of society (that live in their own house one day :)) is a job we take very seriously. For obvious reasons.

One of the areas we want our kiddos to grow in knowledge and understanding is in the area of finances. We want them to understand that things cost money (to both buy and replace, so we need to take care of what we have), that money is earned, and how to budget and spend wisely. We also want to instill in them a deep understanding of wants versus needs, and how to navigate through those often difficult choices of prioritizing.

This seems pretty heavy for the younger years, for sure. While we may start early on learning these things, we don’t expect complete understanding or perfection. We’ve found that life is often a great teacher with natural consequences, and allowing our kids to have real experiences with money while they are young and under our care is super valuable.

As we discussed this when our kids were little, we struggled through answering the question, “Should kids get paid to do chores?” Here are some of our thoughts behind our decision, and what we ultimately chose to do.

Should Kids Get Paid to do Chores?

At initial consideration, paying our kids for chores sounded like a great model for teaching our kids real life lessons and financial responsibility. It was something we had seen modeled by many parents before us, and we respected that. So, we decided to dig in a little deeper.

Paying for chores simulates the real world model of money received for hard work done at a job. When you don’t work, you don’t get paid. It provides a very motivating incentive for kids to get the chores done quickly and well and rewards them for a job well done. It can also teach responsibility, as they become in charge of their own, hard-earned money.

While these were all great and valid points, giving them money in exchange for doing chores indicates that chores are a “job” that can also be optional. As much as I’d like them to be, the tasks that need to be done around the house on a regular basis are not optional. The dog must be fed every day, dishes must be washed, and bathrooms must be cleaned, to name a few. Our children aren’t responsible for paying bills at this point in their life, so a job doesn’t seem necessary.

We also felt it was important for the kids to learn that we do chores as a part of the family – not for any monetary reward, but because we all help each other. We didn’t want to develop a mentality of “Oh well, I don’t want anything bad enough to earn the money I will get for doing my chores, so I won’t do them.” We wanted them to develop hearts of service that see what needs to be done and do it, no matter if anyone was watching or prepared to reward a job well done. As they grow into families of their own, there will be household responsibilities that they may not feel like doing, and they certainly won’t be monetarily rewarded for doing them!

Chores vs. Allowance

As we talked through it, we decided that for our family, it made the most sense not to tie money to chores. This isn’t to say that anyone who chooses otherwise is wrong, or made a bad decision – it was a personal decision that we deliberated through greatly, and we see the value in both sides. We felt the benefits of having chores to do as a family, simply to help one another, outweighed paying for chores.

Since we still wanted to teach our kids about money and financial responsibility, it was important for us to find a way to do so. We decided to use the idea of an allowance – a certain stipend given at a regular interval – for our kids to manage exclusively.

We explained that God provides for our family in many ways, and one of those ways is through Daddy’s job. As a family, we must be good stewards of what He gives us, and our kids will get a portion of this money to handle since they are members of the family too.

As our main goal was to teach them the concept of money and how to make wise choices, we felt that giving them a (small!) part of each paycheck to be in charge of would be a great way to do so. It kept the lesson simple, solidified their position as a valuable member of the family, and gave us a safe and structured way to help our kids understand how money works and valuable budgeting principles for moving forward.

How Much to Pay

We started giving an allowance to our oldest son when he was five, so we decided that $5 would be a good starting point. We’re learning as we go here – there’s no right or wrong answer. We knew that it needed to be enough for him to buy things that he really wanted with a little saving, but also not too much to make everything within reach financially.

We also have allowance day twice a month – just like Daddy gets paid. We tried to find a balance between waiting too long between allowances and making it a source of frustration, and also understanding that waiting is part of life, and not everything is given to us instantaneously. Giving an allowance every 2 weeks seemed to be the happy medium for us.

What to Do with the Money

Each allowance day, we let the kids know it’s time and set out their money, and 3 mason jars. After we help them count the money they have been given, we’ve personally decided to encourage giving and saving by allocating a specific portion of their allowance to each. We have a Give Jar, Save Jar, and Spend Jar. Each jar has a specific purpose that we talk about at length the first time.

Give Jar

Each allowance, we ask the kids to set aside 10% in the give jar to give to God. This is a big concept that we tried to introduce on a kid-friendly level, without using words like percent or tithe. We simply explain that God has given us all we have, and one way we can love Him and obey what He’s asked us to do in His word is to give money to the church each time we get money.

We make sure we give allowance with appropriate change for this as well – when it is $5, we give 4 $1 bills and 4 quarters. We go over every time that 4 quarters is equal to $1, and instead of saying we give 10% to God, we just say 50 cents or two quarters.  After we had done the routine several times, and everyone was familiar and comfortable, then I started saying 50 cents or 10% of what we have – I don’t want the concept to be lost, but I also don’t want to overwhelm him!

Save Jar

The next jar is our savings jar. 20% of allowance goes into savings. We don’t tell the kids what they can or cannot spend this money on – it is theirs. We encourage them to save for a big trip or expense. Last fall, we went to Disney World, and our oldest had been saving his money for this very thing. He very carefully weighed his options in the store until he found just the right Gaston Bow and Arrow Set, and then proudly took it and his dollar bills to the counter. Thankfully, the cashier was super nice and made a big fuss over him as she counted out $36 sweaty single bills that he was so proud of.

He had saved a long time for that money, and you could see that in the effort he put into his decision to spend the money. Savings doesn’t always have to be spent on something practical, but the decision to spend it should be carefully considered. He knew how long it took to save up this $36 dollars, and once it was gone, it would take just as long to save it back up again.

Spend Jar

What’s left goes in the spend jar – the most exciting for my kids. It starts to burn a hole in their pocket right away. I always remind them that they are welcome to look and see if there is anything they would like to buy with what they have, but if they would like to wait until their next allowance and add that money to what they have, they will have more choices.

Life Lessons

The most important thing I’ve seen in teaching my children how to be responsible with money is to allow them to make their own decisions. They are going to make some mistakes, regret some purchases, and get swept up in shiny object syndrome only to have buyer’s remorse. But how much better is it for them to learn these lessons when toys and games are all that is at stake, rather than homes and families?

I can spot a bad purchase from a mile away, so it has been super hard for me to take a backseat and encourage my kids in their own decisions. I’ve watched as they have failed, gotten back up, and made better decisions the next time – learning from their mistakes. It’s a beautiful thing, and life is truly sometimes the very best teacher.

As our kids are still young, I’m sure our lessons on managing money will only grow from here. Introducing these major concepts was our main concern for now, and we will have a great foundation to build on later. My oldest has started to put two and two together, and I’ve seen his heart for others grow as he dreams of ways to share what he has with those who don’t have enough. His latest project was called “Hearts for the Hungry” – he drew hearts to raise money for people who don’t have enough to eat, contributing his own allowance to the cause. As we give them freedom with money, it is amazing to watch them as they are learning to be generous givers from an early age – and that is worth it all to me!

What does your family do? How do you teach your kids about money? Let us know in the comments below!

Check out Chapter 1 of “A Clean House Without Stress” for free:

We have an unspoken rule in our house – if you live here, you help with things that need to be done. When everyone is making messes, it’s unfair for one person to be stuck cleaning up after everyone.

Just because our kids are little doesn’t mean they get a pass on being a helper. Granted, as they are learning, they often make a bigger mess instead of cleaning up one, but it’s an important learning process that I feel outweighs the few extra steps for me.

And truthfully? They LOVE to help. They are consistently asking me if they can help with anything I’m doing, and I would much rather channel that energy into something (semi) productive!

It also helps that I’ve learned to just let go of whatever job they are “helping” with, and allow however they do it to be good enough until next time. Here’s a deeper look at the why and how we do this in our home if you’re ready to try something different.

Why We Do Chores

My oldest, after watching an episode of Arthur on PBS, decided rather quickly that he would like to have a butler. (Thanks, Arthur. Wouldn’t we all?!) He told us he wanted someone to take his trash, bring him things, and buy him toys. Even though he didn’t grasp the concept perfectly, the root of his desire was the same – selfishness.

Granted, this was an innocent (and quite hilarious, but I managed to stifle the giggles) request to mimic what he saw on TV, but this attitude left unchecked, can wreak havoc on us all. I don’t want my kids (or myself!) growing up feeling entitled, above doing work, or only out for their personal gain.

My little ones would tell you that the reason we all help with things that need to be done around the house is because “We are a family, and family helps each other.” This is the simplest, yet most profound explanation as to why we feel everyone helping with chores is important.

We want our home to be a place where they safely learn how to love God and deal with the rest of the world. When we all pitch in to get things done, it provides valuable lessons in collaboration, humility, kindness, and working hard with a cheerful heart.

Do You Pay for Chores?

There is much debate in the parenting world over the exchange of money for chores, and I can identify with points on each side.

While we do give an allowance to our children, this isn’t tied to doing chores at all. For us, their allowance is a simple tool to help them learn financial responsibility at an age appropriate level. We felt at this point, for our family, tying the two together would undercut some of the other character lessons we are fostering through simply doing chores together without expecting anything in return.

Getting Started With Age Appropriate Chores

It’s important to keep in mind the age and skill level of your children when asking them to help with things around the house. The last thing you want to do is frustrate them from helping by giving them something they aren’t able to complete, or saddling them with the task that NO ONE wants to do. There’s a delicate balance here.

I found this chart super helpful in thinking through some ways my kids could help around the house. While it is divided by ages, it will be helpful to think through this chart with your children’s specific skills, strengths, and weaknesses to better match them with ways they can help.

While my youngest falls in the right age to empty the dishwasher, his nickname is “Wreck-it Ralph.” Considering him personally, handling fragile objects is probably not the best choice if we want us both to be frustration free.

(From Sports Mom Survival Guide)

Charts and Ideas to Keep Track of Chores

Once you’ve thought through the best chores for your kids, the next step would be to teach them what is expected and establish a pattern of everyone helping around the house.  After this groundwork, introducing chore charts is the next logical step. I tried introducing chore charts right off the bat and found that we just weren’t consistent because the pattern wasn’t established first. We have to lay the foundation, and then we can build on it.

My kids each have 5 chores to help around the house each day, in addition to taking their plates to the sink after mealtimes and cleaning up their toys as they finish playing with them. I made a magnetic flip chart that lives inside the pantry door that allows them to “close” the task as they complete it. They love being able to flip them shut.

The magnetic chart is what works best for us, but there are tons of options for chore charts. I wanted to keep things simple and effective for my boys. Any method that works for your family is a winner in my book!

What about you? How do you handle chores in your house? Leave your favorite tip or AH-HA moment in the comments!

Following a house cleaning schedule keeps me on track and my brain from sinking into overwhelm. As uninspiring and boring as it sounds, a schedule is what allows me to have the most freedom in my life. I can rest easy knowing everything will get done in its time, and the cleaning to-do’s aren’t piling up on me.

All of this is great to say, but what does this look like functionally?

I don’t know about you, but I can’t keep up with pieces of paper to save my life – possibly because my children use every piece of paper they can find for “art” – but that’s a story for another day. What good is a schedule if you can’t find it?

I (usually!) can always find my phone, though! It helps that it’s bright green and unable to be folded into a paper airplane – but it’s usually nearby wherever I am. With so many apps available, a smartphone is now basically a super-gadget that can do just about anything.
I wanted to share my favorite apps for keeping control of my schedule, so that I always have it right at my fingertips.

Why Apps Are Fantastic for Cleaning Schedules

My Mama brain processes a ton of information every hour – deciding where the line is between letting boys be boys and a trip to the hospital, laughing at made-up jokes that make zero sense, listening to the latest learned fact on a bug, and negotiating bickering kiddos through compromise – just to name a few.

I’m really, REALLY good at remembering things…until I’m not. The fuller my brain gets, the more likely it is to let go of vital facts and reminders.

One Sunday morning as we were preparing to leave for church (in a totally serene and peaceful scene, of course, just like all other ministry families…HA!) I was scrambling around, barking orders to make sure everyone had everything they needed.

“AWANA BOOK?”
“Yes, Mama.”
“WHERE IS YOUR SHOE?”
“GET YOUR OFFERING!!!”
“WHERE DID YOU LEAVE YOUR NOTEBOOK?”
“SERIOUSLY, WHERE IS YOUR SHOE? WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE ON YOUR FEET?”
“TURN YOUR SHIRT AROUND – IT’S ON BACKWARDS! WHERE IS THE TAG?”

This is all in the 30 seconds it took to slap some jelly on a piece of bread for the lunch I was packing, since we had to stay after church for a meeting and the boys needed to be fed. Another 15 minutes like this followed. When we all walked out the door together, presentable and alive, I was mentally high-fiving myself and awarding myself mother of the year.

Until we got to church and I realized that we NEVER FED OUR CHILDREN BREAKFAST.

Oops.

Thank goodness for sweet Sunday School teachers who bring Animal Crackers and Cheese Puffs.

I had remembered approximately 1,000 little things that we needed to take with us, but left out one really big important detail.

Your brain is funny, that way.

I seriously think it collaborates with your children while you aren’t paying attention to sabotage you.

If I can’t remember to feed my own children breakfast, I most certainly can’t be trusted to remember how long it’s been since something was cleaned, and when the next time I’m supposed to do it. It’s exhausting trying to remember EVERYTHING. We have the technology to let it remember for us – why not use it?

Apps remind you when to do things and free up your brain for what really matters!

Favorite Apps

My top three apps I’ve found that work for me are Asana, Todoist, and Google Calendar. I’ve used all three at different points for different purposes, and each has their own perks.

I love the ease of scheduling recurring tasks, so that it will remind me when it’s time to dust or mop again and I don’t have to mentally keep track. (Or honestly, just forget about it all together!) They also give you the ability to share or collaborate with other family members, so you all stay on the same page.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is a great choice when you don’t need a lot of bells and whistles, especially when you’re used to checking your calendar every day. It’s super simple to add in a task at a specific time and set it to recur however often you’d like.

However, it’s not made to be a to do list, so you’re not going to have a lot of the features you may be looking for – like the ability to check off a task. You can, however, set a reminder for each event that will pop up on your phone in advance of the task that is due, which is handy!

My husband and I have our calendars synced, so we can always be up to date with what’s going on, which is also nice.

Asana

Asana is a beast. It’s made to be a project management software for teams to use to collaborate. There is a bit of a learning curve here, since it can do so much, but once you learn it, it does most everything you could ever dream of. I like the ability to create projects, tasks, and subtasks, and they also have a fun little motivator as you check off boxes within the app. Recurring tasks are super easy to make, and they, without fail, pop up in my “Today” section of my tasks as I need them.

I do wish you could get a pop up notification on the app of how many tasks you have left to do, though- you only get that for things in your inbox, and it clears as soon as you open the inbox.

ToDoist

ToDoIst is made for task management. It has a simple interface and works smoothly. I color coded my tasks, so at a glance I could see what kinds of things I had to do each day. A really nice feature in ToDoIst is the “Next 7 Days” overview of what you have coming up.

The app also keeps a tally of how many tasks you have left, and displays this on the app while the app is closed. It was a great visual reminder for me that I still had things left to do, and motivated me to make it disappear. Recurring tasks were no problem here either.

Working Together

On both Asana and ToDoIst, my husband and I shared lists and projects that we were both working on. We had a running grocery list that we could both add to, so as we used the last of something or noticed a particular item was running low, it could be added to the list.

Each app serves a little different purpose, and works a little differently, so it’s all in your personal preferences. I’m currently using Asana to keep track of everything after a long run with ToDoist – simply because I already had to use Asana for other work tasks and I wanted everything in one place.

Final Thoughts

No matter which app you choose, the beauty of this method is that you no longer have to rely on your brain to remember important things, knowing that there will always be a reminder when something is due. You can now use the freed space in your brain for more useful things, like how to evacuate a live salamander from your kids bedroom for example. (Hypothetical, of course. Not pointing any fingers here. AHEM, my kiddos, AHEM.)

Which one of these seems like it would be the best fit for you? If you already have a scheduling app you love, please share in the comments too!

If you’re ready to get started creating the perfect cleaning schedule for YOU, be sure to download Chapter 1 of “A Clean House Without Stress” below!

In case you didn’t know it, kids accumulate stuff like nobody’s business. Kids’ meal toys, gifts from the grandparents, birthdays, Christmas… the list goes on and on. They also spread said “stuff” from one end of the house to the other faster than you can blink, but that’s another story for another day. As much as I dread it, the pile of toys has to be dealt with.

Now, I’m not a neat person by any stretch of the imagination. I have “creative brain,” often leaving plenty of evidence of where I’ve been and every project on which I’m simultaneously working. I seriously doubt my skills and abilities in organizing anything, much less the massive undertaking that is my boy’s room.

But quite frankly, I have a clutter tipping point. Seeing piles upon piles of toys strewn everywhere, wading through legos to help them find their shoes, clothes being “lost” frequently in the mess – I just can’t take the chaos. There’s no method to the madness, and it makes me crazy.

One of my main resistances to tackling the kid’s mess was this idea I had built up of all the whining and complaining I would hear from the boys. I’ve found this funny phenomenon, though – the more toys they have in their room, the less they can find to play with. I’m convinced the sheer volume of things in their room overwhelms them from being able to see individual things.

Something had to give.

Read More

I know some days (ok, maybe most days), the last thing you want to do is follow your cleaning schedule.  There are so many other shiny, fun things vying for your attention that sweeping or scrubbing toilets doesn’t hold a candle to.  

We all know these things have to get done, and it’s so much less stressful to just get it out of the way, instead of allowing things to pile up. However, from personal experience, I know it can be really hard to fight the desire to just put it off.  

One day, I was seriously struggling.  Sweeping and mopping were on the schedule, and honestly, I could care less what the state of my floors looked like.  I was super unmotivated and simply didn’t want to do it.  

They were like little neon signs on my to-do list, making me crinkle up my nose in disgust and look away every time I saw them.  Finally, the time came when everything BUT sweeping and mopping were done on my list, and I just had to bite the bullet.  

And you know what?  The thing I had used so much energy on all day to avoid, the thing that was literally draining the life out of me, only took me 15 minutes.  I had to laugh at all the drama I made over those 15 minutes, and I took to heart a valuable lesson.  Just DO it. (Thanks, Nike!)

When you’re just not feeling it, here are some ideas that just might help you find how to make cleaning fun, and move on with your day.  

How To Make Cleaning Fun

Turn on Some Music

There’s nothing better to get you up and moving than some good tunes.  Crank up your Pandora, Apple Radio, or Spotify Playlist, and groove with a purpose.  Cleaning doesn’t have to be all business all the time!

Have fun with it.  If dancing isn’t your thing – don’t force it.  But don’t be afraid to get silly.  Your kids will crack up as you do the box-step with your broom, but they will also most likely join you in the shenanigans.  And more helpers means you get to move on faster!

Maybe you just need to belt along with the radio.  It takes your mind off the task at hand, and makes time seem to fly by.  Go for it!  You’re in charge here – and your house is your stage.  Get it clean and practice your “Voice” audition you’ve always day-dreamed about.  

No matter what you do with it, music gives you a beat to clean to, helps the time go by so much faster, and gives you a message to focus on while you get things done.  

Set a Timer

If you’re dreading being roped in to hours of cleaning (which is most likely not reality if you’re following a cleaning schedule), set a timer.  Give yourself 10 minutes to get as much done as you possibly can.  

If you’re the competitive type, this is gold.  

You’ll be highly efficient for these 10 minutes, most likely knocking out what has to be done today, and you’ll have a blast trying to beat the clock while doing so.

This is also a great way to involve your littlest helpers.  A five minute race to complete chores is a great way to spice things up and have a blast while taking care of the house.  Kids love the fast aspect, and you can get a ton accomplished in a super short time!

If it doesn’t all happen in the 5-10 minutes, that’s totally ok too!  Give yourself an hour to work on other things, then do another 10 minute blast.  Keep it up until you’re all done for the day.  You’ll hardly even know it’s work.  

Make an Adult “Chore Chart”

For you visual learners, an adult chore chart may be just what you need!  I know it initially sounds a little childish or silly, but visually completing the tasks that need to be done might be just the motivation you’re looking for.  It could be as involved as the kids chore charts, or it could be as simple as simply placing a star sticker on a printable calendar for each day you follow your cleaning schedule.  

It’s another great way to involve the kids, too.  They want to see you succeed. They will ask about the things that need to be done.  They will hold you accountable!  And best case, they might even help you get them done.  

If you need a little extra incentive, too, think about a reward you could trade in for a week or a month’s worth of completed chore charts.  Maybe it’s a night off of dinner duty once a month for finishing that chore chart, or a Mani/Pedi, or treating the family to frozen yogurt.  You know what motivates you – don’t be afraid to cash in on it!

Do the Most Dreaded First

We all have that one thing that we dread.  Laundry, vacuuming, dusting – whatever it is, it just feels like it’s weighing you down.

Don’t let it sit on your head like a boulder.  Commit to yourself to get that one thing done first.  

Once the one thing is done, have a celebration party!  No more negative energy needs to be wasted on this.  It’s not hanging out there trying to ruin your day.  It’s over with and forgotten, and you can happily get on with your day, knowing you’ve tackled the beast.  

While I can’t guarantee these tips will magically make cleaning your house the stuff your dreams are made of, they do help to shift it from a drudgery to a “can-do.”  

What are your tips for getting rid of the dread?  What would you share if someone asked you how to make cleaning fun?

Banish the overwhelm and create a schedule that works for you with my book course, “A Clean House Without Stress.” Check out Chapter 1 for free:

Cleaning the house certainly would not make the list of one of my favorite things.  

However, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that it is, indeed, a necessary evil.

One morning, upon discovering the reality that NO ONE had any clean socks or underwear to put on in the morning, I lost it.  A few (or maybe a hundred) irrational thoughts about who was to blame ran through my frazzled and overwhelmed brain.  

“Why on earth did no one tell me they were wearing their last pair?  

Why do they wear so many clothes?  

Didn’t I JUST wash these people’s things?

No one is grateful for all the work I do around here and NOW they have the NERVE to complain about a lack of clean things?”

After I took a deep breath and came back down to earth, I realized there was no one to blame but myself.  In dividing the household duties, laundry was one of the things, among others, that I agreed to be responsible for.  I was failing at being effective in this task, however, because I was just leaving the job up to chance.  

Why Have A Daily Cleaning Schedule?

I’ve discovered the more I try to not think about all that needs to be taken care of around the house, the more stressed I get.  A nonchalant attitude towards these unpleasant tasks just isn’t going to cut it, friends.  You need a schedule.

I’m not just talking a general to-do list that continues to grow longer and longer, adding to the anxiety.  I’m talking about a daily, simple, actionable schedule that tells you what to do, and WHEN to do it.  

I’ve discovered four huge benefits of not leaving my clean house up to chance, and they continue to remind me that having a schedule is the way to go.   

Having a Plan Manages the Overwhelm

Taking care of a home is a daunting task.  There are so many parts and different things that need to be cleaned.  With no clear direction, I feel the burden of them all just sitting on my shoulders, waiting to be done.

When there are so many things to do just looming out there, I get super overwhelmed.  The slightest interruption to my day can send me into a downward spiral of snapping at everyone I love and just generally being grumpy.

I don’t want to live like that – in a world where minor things can set me off into a negative chain reaction.  Having a schedule takes the load off my shoulders.  Everything has a place, and will get done in its time.  

I don’t have to worry about washing the sheets (or more realistically, when the last time I washed the sheets was, quickly followed by all the mom guilt for allowing everyone to sleep on gross sheets for who knows how long…and before I know it I’m a failure at everything.  Can anyone relate?), because on sheet day, they get washed.

The burden comes off your shoulders and rests safely in your schedule.

No Panic Deep Cleaning Sessions

Have you ever had a friend drop by unexpectedly and been embarrassed about the state of your house?  Or what about relatives that give you a call as they are on their way for a visit?  I get it – this stuff used to majorly stress me out too.  

As a stay at home mom, I know the expectations are high from the outside.  I try not to let other people have any say over me, but truth be told, I feel like my home is a reflection of me.  Part of my work at home is to take care of the house and be good stewards with what we’ve been entrusted with.

Don’t get me wrong – this doesn’t mean I tie up my self worth in whether or not we would pass a white glove test (because man, would I be a big failure)!  I know what’s seen on the outside (in how I take care of my home) is a reflection of the inside.

The beauty of a daily cleaning schedule is that you’re always company ready.  There’s no need to stress the entire family out for an emergency deep clean when family or friends are dropping in unexpectedly – you’re ready!

Having bite sized chunks of cleaning that you do regularly according to the schedule ensures that nothing is forgotten, or left for too long, on its own.  

You Run Your Home – It Doesn’t Run You

Without a daily schedule, I let things pile up.  Only urgent needs can catch my attention, and get my frazzled efforts to get them back under control.  It’s a vicious cycle – and one that leaves me without the power.  

Knee-jerk reactions are never as powerful as a well thought out response to the problem.  

When you have a schedule that takes care of all the things in your house that need to be done, your energy is so much better served in purposefully moving forward instead of constantly putting out fires.  You stay on top of things, and in control, eliminating the urgency and stress that I used to always associate with cleaning the house.

No one should be a slave to cleaning.  It’s high time we put taking care of the house back in its place, where we can get it done and forget about it.  

It Makes Your House a Haven

We’ve talked about how a daily cleaning schedule decreases your stress, keeps your home ready for surprise visits, and keeps you in control rather than the other way around.  Not only does a daily cleaning schedule keep your home clean and orderly, it keeps you more calm as well.

When Mama isn’t in a cleaning frenzy, it can help to keep the overall tone in the house calm and peaceful, especially in your own heart.  Without the weighty burden of cleaning chores just hanging out there in the future, for me, it frees up more of me to speak and respond gently with my family.  

A schedule isn’t a miracle worker all by itself, but in the hands of a Mama willing to implement it, it can be quite miraculous the changes it can create.  

If you’re ready to try a daily cleaning schedule, but unsure where to start, be sure to get my comprehensive cleaning schedule checklist below!