Secrets to a Clean House!

I was SO tired of spending my whole day cleaning. It was getting to a point where I was starting to fall behind. I wasn't making any headway because I was simply struggling to maintain, so nothing new was getting done.

I started to reread The Parenting Breakthrough by Merrilee Boyack. *FYI For anyone with kids 3 and over I HIGHLY, HIGHLY suggest this book. I got about half way through, found the section of the book I was looking for and put my plan into action. Got everything ready and went to bed anticipating the morning.

Yesterday morning I sat down with the family and had a "Family Home Morning". I told them I was done being their maid, that I was done being the only one who cleans, and from this point onward they were going to help. Then I introduced them to their chore list. On top of their regular maintenance chores (making their beds, brushing teeth, putting clothes away, keeping room clean); each of the 3 older kids has 2 daily chores that MUST be completed before it's time to leave for school, they also have 1 weekly chore that MUST be completed before bed on Saturday night. I also introduced a dishwasher unloading rotation and a table setting/cleaning program. That sounds very complicated, but really it all is very simple.

Our table setting for the next month looks like this:
Savanna: plates/bowls, and condiments as needed.
Cyndel: silverware and hot pads if needed.
Bash: cups

Everyone puts away their own dishes and 3 other items from the table...Dad does the pots if they don't fit in the dishwasher and turns the dishwasher on (which he does every night already so that isn't a stretch). Mom washes the table once it is all clean.

Dishwasher rotation:
Sunday - Sanjay
Monday - Candice
Tuesday - Savanna
Wednesday - Savanna
Thursday - Cyndel (with My help)
Friday - Cyndel (with My help)
Saturday - Sanjay

Dishwasher gets unloaded first thing in the morning so it is ready to go for the days dishes. If it doesn't get unloaded first thing in the morning, you get that added bonus of loading it with all the piled up dishes!

Weekly Chores:
Savanna: wipe down doors and handles
Cyndel: wipe down coffee and end tables.

Daily Chores:

Each chore is designated for an entire month, so that there is no skimping out on it because "Whoever does it next week can pick up the slack".

Savanna: swish and swipe the kids bathroom. This entails cleaning the toilet in and out every morning, and wiping down the sink and counter every morning. She also has to vacuum. I have broken the house down into sections and she has to vacuum a section everyday.

Cyndel: she has to dust and put the recycling out.

Bash: he has to empty both bathroom garbage into the main garbage every morning, he also has to feed the dog every morning.


After one day this has been sensational. Last night at bedtime this is what I heard.

"CYNDEEEEL......you got toothpaste all over the edge of the sink. I just cleaned the sink this morning. MOOOOOM. Cyndel made a mess in my clean sink."

Okay, I didn't even make an attempt not to laugh. When I was done laughing I put my hand on Savanna's shoulder and very straight faced (or as straight faced as I could get) said. "I know how frustrating it is to see a mess when you have just cleaned. However this is no longer my concern. You have to take this up with Cyndel. Kindly talk to her about your frustrations, and show her how to help you keep it clean. Show her how to spit and then rinse the sink out." And with that I walked away!


Now I just have to help foster the habits and literally watch the house get clean before my eyes.