You have tried them all, I’m sure. I have too! I am here to show you how you can ditch the chore charts and checklists.
You don’t need one more thing to manage, mama! Chore charts, routines, checklists, sticker sheets, treasure bins, reward tokens, and any other clever way parents have been trying to entice their kids into helping around the house over the years.
Keep reading to see how you can build habits to make keeping house not feel like such a chore.
Recently, I ditched them and am all the better for it!
I cannot keep up with remembering to add a sticker for every chore completed or who earned how much of what this week. Every “system” and chore chart I have tried has begun with best intentions and ended in utter failure.
So, what? How do I keep the family involved in the process of cleaning house?
MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR
It first started with me. I had to get my own approach to keeping up with the house down. I had lost my housekeeping mojo after having our last two kids close together (18 months) and then moving across the state and wrapping my head and heart around staying in our rental instead of buying a house right away. Long story.
I digress. This past year has been a year of getting my “mojo” back and in finding my old habits and routines, I have found my homemaking rhythm again! I had been hunting for the perfect chore chart or cleaning routine and trying all these different approaches. They weren’t working and I found myself feeling like a failure.
But then I got thinking about my days of running a home daycare and how I managed to keep our house clean with 6 bonus kids visiting our house 5 days a week. I started shifting my mindset back to the approach I had back then and the chore charts and checklists went into the trash can!
Once I got my own routine and habits back in place, I just brought the kids in on it with me. When I am in one of my cleaning windows or zones, I give each of the kids a task to complete. Once they are done I do a quick run through and make sure it is all good. If not, I use it as a teaching opportunity for them and if so, we are done!
WHAT DOES NO CHORE CHARTS OR CHECKLISTS REALLY LOOK LIKE?
I’m glad you asked!
I can tell you what I do and then see if that inspires and makes sense for your family situation!
It starts with my weekly routine. I have daily tasks that are simple but make a big impact in the feel of our home. As a part of my own daily rhythm I rotate laundry, swish and swipe the bathrooms, vacuum, do a couple of quick tidies, and empty the sink. I have then zoned out our home and given each day a zone to focus in.
MONDAY
Monday is the bathrooms. We all know how to clean bathrooms so this isn’t instructional, but by only having to really worry about the bathrooms they get done quickly and efficiently. And I don’t feel like my whole day is spent cleaning.
I have the youngest empty the trash cans and re-line them, the middle son wipes down the sinks and mirrors, and the oldest cleans the showers and toilets. Then I come through and sweep/mop/tidy/restock and polish it all up.
TUESDAY
Our bedroom gets some TLC on this day. I wash our bedding, remove clutter, dust, and vacuum. I may have one of the boys come in and wipe down baseboards or wash windows, but I usually leave this space to just me. There is something about sprucing up our room that just makes me feel so excited about the cozy evening hours. Crawling in to fresh sheets beside my hubby is a great way to end the day.
WEDNESDAY
This is the day the boys tackle their rooms. I give them a lot of ownership in their rooms. They have crafts and projects, LEGO creations, drawings, and treasures. While we feel their rooms should feel like theirs, we also expect them to keep it tidy and well-managed.
This is the day their sheets get washed, things that end up under their beds come out and get taken care of, and they weed through all of their latest creations to decide what stays and what goes. They sweep and mop, dust, and clean their windows. Then I come through for any last minute attentions.
THURSDAY
Our front room gets shined up on Thursdays. For us, this is almost half of the house! Ha! It is our kitchen, dining nook, and living room. By doing my daily routine, this space stays pretty tidy through the week. We spend a lot of time in it so it gets daily attention naturally.
On this day, we go through the fridge and clean it up, wipe down appliances, clear clutter, dust, mop, wash windows and doors, deep vacuum, and vacuum couches. This is the kind of day that you crank the music up on your Echo or Wonderboom and get to work.
I chose this day strategically because we don’t have anywhere to be on these days so even if our homeschool day runs slower or longer, we don’t feel rushed.
FRIDAY
This is outside and van day! The kids run through the yard picking up any stray toys or debris. Then we head to the van to empty it out, wipe it down, and vacuum out all the crud. It always feels great to have a clean vehicle going in to the weekend.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY?
It’s the weekend and has it’s own projects and outings. I don’t worry about making things happen on a schedule or routine these days. It is time for relaxing, adventuring, church and fellowship, and family time.
“HOW DO I MAKE THIS WORK FOR ME?”
Start with you! Define your daily tasks. Pick 3-5 things you do every day that make you feel more able to relax. Is it having an empty sink at the end of the day? Do you feel best if your bathrooms are always ready for a visitor? Is having clear flat surfaces a must for you? Once you establish these daily things, you can move on to zoning out your home.
This has to be specific to you and your family. Our houses aren’t the same size, nor do our lives function in the same rhythm. Think about your week and what days are already packed versus which days are more calm. Put the easier zones on the busier days so you are less likely to feel overwhelmed. Save the bigger zones for the calmer days.
If you have a large home or larger family, consider doing a 10-14 day rotation. Rely on your daily tasks for the overall tidiness of your home, the zones are for the deeper cleaning. By doing this, it doesn’t feel overwhelming because you are just working in one area each day. If you skip a day, no biggie. Just do the next zone or push the rotation back one day.
BREAK IT INTO BITE SIZED PIECES
This isn’t a checklist, but jot down your top 3 deep clean things for each zone. What bare minimum can you do to make this zone shine? Then, write down 2 more medium-priority things for each zone that would be a bonus if you did them. Lastly, think about 1 or 2 specialty tasks that would make this zone da bomb! Doing this just puts the tasks in your mind until they become habit.
You now have a reference to keep you focused each time you come to that zone. Depending on the amount of time you have that day, you can do your top 3, best 5, or go all out!
All you have to do now is invite (or assign) the kids to join in! Easier said than done? Maybe, but with time and consistency, it will become the norm. Will they grumble and complain? I can pretty much guarantee it. But these are the moments that we impart character on our kids. They will face many moments in their lives with tasks they don’t WANT to do, yet they must.
We can only model our own attitude toward these sometimes mundane tasks, and make it as fun as possible. Music helps! Or challenges. Set a timer and race to see who can finish their task first. Bake cookies and see if you can beat the oven timer with whatever zone you are in. Then you have a tasty treat waiting for you when you are done.
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” – Colossians 3:17
BONUS TIPS FOR THE KIDS
Mopping – If they are too small to push a handled mop, fill the sink with some warm soapy water. Throw in some old wash rags, ring them so they aren’t dripping, and then toss them onto the floor in different spots. Let the kids have fun “painting the floor” with their soapy washrags!
Dusting – Give each of the kids an old sock on one hand and tell them their other hand is “the CLAW.” Show them to use their “CLAW” to gently pick up items or move them as they use their mitt to dust. You could also use a microfiber dusting mitt if you don’t have old socks lying around.
Bathrooms – Keep a container of kid friendly surface wipes in the bathroom under the sink. Then, anytime, you can have them go in and wipe things down in a quick and no-fuss way! I love these from Hello Bello!
Bedrooms – Teach your kids to make their beds each morning and tidy up their rooms before dinner each day. The same way you have daily tasks to keep a handle on things, equip them to do the same. This is also a time to consider how much stuff they have. They more things they have, the more to maintain. It is also overwhelming to them when everything unravels and feels like so much to clean up. Having just a few of their favorite things makes for quick control of messes.
Kitchen – Think of what is at their level. Lower vertical surfaces, faces of appliances, table tops and counter tops; these are all areas where the kids can be big helps. Give the younger ones some warm soapy rags to wipe down the cabinet fronts and countertops. Have the bigger kids go through the fridge hunting for forgotten leftovers and empty condiment bottles.
Cleaners and chemicals – I recommend homemade or all natural cleaners, especially for when the kids are helping. When in doubt, warm soapy water is great.
Set yourself free from managing chore charts and checklists. You don’t need one more thing to maintain. It may take a few weeks of using and tweaking this mindset for your family, but once it becomes habit and the kids expect to be helping along side you, it will feel second nature and amazing!
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