Helps for a Well-Run Home

The approaching holiday season, current holiday season is pretty much in full-swing since Thanksgiving is already over and Christmas activities are ramping up. This time, probably more than any other, causes women to freak out about the state of their home. But rather than just fix up the problems for a few hours when company is coming why not FIX the problem so your family can enjoy the benefits? 

I want to have a well-run home and I don't want to be crazy doing it.  Nobody benefits from "Crazy Mama." You all know one. It's not pretty. 

How to not be crazy. 

1. Know the goal.  Our home is not a museum. I don't want it to be a museum; I want it to be home. I could have unattainable standards and be frustrated over life. Instead I realize that we will blocks scattered around the house and toys that need picked up. That's ok. 

2. Have a cleaning schedule. Right now we are cleaning on Mondays. Before we did a little every day. I'm sure that over the years this will change again. And again. But find what works for you where you are. 

Commit to something and do it. Tweak it along the way but don't wait for something perfect to start cleaning regularly. 

3. Do laundry regularly. Start a load as soon as you get up. I do most of our laundry on Mondays but average a load every day the rest of the week. 

Teach your children not to unfold your just-folded laundry. Don't make yourself crazy! For that matter, teach them to help you pick up and clean too. 

4. Have a meal plan. There are a variety of methods for this. I print out a two week calendar and write in the meals. You can keep it on the computer. You can just list seven to fifteen meals and cycle through them. You can use meal plans that you pay for. Do something and shop accordingly. 

5. Add in a little at a time. Don't decide to revolutionize your homemaking in a week, especially not these weeks before Christmas. Pick one thing and start it. Then next week, pick another. 

6. Clean your kitchen after meals and before bed. There's nothing nicer than a clean kitchen. And nothing more discouraging then a dirty one. 

This is what I want my kitchen to look like when we're done using it. And yes, I do have fall decorations up and a Christmas centerpiece. It's a work in progress. 

7. A little is better than nothing. Can't do it all that day or week? Just do what you can.  Do something even if you can't do it all. 

8. If you clean the house well every week if you have to skip a week it won't be a big deal. Say, "we'll get to it next week" and then go on with life. 

9.  Remember what's important. People aren't coming to your house to criticize (and if they are, they will find something regardless! You should probably find new friends in that case too). They are coming to enjoy your family's company.


Should I think of something else to have a number 10? Maybe, but that about covers it. I think it's interesting that half of the list is actual physical tasks and the rest is mental. How we think about what we do matters.  

Don't be a crazy lady- at least if you can help it!- keep that house in line!