It's Tuesday again... so I'm back on Kitchen and Dining room/Classroom. It's a dreary rainy day and I really just want to curl up and sleep, but the floor is sticky and the girls are asleep... so I'll make the best of my time and get down to business. First I want to ask anyone that might be reading... anyone? How do you get your family to pitch in? This is a pretty new thing for us, this whole trying to maintain a really tidy house, and I feel like I am the only person invested in this. Uptown helps but I have to ask him (read: get really upset and then make a snarky comment at him under my breath) and then he is happy (to kick me for being so nasty) to help. At what point does everyone realize that our house looks amazing, and maybe having mom run around and pick up after everyone to maintain this awesomeness isn't fair?
Typically from 1pm until 3pm is when I do my cleaning and organizing. Before I pick up the kids from school the house is beautiful, clean, and almost sparkling. Then the kids get home and all of a sudden there are papers, paint, crayons, shoes, socks, and toys EVERYWHERE! I feel like a broken record as I say, please clean up after yourself, and if I find this on the floor/table again it is going in the trash. I feel like a cranky, nasty tyrant! I tried to explain to Uptown the other day that it would be like me walking into his place of work and moving things and putting them back in all the wrong spots, leaving papers all over and then just going to sit down and watch a movie. Now in Uptown's defense, he works two jobs, and is really not here very much. BUT.... in my defense I am here ALL DAY EVERY DAY. This is my job, this is my place of business, and I never get to leave and go home to relax..... there is no replacement, no substitute, no days off, basically no relief. I know I have chosen this, and I am blissfully happy to be able to stay at home, but at some point it would be nice to get not only myself, but my family to coast through these schedules.
I think for now as we are all still getting use to this whole new schedule/ tyranny, I'll have to relax a little ( a little!) and keep up the reminders and try to re train everyone.
How long does it take to form a habit?
I would love to hear your tips. Please feel free to comment so it doesn't feel like I am talking to myself.
1 comment:
I finally started just tossing everything in the way into a box. If something's missing you want - we'll check the box - if it's there there's a chore for you to do to get it back. While it's no presto-chango it keeps some of the mess picked up and put "away" so that I can focus on my 3 part-time jobs, full-time grad school, and what I'm making for dinner!
I've been "using" the fly-lady system for a couple of years, when I remember to do my routines it helps, but most of the time it sits around until I get sick of it and go on a cleaning binge.
(PS - you know me in real life! "Birdy" is the clue :) tashi dele!)
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