It's been well over a year since we moved into our house, but I can finally say that after living here for a year and struggling with housework it's all finally under control.
We had just become pregnant while we were on our hunt for a house over a year ago. I was deathly ill and couldn't go anywhere without threatening to puke on the driveway. I often did. I was sick and tired and tired and sick and couldn't manage to do any housework or unpacking when we finally moved in. I mostly just slept and stayed near the bathroom.
Fast forward into the pregnancy and I was finally feeling good when my hips started to hurt. I thought it was just normal pregnancy aches and pains but the pain progressed. Because of my car accident years ago, it's difficult for me to carry around the extra weight without the help of a pregnancy support brace. I was put on bedrest and told not do a lot of walking. The housework fell to the wayside.
Fast forward to having a newborn baby. Housework? What's that?
A whole year flew by! Bad habits formed and the house has always been a constant mess in one way or another. And I hate that! Having messy surroundings stresses me out! I needed help.
I needed an action plan!
I created a "chore schedule" for myself to help me keep track of what needs to be done and it's worked beeeaaaauutifully! After a few weeks, I can say that I've been able to keep up with it. I've only assigned a few things each day so that it doesn't feel overwhelming. And it doesn't! It feels totally doable and I feel so... accomplished when I've ticked off everything for the day.
Mondays I bake the bread, vacuum, and dust the house. Tuesday I do laundry. Wednesday I clean the bathrooms. And so on.
It's a beautiful system and I feel in control! I feel accomplished. And I feel like the organized person that I knew I could be with a little help.
Here are a few tips for creating a schedule for yourself:
1) Keep it simple.: I've only added a couple things each day to my schedule to allow time for mishaps and crazy days. I have a 5 month old with reflux. So my crazy days are basically every day!
2) Know your limits!: It's okay to have limits! Embrace them and don't burn yourself out. Think for the long haul.
3) Assess and Reassess: After you've created a schedule and have worked in it for awhile, reassess to see if it's working for you! Does one area of work take longer than you anticipated? Don't be afraid to rearrange to better suit your needs.
4) Be flexible: So you weren't able to finish folding the laundry yesterday... Don't be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back for the things you were able to accomplish and carry on!
5) Rest: Resting is important. I've created Thursday to be my "free" day or rest day. It allows me to mentally relax a bit and work on some "fun" projects around the house that I've been wanting to get to. I also use Thursday as a catch up day if I've gotten a bit behind. It feels good to be all caught up.
Do you use a similar system in your home? What works for you?
xoxo
Talia Christine
