Cleaning Schedule Re-Boot...

I feel like I have been neglecting my house- more specifically neglecting cleaning my house up to my standards.

I used to have a cleaning schedule but then I got pregnant and tired and pretty much started to wing it when it came to cleaning. Now, I feel like I need to get back on the schedule wagon. Not only does having a schedule make life less stressful for me but it also keeps me accountable for what I do (and don't) get done. I am the type of person that if it's not on a list it most likely won't get done- I need to see things written out for my brain to make the connection that they need to get done. It it also a motivator to have lists because who doesn't like the moral boost when you check something off?

Here is my new cleaning schedule:

Sunday: Family Day- no major cleaning
Monday: vacuum and mop downstairs, clean kitchen
Tuesday: clean bathrooms
Wednesday: dry dust downstairs, vacuum and mop downstairs
Thursday: change sheets, dry dust upstairs, vacuum upstairs
Friday: vacuum and mop downstairs, clean dining room
Saturday: Work all day- no cleaning

Things to do everyday: make beds, laundry as needed, wipe down kitchen counters as needed
Things to do bi-weekly: clean guinea pig cage, clean dog's bowls
Things to do monthly: wash comforters/extra blankets on beds

This is a pretty basic cleaning schedule but I think it will work well for me going forward. What is great is that if I miss cleaning say the whole bathroom one week at least I know that I will get to hit what I missed the next week.

Next, I am going to make an updated list on what needs to get done before our little bundle of joy arrives in November... am I the only one who thinks time is just flying by way too fast?

photo credit

Make a List and Check It Twice...

Yesterday I decided to go through my house and make a list of non-food items that we are running low on. Lately I have been the queen of thinking we have a ton of something (q-tips being the most recent example) and then realizing once we totally run out that I have none.

Surprisingly, for someone who has not been participating in the drugstore game for many, many, many months, I still have a decent sized stockpile of toothpaste, razors, feminine care products, makeup, hair styling products and cleaning products. I suppose my gung-ho coupon craziness in my previous life wasn't actually hoarding, but it was me preparing for the day when I would be too lazy to chase deals. As far as diapers and wipes go, my mom is really into couponing and has been stocking me up on both (yeah, mom!). Toilet paper and paper towels have also been covered due to the fact that I bought a ton from Quill.com for pretty cheap (about .30 a roll for toilet paper and less than .50 a roll for paper towels- my huge order should last us a really long time and now I have the peace of mind knowing that we have it and that I don't have to search for deals on it).

Here is my list of things that we will be needing in the near future:

dish soap (have none left- emergency situation)
shampoo (have half a bottle left- emergency situation)
q-tips (just bought some but will keep and eye out for more- price to beat is Target brand $4.04 for 750)
deodorant (men's and women's)
shaving cream (have three bottles left but this stuff goes fast)
women's body wash (have one bottle but if no deals come up I can just use my husband's)
face wash for my husband (he only uses a certain brand- so darn picky)
conditioner (have two bottles left)
bar soap (have two bars left)
flushable wipes (have 4 packages left- my son loves to use ten wipes at a time to clean his butt)

Now that I have my list I can easily keep an eye out for deals on these items so that (hopefully) in the future we won't be running out of anything and I (gasp) won't be paying full price for anything.

It's a Girl!

Today I had my big ultrasound appointment and as my four year old son would say- the baby does not have a wiener.

We are having a little baby girl and she looks healthy and even peed while they were trying to take a picture of her bladder. My husband and I are excited but wow does this whole pregnancy really feel real to me now. In less than 18 weeks I'll have a little baby to add to my brood of monsters.

Tonight I pulled out two bins of my son's old clothing and sorted it into things that will be donated (so far one trash bag full) and things that will be sold (I'm selling all of the name brand stuff). The two bins are just sizes 2T through 4T and I am pretty sure there are at least three more big bins of clothing in the basement of smaller sizes. Once that is done I will go through my daughter's clothing to see what can be used for the new baby (my daughter was born in June and the baby will be born in November). I have a feeling that I will have to buy a lot of clothes but that is all right because I love buying little girl clothes and I'm sure I can rustle up some great deals at Baby Gap if I start buying now (only on clearance with a coupon of course).

I guess it is now full steam ahead with baby preparations- now only if I could muster up a little energy to get stuff done...

So Very Boring- I Have a Cleaning Schedule

On my journey to regain the person I once was (the responsible one- not the binge drinking one) I have decided to follow a household cleaning schedule.

It really seems quite dorky (and it is) but it will keep things more organized and clean. I have turned into the type of person that if it isn't written down on a list I won't do it so now I have my list.

Here is a breakdown:

Monday: Dining Room

Tuesday: Bathrooms

Wednesday: Family Room/Play Room and the Computer Room/daughter's play room

Thursday: Kitchen

Friday: Bedrooms

Saturday: I work all day so no cleaning for me

Sunday: Family day

Each room I clean will include dusting, mopping and vacuuming. I am going to try and mop the kitchen floor at least every other day and vacuum the downstairs everyday.

I started following my schedule on Tuesday and so far so good. I figure that things will go quicker as a go along because this week I was doing a very thorough cleaning but from here on out if I miss something one week I can always get it the next week.

I also have a guinea pig whose cage I must clean every two weeks. I just might have to write this crap out on a calender. I will feel really cool to have a calender that has all of my cleaning duties on it- next stop, high waisted and tapered leg mom jeans. But please, someone have an intervention for me if I start wearing high waisted, full coverage underwear or join the PTA.