Homekeeping and the Working Mother

I work away from the home five days a week, leaving me only two days off to spend time with my family. I’ve discovered the things I enjoy doing during those two glorious days: taking the kiddos to the park, having a date night with my husband, enjoying a latte during anearly morning trip to the grocery store, and occasionally sneaking in a pedicure during naptime. I’ve also discovered what I don’t like spending my “off” time doing: cleaning house.

I made the switch from twelve-hour shifts to eight-hour shifts when I became pregnant with my first child. It seemed to make sense: No working weekends or holidays, normal daytime working hours, I could take the kids to preschool or leave work if they were sick or had doctor’s appointments. But I wasn’t able to foreshadow the difficulties I’d have maintaining my home now that I didn’t have days off during the week.

So what did I do? I became a weekend warrior, scrubbing and mopping the grime, chasing the dust bunnies, disinfecting the bathrooms, burying myself in laundry until, at the end of the day, I was a smelly, sweaty mom with no energy left to give to my family. After doing this for about a year, I decided I needed a change and worked on a plan. This plan has since evolved into my weekly cleaning routine, which allows me to split up the chores throughout the weekdays so I’m not wasting my entire weekend on them.

And now I’m going to share it with you… so get your brooms and dustpans ready!

Daily Tasks:

• MAKE THE BED (If there is one thing you must do, this is it. It will instantly calm you – trust me!)
• Wipe down kitchen counters, sinks, and tables (This is where the germs like to hide.)
• Wipe down bathroom counters and sinks (I do this while the girls are playing in the tub – multi-tasking at its best!)
• Sweep high-traffic areas (It prolongs the life of your flooring and makes you not want to wince when you’re walking barefoot…)
• Spend fifteen minutes “picking up” (Toys, stray shoes, etc.)
• Sort mail into pay, file, reply, or toss (I know it’s tempting to just pile it on that clean counter until tomorrow, but don’t do it!)
• Empty trash as needed

Weekly Tasks:

• Monday: Bathrooms (sweep, mop, clean toilets, clean shower/bathtub)
• Tuesday: Kitchen (sweep, mop, wipe down cabinets and handles, wipe down fridge, clean disposal. I wipe mine down and run a lemon wedge in it.)
• Wednesday: Living Areas/Entry (sweep, mop, vacuum, dust all surfaces, shake out mats)
• Thursday: Bedrooms (vacuum, dust all surfaces, tidy up nightstands and dressers)
• Friday: Garden/Outside (sweep sidewalks and patios, tidy up toys, tend to plants as needed)
• Saturday: Laundry (Sheets and Towels. I try to keep up with laundry daily as well, putting a load in the washer when I get up, putting it in the dryer when I get home, and then folding later.)

So, that’s it! Sounds easy right?! I know, I know, it looks like a lot to do, but over time as you get in your own routine it will become second nature to you. You’ll be able to spend more time with the things you love: your family, your friends, and your alcoholic beverage of choice. (Or maybe that’s just me!)

Then again, if this routine doesn’t work for you, there is always a Plan B.

Her name is Helena, and I could give you her number but I’d have to kill ya…

Happy homekeeping!!

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4. A Mother Responds to the Presidential Address to Congress
5. Stay at Home Versus Working Moms