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MarilynW
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| Posted: Nov 10 2007 at 6:51pm | IP Logged
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I would love some opinions as to how to organize housework, shopping etc so that it is easier to do with a happy spirit. Our major cleaning day is Saturday - and it is also my grocery shopping day. I end up being in a not very kind mood on Saturdays as I am doing all this in between soccer games and ballet - I feel totally overwhelmed.
Today - I did not do any of the above as mastitis hit..again. But I actually was so much happier and relaxed as I did not feel overwhelmed with work.
How do you organize your shopping, cleaning etc?
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Marilyn
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Theresa
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| Posted: Nov 10 2007 at 6:58pm | IP Logged
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Oh Marilyn, I am sorry that you are dealing with Mastitis. I myself have never experienced it, but I have heard how painful and flu like feeling it can cause you to feel.
First I would say to ask the Holy Spirit to help you with both your scheduling and outlook. He is our counselor and helper and He is faithful. Ask for creative ideas and times to accomplish things in a way that is less stressful.
Secondly... talk with friends (like you've done here) and then take those responses to the Lord. Maybe there is something in their scheduling that you could use, maybe not.
Also you could do a google search, there are some great ideas out there.
How much are your children involved in the day to day upkeep of the home? Are there some things that they could be doing to help out (a bit more?).
Do you menu plan? Doing this makes shopping much easier.
I can't wait to hear what some of the other ladies will share here as well.
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folklaur
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| Posted: Nov 10 2007 at 7:32pm | IP Logged
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Prayers for the mastitis....I had it once and I was so sick!
Anyway - growing up, my Mom always did the "cleaning day" on Fridays...she always wanted to leave Saturday open to do all the fun things that only occur on Sat. We also had out dinner that night (chinese or pizza, usually)....
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kristina
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| Posted: Nov 10 2007 at 7:58pm | IP Logged
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Marilyn,
Our big grocery shop is often done on Wednesday nights. Our parish has an evening mass that night. One or two of our children go to mass with me. It is shorter, so it is a good training time if any of them struggle with being "wiggly" at mass on Sundays. After mass we stop for a hot chocolate (and coffee for me) and then we head to the market for the "big" shop. When we arrive home, everyone helps unpack.
I figure that my husband is away from us for work during week and by the time he gets home the day is shot. I even worked two nights/week and was scheduled during the week to leave the weekends available. Saturday and Sundays are my husband's full days off so I like to maximize our time together, not waste them by doing exhausting, separate things. Sometimes we take turns skipping out on a Saturday morning, but those errands are quick and we also make a "date" out of those times also with a child or two. We have five children, too, and we find that one on one time so special.
For some reason most of the cleaning happens on Mondays. I think it is the subconscious idea of beginning a new week with a clean home. Laundry is usually two loads each day and we all try to help with the folding and putting away. As the children have gotten older, they have been a little bit more helpful with the housekeeping.
I'm not saying that I am perfect about getting everything done, but this routine was sort of working for us (well it was until I broke my ankle  ).
I'm so sorry you are suffering from mastitis. I will offer up a prayer for you.
Blessings,
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Ruth
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| Posted: Nov 10 2007 at 8:12pm | IP Logged
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Oh my goodness! Not again. You're in my prayers.
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PDyer
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| Posted: Nov 10 2007 at 9:53pm | IP Logged
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I'm so sorry you're feeling poorly!
I find it extremely overwhelming to try to clean the whole house in one day. We tried that method and it just didn't work for us at all. I'm back to cleaning daily, doing 'focus rooms', Monday through Saturday (except when we have a swim meet on Saturday). I found this idea here at 4real, I think. Anyway, I made lists of the jobs that my husband and I feel must be done weekly (only those necessary so we don't feel we're living in a pit) and divided them up amongst the three of us (kids and me). Every day around 2 we break for cleaning and bang through the list for one area only.
The kids like it because they know what is expected and it won't take alllllll dayyyyyy loooonnnnggg, and I like it because if I miss a day I know we'll catch it next week. Flylady monthly zones are too far apart for me.
I grocery shop in the evening while my kids are at practice. The grocery store is around the corner from the pool. 
Hope this helps!
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Patty
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JuliaT
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| Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 7:38am | IP Logged
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My cleaning schedule is the same as Patty's. I used to do it all in one day but I started to dread Sat's with a vengeance to the point where I would procrastinate and then nothing would get done. So now I do one or two rooms(depending on size) a day. This is working out so much better.
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3(8,6,4)
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Willa
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I try to clean in increments during the week. A half hour or so every afternoon.
Also, I get the kids involved, and count it as part of their homeschool (life skills, character development, whatever). They clean the house twice a week, and they do daily maintenance chores as well. Yours are younger than mine, but kids older than seven can be pretty helpful and the younger ones enjoy the process even if the result isn't the greatest.
My husband and I sometimes do the big household-maintenance or yard type projects on Saturday, but those aren't drudgery and don't usually seem so wearying to me as the normal housecleaning.
Stores are so crowded on Saturdays and Sundays. We try to stay away from them then if we possibly can. I know it's hard to find an alternative if that's the only time your dh can watch the kids or whatever. BUt that will definitely be a stressor.
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Angie Mc
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I food shop on Tuesday and Wednesday. I rotate Tuesday (Costco) or Wednesday (Sprouts because they have double sales on Wed.) plus one Walmart run (which is close to my home) on the matching Tuesday or Wednesday. We tidy up the house daily - ideally our home needs to be "done" before we leave it. I have several baskets to catch stray stuff that are emptied daily. We Speed Clean on Friday mornings (~1.5 hours) with my 8yo doing dusting and floors with me, 12yo does the kitchen (and has for at least 3 years, and 15yo does bathrooms. Saturday morning we pick a family home project to do in the morning until ~ noon (this past Saturday we sorted through all the children's clothes - not my favorite so dad did it.) Saturday afternoons are for fun. Also, I have one family management Saturday a month - usually the first Saturday of the month. We stay away from any weekly cleaning or shopping on Saturdays  ...just too discouraging.
I just re-read my post and it sounds like we really have our act together...but the truth is, our standard isn't very high, we often miss our mark, and sometimes we get thrown for complete loops (like when dealing with 8yo's broken nose and all that entailed.) This whole system has grown over the years and for the most part, works for us. Even when we get off track, I'm not as stressed as I used to be because I know we have something to come back to that works for us.
Praying that you are feeling better, Marilyn.
Love,
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Lori B
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| Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 11:55am | IP Logged
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The only time we clean the entire house in one day is if we are having guests to stay overnight and Hubby helps.
I have a bad back and a dust allergy that triggers asthma. Ironically, due to my allergies (and my son's) we need to keep the housework 'caught up', but doing the actual cleaning makes me feel awful. I used to try and do it all in one day to get it overwith, but I was feeling totally overwhelmed, just like you say. Our weekends are also full of hockey practices and games (three of the kids play), so I was always exhausted and feeling miserable even though Hubby was helping out.
What we have finally found that works is a 'daily job'-
Monday is catch-up-on-the-laundry-and-put-away-the-weekend-messes day, Tuesday the girls and I iron and mend, and Hubby and my son do trash and recycling duty (the trucks come Wednesday morning). Wednesday we tidy, dust and vacuum the rec room and guest room (both in the basement), Thursday we tidy, dust and vacuum the upstairs family room and bedrooms and change the sheets. Friday we tidy, dust and vacuum the main floor (kitchen, pantry, laundry, living room and entranceway). Hubby does the bathrooms Saturday with help from the kids.
That list looks like we're cleaning all week long  but it takes less than an hour a day (and is usually broken up into 15min here-and-there), and keeps our weekends open. There is also very little that I actually do- I help with the tidying, but the kids dust and vacuum. I do the difficult ironing and mending, the girls do the rest. The 12yo helps the younger two with their sheets, and they all fold and put away their own laundry while I do mine and Hubby's.
I do groceries either Wednesday or Thursday evenings after supper. I don't drive, so Hubby drops me off and returns home to clean up the kichen (and play street hockey with the kids ), then picks me up an hour or so later. One of the kids comes with me to push the cart, get a free cookie at the bakery, and spend some chat time with Mommy.
The house is far from perfect (which is why we have to tidy before we can dust and vacuum ) but the major things are kept under control.
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PDyer
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Angie Mc wrote:
| I just re-read my post and it sounds like we really have our act together... |
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I had to come back to this thread and post because I thought the exact same thing today as I used my flex focus room time to clean the inside of my frig. If I really had it all together the inside of my frig wouldn't have looked like it did. 
It's better now.
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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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MarilynW
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| Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 8:04pm | IP Logged
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Thank you everyone for your suggestions.
My kids do help out - we have a daily schedule so bathrooms get wiped down every day and our main level is swivel swept and tidied up after school every day too. The kids take turn with kitchen chores every meal. I had kept Saturday as the day for me to clean the kitchen and all the bathrooms "properly" and the kids to tidy and vacuum their rooms and the basement.
But I realize how much I have come to dread Saturdays and that I have to do something different. The flylady routine did not really work for me. But may be I will split up some of the "deep cleaning" during the week. Also my husband works from home one day a week, so I will try to grocery shop then - easier with one or two children than with 5.
When I was expecting I did do chores during the week and we had weekends completely free - and it was so much less stressful. My husband does help me with vacuuming and mopping the main level on our "deep clean" day but we are discussing how to do this during the week. I think we really need to keep the weekends clear for each other and family time.
It is funny - even with the mastitis I enjoyed the Saturday more because I did not have the stress of doing too much. The house did not get its "deep clean" - but things are still standing!
I just have to figure out a way to get my kids - my boys especially to do their chores quickly so that they do not take all day for something that could take 15 minutes 
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Marilyn
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Topic: How to clean house with a good attitude?
