Author |
Message |
Skootz
Member
07-23-2003
| Friday, May 04, 2007 - 4:28 am
You are doing awesome Vee. My morning routine consists of getting out of bed at 6. (don't make the bed - dh is usually still there) grab my clothes on the dresser - which I picked out the night before. I head downstairs hair, teeth etc., then I get the paper, coffee and computer. I leave the office at 7 or so and get kids ready and off to school. I then make lunches, clean out any dry dishes in the sink, get out stuff for my day at work or if I am home just do some pick up at home or help one of the kids with their homework etc. and get them off to school - 8:15 - gone to work if it is a work day, otherwise I am home, I have laundry on and then do some quick clean up of kids shoes, coats, hot spots etc., I then get in my head what I want to do in the morning and go from there. I try to get as much done in the morning as possible because that is my best time to get up and go. Today, my house needs a bit of clean up in each room, may be I will set the timer and give myself 10 minutes per room, that will get a lot done. One thing that gets me working is that I put headphones on and music. Then I cannot hear background noises and I find it easier to concentrate on the task at hand. I like looking at Kelly's missions because they give you little tasks that you forget or don't do. Have a great day all!!!
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Y2krazy
Member
09-17-2002
| Friday, May 04, 2007 - 11:30 am
Here's an idea that may help some of you. I have a "delicate" laundry bag for each member of our family (me, DH, and DS) for dirty sox. On laundry day the bag is zipped up, thrown in washer. Everyone can then match their own socks and I have less to do. No more hunting for missing socks.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Friday, May 04, 2007 - 6:46 pm
UM daily routine? I guess I sorta kinda have one. It all depends on if I get up with hubby or sleep a little later. If I get up with hubby: I sit on the couch trying to wake up. If I wake up enough and he wants I make him breakfast. If I'm not awake or he wants cereal or bagel, he fixes his breakfast. If he needs a shirt ironed I iron him a shirt and grumble to myself "why didn't you just iron them all when you took them out of the dryer and how many flippin days until Memorial day?". [Memorial day - Labor day is business casual if he doesn't have a hearing, shirt and tie if he does.] If he doesn't need a shirt ironed I tell myself "thank you VERY much for making yourself iron more than one shirt. How many days until Memorial day?" Then I pack his lunch, get him a mug of coffee, make sure he has his cell, badge, and keys. After he leaves I make the bed then I take care of the sink. Breakfast dishes, and any left from supper the night before. Yes alot of times there are dishes in the sink. With me not working I'd rather let them set in the sink and spend time with hubby. Alot of times I get up because I can't sleep and if so I take care of them then. After taking care of the dishes [either washing them or loading them into the dishwasher], I wipe the stove off, wipe the counters, spot clean the cupboards [I hate white cupboards but at least I keep them wiped on a more regualr basis.], then I scrub the sink. Quick sweep of the floors upstairs then I head downstairs. Scoop the litter boxes, sweep the laundry room floor, then quick vacuum around the litter boxes and what little walk way we have in the family room. [total wreck, but until hubby paints, or at least decides what color he wants to paint it will be most of the furniture pushed into the center of the room] IF I can talk myself into it I ride the exercise bike for 1/2 hour but that hasn't happened much lately. Then I head back upstairs, clean the bathroom sink, toilet on Fridays and Mondays unless it needs it more often, sweep, then hop in the shower. Oh I don't believe in dust pans. I sweep into a pile then use the dust buster. If I sleep in - pffft. It takes me triple time to do all the above. Mondays and Fridays I clean a little more in depth. Friday because my hubby is going to be home all weekend and Monday because he has been home all weekend. *L* I don't have any special routine for laundry. Usually do his dress clothes Mondays while hubby is gone to work. The rest of the laundry is whenever I have a load full and we're not downstairs watching TV. Usually try to do it when he's at work.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Friday, May 04, 2007 - 7:40 pm
My daily routine is so messed up its not funny. It changes from day to day depending on what I'm doing here and at my aunts, from my nephew being here to not being here, to the kids being sick or not (they've had some kind of stomach bug the last few days, started with my nieces and they shared it with Caleb and Kota.)
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Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 10:32 am
Y2, that is a very good idea. Now, if you can tell us how you trained the other members of your family to do that, I'd be all ears. LOL! Serate, you're a character. You had me laughing with that description of your day. You are one busy woman! Wargod, you're busy and flexible. I won't worry about you. Hope that the kids are all feeling better soon.
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Vacanick
Member
07-12-2004
| Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 11:11 am
I've been cleaning all morning. It's our Saturday routine. We try to keep up during the week but we always catch up on Saturday mornings. Wash the bed sheets & the dog. :o)) Sunday is always our day of rest!
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Y2krazy
Member
09-17-2002
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 8:24 am
I won't put the sox through the washer, dryer, or match them unless they are in the bags!! They can do it themselves if they don't want to do it my way. LOL This particular method works well with other things as well. (If you don't like dinner that is fine, you can fix yourself something else....if you carp about it....you are preparing dinner tomorrow) That one works really well. I don't expect everyone to like everything...however, I don't want to hear a lot of complaining about dinner. And there has never been complaints about my cooking..
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 8:34 am
Sigh, I won't be washing/drying socks at all today. My dryer has stopped turning yet again. We fixed it last time, but I'm not sure if we will this time or just suck it up and buy a new one.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 11:18 am
Blah, we woke up and our fridge is full of water and everything is warm and the frost free freezer is ice cold but full of frost - like INCHES of it.
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Urgrace
Member
08-19-2000
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 12:18 pm
Ack War and serate! We went through that stuff in Jan, Feb and April this year, too. Now we have a new fridge, new washer/dryer, and dh wants a new dishwasher but I'm putting that one off and doing them by hand. I figure that way all the appliances won't break down at the same time next time. Y2, there were similar rules at my house, too. If the socks weren't turned right side out I wouldn't wash them. If the socks and other things weren't in the hamper, they wouldn't get washed. If they didn't want me in their room, they could do their own laundry. And then there was the kitchen duties. If I cook they clean up. If they cook I clean up. If we cook together, we clean up together. Or they had a choice of cooking, dishes, or cleaning the bathroom! LOL I found giving them a choice of chores to choose from helped get the jobs done. I always participated, too. (My mom would hand out chores, then sit on the sofa and read a magazine, with a threat of unmentionable punishments for not completing the assignment.) My boys learned how to take care of themselves that way. Both boys had to help their girls learn how to cook. Yesterday I took a stroll through the Dollar Tree and picked up some oven mitts. It seems like they get used and grimy looking pretty fast at my house, even with regular washing. Now we'll see if my $3 was well spent.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 12:58 pm
Sigh, well I'm sending Darren off right now to buy a new dryer. Last time we fixed it it cost us $60. If it'd have kept working for awhile that'd have been worth it, but having it break down, both of us figure it's probably cheaper in the long run to give in and buy a new one. Besides which, Sundays are my day to do the kids school clothes and Darren's work clothes. If I had to do linens, towels, or heck even my clothes (cuz I can pretty much stay home tomorrow if I had to, lol) I might be willing to let him take the old one apart and see what it'd take to fix it.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 2:19 pm
Well dang. Darren bought a dryer, but they don't have it in store so we have to wait til Tuesday or Wednesday to pick it up. My neighbors though have offered to let me throw a load of laundry in their dryer so Darren and the kidlets will be ok for a few days.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Sunday, May 06, 2007 - 8:01 pm
Found a dorm sized fridge at Sam's for a really good price and it's all fridge no freezer. Were going to get one for downstairs anyway so it's not a useless purchase. Have to wait 24 hours to plug it in because we had to lay it on it's side, then another 8 to cool. I had plugged the deep freeze in [were trying to wait until dining room was painted] Friday as I bought 20# ground beef that I vacuum packed yesterday, so I transferred most everything from the freezer to the deep freeze that's sitting in the middle of my kitchen. Threw away almost a half a gallon of milk, some Miracle Whip, ranch dressing, and leftovers. The rest is in a cooler. When we got back from getting the little fridge, hubby organized the small bedroom aka junk house, then moved all but the table and paint supplies into it. Tomorrow I'll prime then soon as I find out when I can paint after priming I'll paint. Then we'll decide if we want a black fridge or a white one. [kitchen will be the same color as dining room] We'll eventually get a new stove and microwave/vent hood. We weren't planning on the fridge dying and the stove scares the whoopdy doops outta me, and we can't figure out how to use the micro, but that can wait, a fridge can't. Dishwasher is white but blends in ok with the white cupboards so won't worry about it for now. Urgrace my favorite pair of oven mitts I paid $2.50 for last year. The ones my hubby bought me for Christmas [step kids picked out] cost $10 each and are worthless so hopefully you'll have as good of luck as I did with my good buy.
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Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Monday, May 07, 2007 - 4:15 am
*The Kitchen—May 7–11* *Monday's Mission* Oh no! Looks as if it was a rough weekend on appliances. Hope that it all turns out to be a blessing in disguise for everybody. Acckkk, I've never heard about such carnage in one short weekend. LOL! Thanks, Y2, for telling us your method. It does sound as if it would work on a number of levels. All you parents out there struggling with not getting the help you need, pay heed here. You know who you are! Vacanick, sounds as if you do your *house blessing* on Saturday mornings...that's perfect for a working gal. Since Sunday is the only day that the contractor isn't here, I have been doing mine then. Whatever works! Technically, it's a Monday chore. Happy Fluttering!
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Monday, May 07, 2007 - 7:41 am
My bed is made. That's the only thing that has gone right today. After a bunch of little piddly things going wrong, I got everything ready to paint the dining room, including drop cloths down, plastic taped to the cove base. Noticed I hadn't taken down the return air vent. Of course, like everything else it was painted over. So I scored it like I did the one in our bedroom. Hubby had loosened the screws for me so it was easy going but even after the screws it was still stuck. So I was scoring it again and it fell off. It pulled a bunch of wallpaper AND sheetrock off. We knew there was wallpaper on the lower part of the walls because you could see where it was papered up to where a chair rail would have been. Looks as if when they painted yellow [before the nasty tan that is on it now] they did take the vent off but put the vent back on while the yellow was still wet. So I'm waiting until hubby gets home to see if it can be patched or what we are going to have to do. Socks. Hubby learned the hard way [I've been doing his laundry since I met him almost 9 years ago] that how he takes his socks off is how they get washed/dried. If they are inside out, that's how they get matched up and pulled together. If they are balled up, that's how they get washed and dried. If balled up socks aren't dry when the rest is dry, they get put in his drawer wet. Been about 8 3/4 years since he found wet socks in his drawer. Not as hard on his kids as we only see them a couple times a year and I don't want to be a nag the few times I get to do their laundry.
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Urgrace
Member
08-19-2000
| Monday, May 07, 2007 - 12:06 pm
Had a million errands to run this morning, including a visit to the coffee shop, so most of today's chores were put on hold. Two of the three beds were washed on Saturday, while the remaining bed is now in the wash and pillows outside getting a sun bath. The dishes, counters and floor are washed, but the cobwebs may still remain. I'll have to go back and check. Two sinks were shined. It's supposed to be a paperwork day, so I did manage to do some of it. Went to the bank. Paid the cable bill, also went to the post office and UPS store to send out Mother's Day stuff to Mom, sisters and best friend. Not sure how much more will get done today.
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Skootz
Member
07-23-2003
| Monday, May 07, 2007 - 2:39 pm
I just know that Kelly is going to mention the stove/oven for cleaning this week...ack. I have been holding off on cleaning my oven for many, many months now...in fact I cannot remember the last time I cleaned the "oven" yikes. I am home Wednesday morning...I have a feeling that I will be doing that then. Just as long as I get the cleaner sprayed on the night before I go to bed. Didn't do much at home today, worked all day (long day) Home tonight, but supper/dishes are done with. Kids are done homework early tonight too. So if I don't get too tired, may putter around a bit here...otherwise it is shower and relax as I am working all day tomorrow again.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Monday, May 07, 2007 - 6:41 pm
Nothing. I've got nothing done today. Zip, zilch, nada. Picked up my nephew at 8am, figured when he left at noon I could do my work. Ended up over at my aunts all afternoon. Nephew's mommy went over to help since they were shoveling and I can't do that. I ended up bringing him back here because she's still over there and also both my nieces. I don't see getting anything done til they leave, in fact, I have been picking up after all five of them for the last hour and haven't seemed to have made any progress, lol!
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Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Tuesday, May 08, 2007 - 3:09 am
*Sneak Peek* Morning, Flutterers all! I had to send you to Sneak Peek today because, last time I checked, Kelly's missions had gone straight to Friday. Now we'll get to read all of the missions at once and see if Skootz is correct about oven cleaning...I certainly hope not! Are you all on the same wavelength or something? First the appliances and now the best laid plans go awry? Don't you worry, you're never behind. Never. Just start where you are. Ya gotta love FlyLady's sayings. Happy Tuesday!
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Y2krazy
Member
09-17-2002
| Tuesday, May 08, 2007 - 10:24 am
I'm doing much better at doing at least 15 minutes of something. Getting better at lighting fire under DH and DS to do at least that amount as well....usually means we're getting 45 minutes a day of de-cluttering going on.
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Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 2:58 am
*Wednesday's Mission* Definitely doing this mission since it's also trash day. How convenient! Y2krazy, you have discovered the secret on a couple of levels! Fifteen minutes is so doable and getting dh and ds to do it along with you is inspired. And you've already told us how you managed that. LOL! Yup, I think we could all learn a thing or two from you. I just learned that my local library is having its book sale on the 26th of this month. That means that four boxes of books are heading out soon. Yay! Enjoy your Wednesday and don't stop fluttering now!
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Skootz
Member
07-23-2003
| Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 3:10 am
Well I am home this morning, so have to get some laundry done, however I have to leave around noon to pick up 2 oldest kids for hearing assessment appointment, then rush home to a meeting tonight. I have am planning on putting in the slow cooker a pot roast yum yum. Will do a quick run around the house and straighten and clean up today. (forgot to put the oven cleaner in the oven last night) so will have to try and remember to do that on Thursday evening. My fridge is not too bad, I will check if there is any food to be thrown out, but since it is still new, it is not bad for dirty.
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Serenity
Member
06-28-2005
| Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 7:16 am
You all are so inspiring! I just had to pop in here and say that I have been reading and that you are all motivating me to do stuff around my house. I am taking night classes this summer at the university, but I will have my days available to get organized. I am also motivated to get my house and yard in order because property prices have just about doubled in the four years since we have lived here. We are in a "transition' neighbourhood that is being renovated by young homebuyers. If DH and I are going to sell our house in the next two years, we need to finish our basement in order to get maximum value for our house. We have the best yard on the street (park-like backyard on a double lot with a playstructure and large deck), so we know our house can be prime real estate if we fix it up. All this means that I will be clearing clutter out of the basement so that we can begin the construction this summer. This past weekend we had a garge sale and I got rid of 350+ books plus other nick-nacks I no longer need. I also have a huge pile of unusable junk for the landfill. Hopefully DH can get a trailer to haul it away this Saturday. It feels good to purge all of my old unusable items. I am worried though that I may burn out. Baby steps, right??? It will all pay off in the end though. I know from experience. In January we gutted our kitchen and DH reconstructed a very functional space for us. Having such an orderly space makes it easy to have a shiny sink!
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Serenity
Member
06-28-2005
| Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 7:33 am
Some pictures of my new kitchen... Before the Renovation we had the fridge, stove, and sink all squished together and very little counter space. DH moved the stove and we got a microwave/hood fan combo. That means no more microwave cluttering the counter, yeah!! The cuboards were salvaged from my Mom's farm. They had been sitting in her shed for four years and mice were living in them. We stripped them clean, re-surfaced them, painted them white and added crown moulding to the tops. I also went from a 1950 porcelain sink to a new shiny one. The old wall colour was a mint green (hard to tell in picture) and the new colour is a sandy yellow one. DH also built our new countertop himself. Old:
New:

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Vee
Member
02-23-2004
| Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 7:43 am
Thanks, Serenity, for sharing your kitchen before and afters. No wonder your kitchen is easier to keep clean...your dh made you a very efficient triangle. It really looks super! That little guy in the corner is awfully cute, too. Sounds as if you can declutter your basement easily in a summer if you use the babysteps method. No sense in burning out. Just tackle one little section at a time. Welcome to our little corner; so glad that you decided to post.
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