Routines - Updated for 2011-2012

I don't know why, but as September nears every year, I start to feel like it is the start of a new year.  The only thing I can figure is that I taught school for 8 years so, really, the year did start in September!!  I find that I refocus, make new lists, new plans, and new goals.  This year, the summer r.e.a.l.l.y. slowed me down due to the heat.  I began to even wonder if it was just me and I had gotten lazy or something.  Thankfully, it finally cooled off and I discovered that it was totally the heat because my to do list started to show up again, I started to get things done and the kids actually will play again instead of clinging to me all day whining begging for relief from the heat too!  I've revamped my routines again and wanted to share them.  This original idea came from Flylady and I plan on getting back into her routine again too.  That way I can keep up with the zone tasks and deep cleaning. 

Now, I created my basic routines about 4 or 5 years ago and than, as my life has changed, I've updated and changed them to fit my current place.  After really evaluating some things, I moved items around in order to save me some time and also try to fit some things in that really need to get done. 

Morning Routine

This takes place from the time I get up until . . .it is done!

Get up

Make Bed

Walk on Treadmill

Take a shower and get ready -dressed to my shoes bare feet (Flylady say to dress to your shoes but I highly dislike wearing shoes.  I keep a pair of flip flops by the door to slip on if I have to run outside but otherwise, no shoes!)

Do swish and swipe (swish the toilet and swipe the counters = a clean bathroom everyday)

Have breakfast and quiet time

Get kids up and Fed (I plan on starting little routines with them this year too - using pictures to help them out!)

Run the vacuum over the open flooring areas (This was one of my simplify plans - plus it is a way to get a little more exercise in so I'm really going to push to get this done!)

Get laundry going (each day I do a specific group of laundry so I only have 1-2 loads a day)

Afternoon Routine

This routine begins with lunch and ends once everything is cleaned up

Empty Dishwasher - I used to do this in the morning but I was finding that I was spending way too much time in the kitchen so now I wait until lunch time to really take care of emptying/filling the dishwasher and all of the other tasks involved.

Clean up kitchen

Make Lunch

Get any dinner items ready that are needed

Clean of table and high chair

Get Mail

Feed Strat (our outdoor cat)

Do a clutter check - walk through the house and make sure everything is put away.

Evening Routine

This routine begins with dinner and ends when clean up is done

Make Dinner

Clean up after dinner

Run dishwasher

Make water

Feed Misty and China (animals)

Sweep Kitchen Floor

Daily Routines

Monday: Wash towels and Blankets; Run Errands (either in the afternoon if Darryl gets home early or after the boys go to bed) ; Write menu

Tuesday: Wash our clothes; Zone and Deep Cleaning focus day

Wednesday: Empty Trash and Change Sheets

Thursday: Wash Kids clothes; Pay bills and balance checkbook; Write grocery list

Friday: Wash our clothes; Do Weekly Home Blessing Hour.

Pretty simple :-)  I also am trying to work in something new called "Do just 1 thing" - I am assigning a day of the week to each room/area and am trying to do one specific thing in that room each week.  For example, I focus on the kitchen on Tuesdays so tomorrow I want to go through all of the kitchen drawers, run everything through the dishwasher, bleach the inside and outside of the drawer and declutter the stuff I have, only putting back what I love.  In reality, other than waiting for the dishwasher to run, this should only take me about 15-20 minutes.  I decided that if I could tackle one cleaning project that I don't normally get to in a room each week, nothing will build up, it will just be clean! 

What are you doing to get ready for fall?