Organize Household Chores and Free Up the Weekend
To get started organizing house chores, follow these steps. Write down chores by room on a piece of paper while walking around your home. Categorize the list according to occurrence (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly). Prioritize the tasks based on what must be done in order for you to enjoy the weekend.
If you live alone, all the chores are yours unless you decide to pay for services. If you live with other people, have a household meeting and delegate chores.
You are now ready to simplify, organize, file, and clean your way to a relaxing weekend. Follow the suggestions below and start crossing chores off your list.
Simplify. Learn to say, “No.” Do not overbook yourself. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Leave the car in the garage and walk or ride your bicycle to run errands. Each season, sort through clothing, books, games, anything you are storing. Recycle the broken or too old; donate the rest. Chances are if you have not been looking for it, you do not need it. Purchase goods with minimum packaging to decrease garbage. Buy products with multiple purposes. For example, a coffee table in the living room that opens up could be used to store movies, music, or sheets and pillows for overnight guests. Decrease unnecessary consumption. Every material possession creates an additional chore.
Organize. Designate a place for everything in your home and put the item there when not in use. Bins and closet organizers are worth the investment. You can do it yourself or hire a professional. Keep like items together. It will be easier to find them and put them away. For example, office supplies can be neatly kept in a flatware organizer. Furniture situated away from the walls makes it easier to vacuum around and underneath pieces. This arrangement also creates a cozier, more intimate seating and conversation area. Have one calendar where all birthdays, appointments, and chore reminders are noted.
File. Setup a filing area complete with folders, pens/pencils, tape, stapler, staples, scissors, stamps, envelopes, checks, paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands, and a shredder. Designate one folder for each bill. Setup online bill payment. Keep one folder for all review or follow-up items. Open mail up daily and either file away or put in the review folder. Get rid of junk mail and catalogues. Store all warranty and product brochures in one box for easy access. Archive in a closet documents no longer needed on a weekly basis such as tax returns and real estate documents. Each year shred all unnecessary paperwork to decrease storage bulk.
Clean. Remove shoes when entering your home. Invest in microfiber cloths or cut up old towels and t-shirts. This will save money and trees. Use a multi-purpose cleaner whenever possible. Carrying around one item is easier than toting around an entire bucket of cleansers. Choose an environmentally safe cleaner to keep your house and your body clean. Keep items displayed at a minimum so there is less to dust and surface tops are easily accessible. Most allergy sufferers are sensitive to dust. Do laundry as each load arises so it does not pile up. Clean as you go. By the time the weekend arrives, you will have no chores remaining on your list.
How does one get it all done during the week? Here are some tips on using your time wisely to keep a clean home. Load and run dishwasher in the evening. Unload dishwasher in the morning while coffee or tea is brewing. Pay bills online while drinking coffee and eating breakfast. Clean the shower while in it. Keep cloths throughout the home for quick dusting and wiping out of sinks. Run a load of wash while eating dinner. Fold the load of wash while listening to music or watching television. Vacuum high area rooms daily or every other day to minimize dust build up.
With a little preparation, your household chores will not consume your weekend. Create a weekly schedule that suits you and success will be inevitable. Cheers to a chore free weekend!
