I Cor. 14:40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
I've always joked and said this should be my mom's life verse. She has an uncanny gift of keeping things 'orderly'. Because I've not been blessed to afford a house keeper, and HAVE been blessed with four children... I have had to learn my own way of orderliness. Over the years, I have picked up some tips from friends and from reading.
I thought I might occasionally share some of my ideas so that I may have the opportunity to help another younger woman. Having Bible Study in my home once a week helped to force me to apply these ideas and so, I know they work. Hope this post helps one other woman be a better 'keeper of her home'♥
First and foremost, is my all time favorite tip, one I invented myself (though someone else probably has used this). I call it 'the 5 Minute Power Clean! This is the easiest, quickest, way to involve all family members in the job without it being burdensome. This is how it goes... when everyone begins to prepare for bed... announce "Five Minute Power Clean!". Everyone must get up, and before going to their room, pick up any thing and everything that is theirs or that they got out. If you do this every day, you won't have the phantom house messer-upper who makes and mess and nobody knows who did it. Everyone will remember who used that particular milky glass on the coffee table if you have a power clean within 24 hours of their using it. Otherwise, folks forget they were the ones that got that glass out. Sometimes, you have to point out items, because everyone gets so used to seeing things around that they don't notice them. Try to make sure the floor and all table/surfaces are cleared. This alone enables you to be able to get up the next morning and dust off a few things or vacuum without spending an entire hour putting everyone else's things away. It also makes your family members more aware of their surroundings and their responsibility for it. Just having floors cleared up and surfaces cleared will make you feel more comfortable when someone unexpectedly drops by for a visit. If things are out, they are usually being used that day... and haven't been sitting in 'that pile' for over a week.
Now, I realize that what is going to happen is that you are going to have a bit of a crisis when there is a group of things that nobody knows quite where to put. So, for the time being, give yourself a break... and we will get to the particulars later.
In the mean time... give your family the idea of the 5 minute power clean.... give them time to get used to it. Give them a sense that there are zones in a house.... the private zones, and the public zones. Their bedrooms are their private area... but, their belongings go in that private area. The common areas... the kitchen , den, dining room, must be kept free from 'private' clutter in order for the entire family to enjoy them. Explain to younger children that if every family member left so much 'personal' stuff in the common areas... there is no way we , as a family could use or enjoy that space. Respecting this teaches them responsibility and if they are in camp situations, college dorms, etc... they will have already learned to be accountable for their own possessions.
Hope this helps some of you. It sure has been a life saver for me.
Two reminders before I leave this subject...
1.) Don't do power cleans when the family is very tired, very busy, or on their way out the door to school. Choose your time wisely , and before bedtime.
2.) Sometimes... usually once a month... a FIVE minute power clean need to be a TWENTY minute power clean.... :)
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