Keepers of Your Haven
When I was first married the hardest thing for me to learn was how to manage my home. As women, we are called to be managers of our home. This means keeping it clean, laundry done, breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided for my family. We wear many hats as the manager of a home. We are housekeepers, chefs, clothes cleaners, teachers, gardeners, seamstresses, nurses, counselors and so much more.
When I go on vacation seeing people cleaning the hotel lobby, arriving at a room with fresh linen, clean towels, and everything so inviting. Going to the restaurant I smell the delicious food being prepared receiving a meal that looks and tastes so yummy that I post a picture and review it immediately on social media. I’m reminded this is my job in my home. I am to create a haven for my family. Our home should be as inviting as that hotel. The meals I prepare should smell, look, and taste so yummy my family wants to post them on social media.
For me, I didn’t have a clue how to make this happen. When I was first married there was no internet or YouTube. Luckily, young women today have these tools. The Internet is a great place to start to learn. You can learn how to be a good housekeeper, gardener, chef, seamstress, and more using the Internet as your teacher.
Years later, after the internet, I heard about Flylady and began to use this system. it wasn't perfect, but it helped me a lot. Recently, I heard about Clean Mama. I liked this system also. I was able to combine the parts I liked from both to make a system that worked for me. The zones of Flylady were overwhelming for me. Using the monthly focus, from Clean Mama, on a different area of my home to deep clean and unclutter was much less overwhelming for me than the zones.
I love getting up and getting ready with hair and makeup each day. Also, going through each room of my home picking up and resetting it each day as recommended by Flylady. For me doing this in the morning not the evening worked best. I also liked wiping down all the counters in my home daily as suggested by Clean Mama to attain an inviting environment in my home.
If you struggle with maintaining your home the way you want. Go to Flylady and Clean Mama study each routine and decide what routine will work for you. You may completely like one system and go with it. You may combine the two to make your routine. Either way, find a routine that works for you making your home run smoothly and creating a haven for you and your family.
This is the schedule that has worked for me.
Daily Schedule
Daily reset
Weekly chores
work-hospital (I work outside the home)
work-blog/vlog
Evening routine
Monthly Refresh- One or more hours a week as needed. (The more you do this the less you will have to tackle monthly)
Daily Reset
-Shower (if not done the night before)
-Wash face, comb hair, and put makeup on.
- While putting on makeup I spray the shower and the toilet down to soak. Then wipe the counter, mirror, shower, and swish the toilet after I'm done with my makeup and hair.
-Make my bed
- Breakfast/lunch packed for hubby
-House walk through- pick up any clutter, and dishes quickly putting everything back where it should be. Loading the dishwasher or washing the dishes if needed then wiping off the counters and the sink.
-Breakfast and Bible time for me
-Exercise
-Relax
Weekly Chores, writing blog/vlog, or workday outside the home (if a workday do the weekly chores after work or move to another day. Be flexible! Rome wasn’t built in a day.)
Evening Routine
-Make dinner
-Pack lunches from leftovers as I put the food away
-Do the dishes, wipe the counter, and table. Vacuum the floor in the eating area/kitchen if needed.
-Relax
Weekly Chores
Monday
Laundry
Inventory of the refrigerator and the pantry
Make a weekly menu and grocery list
Tuesday
Market /errands
Wednesday
Dust
Thursday
Floors mopping and vacuuming
Friday
Bake and cook
Saturday
Catch up on anything that didn’t get done.
Do crafts, sewing, anything you choose.
Sunday
Rest
Monthly refresh (Do this as time allows. Be flexible, you can skip a week if needed, or complete a big monthly task such as painting a room.)
January
living room /family room
February
Bathrooms
March
Bedrooms
April
Kitchen
May
porches /garage
June
living room/ family room
July
Bathrooms
August
Bedrooms
September
Kitchen
October
Catch up on anything you may have missed, or porches and garage if needed.
November and December
Enjoy Your Holidays!
I hope you all will spend time looking at different cleaning routines. Once you get into your fit you will find cleaning is easier because things won’t pile up where you can't see light at the end of the tunnel. Be blessed everyone and I pray blessings over each of your havens.
