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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Create cleaning procedures for each room

On Tuesday I mentioned my children and I have very different ideas of what it means to "clean" a bathroom.

I would send them to clean the bathroom, only to find soap scum on the sink, water spots on the mirror and gross stuff in other places.  Realizing that "clean" is apparently subjective, I decided to create a bathroom cleaning procedure. 

So I didn't miss anything, I took a notepad with me to clean my own bathroom.  I wrote everything down, in the order it was done.  Then I tweaked it, and made sure the language was specific and simple enough so there no misunderstanding.

The first time they had my list, I stayed close in order to clarify.  Because somehow, "clean all parts of the toilet" still was open to interpretation.  Hence even greater clarification.  You'll note I clearly say not to clean the bowl. 

This procedure list has come in handy, and I'd like to share it with you today.

Hope this sparks some ideas to ease communication and get your house clean.  That's a win-win situation in my book. 

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

3 comments:

  1. What a fabulous idea! Do you have lists for each room in your home? Are there specfic days for each area? I run an in home preschool and daycare and I feel like I spend a good majority of my time cleaning. A schedule like this could definately help. How old were your children when they began to assist? I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old. While I would not have them using chemicals to clean, maybe I could modify each room with tasks that are age appropriate. We have just begun having them assist at dinner time by setting the table and clearing the plates when we are done. Even though these two small tasks are simple, it has been such a huge help! (Especially since I just broke my foot in a bad mototrcycle accident.) Hhmmm...you definately got this mama's wheels turning! Thanks! :)

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  2. What a fantastic idea, thank you so much for sharing!

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  3. For those with small children...I have six year old twins and a 3 year old. All of them will help to sort laundry into color appropriate piles and they can load the washing machine with the clothes (I measure soap). The six year olds can empty the dishwasher and put the dishes away, not just pile them on the counter. They can also load the dishwasher with dirty dishes. Once I've folded the laundry they each put away their own clothes including putting things that get hung up. The 3 year old can't do this part and sometimes the 6 yr olds have trouble with hangers but they get the majority of it without help. They each have a chart and are responsible for getting themselves dressed, bed made, teeth brushed and hair combed by themselves. I will help as needed but they take these things very seriously as daddy has initiated an allowance each week since they turned six. I've also found that the cleaner wipes such as clorox wipes are great for this age. I can give them a wipe and tell them to go wipe down xyz...they love it! Sometimes, it's just fingerprints on walls or door frames.

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