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Motivated Moms chore list

33K views 344 replies 81 participants last post by  Gray's Mommy 
#1 ·
Anyone doing this for 2010? I started in mid-january and like it. Seems to work. Would like to hear from others...
 
#4 ·
Smocked - yes it seems to keep me on top of everything as well. I agree that I don't get EVERYTHING done every week, but I do my best. I am the type to feel overwhelmed when I see boxes not checked off, but yet with this chore list I seem to be able to let it go knowing it will come again. I also really like that the weekends are light. I want that time to be free to hang with the family not do chores.

Poetrylover - it was the best $8 I have ever spent!

I keep the list on the inside of a cabinet, refer to it every morning and check off as I go. Off to check the list.

I will come back to surf on MDC after I get some chores checked off!
 
#5 ·
It looks really good and I am sure it's worth the $8, but right now I have a 12 week old and have a hard time getting one or two tasks done (although a lot of the stuff on the list I do, anyway). I might check it out again when my little guy is not as needy in a few months. Thanks for the link. I'm sure there will come a time when it will prove beneficial to me.

Happy cleaning~~

 
#6 ·
Poetrylover - absolutely just focus on that beautiful baby! My kids are much older - youngest is 6. What I would give to have them be babies just one more day.

Okay, chores are done today. Yeah! Just need to fold & put away the laundry one dried. Gives me an 1/2 hour before getting lunch into the youngest then walking him to school.

Anyone else out there following the plan?
 
#7 ·
I <3 it!
Things have slacked off because of school, but my dad is coming home this weekend from Iraq for a 2 week R & R, and my little sister is having her graduation party on the 8th, so we are all going to pitch in to do a nice deep clean, and then I will do the maintaining with MM.
(DD and I live with my parents, btw)

I use the half-sheet that has the 12 spaces from 8am-8pm. This helps me plan out my day with homework and studying.
 
#8 ·
I just started the other day and so far our house is looking better. Still some unsightly areas, but overall it is taking shape. Our cleaning lady is going to come and be like "now, what do I do?" (she's actually our respite care provider for our son, but cleaning is part of her 'duties')
. Also, it helps having it written out. I've never been able to get around to writing out a chore list and this one was the best I've seen. If something does not apply to my household, I cross it out and write in something that would. For instance: water plants. We have no plants, so I put in: wipe bannisters or wipe light switches. Something pretty equal in exertion. Also, my DH and DD1 are helping out more. DS is autistic and I'm going to have him start helping, but I need to "train" him to do stuff. DD2 is only 1 year old. I like having a list to check off. I tried Flylady, but I kept not doing my routines or the routines would get interrupted. It seems to me that it is really geared to SAH women with no children or school age children who are not home all day or infants too young to mess everything up behind you. The house is getting clean and once it is the way we want it, we can maintain and have more time as a family.
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by clutterwarrior View Post
May I ask, for those who have bought this, are all the pages the same as the pdf sample, as in the same list of daily chores with 7 boxes to tick, except with different dates on the side for each week?
There is the daily stuff that is always the same, but stuff throughout does change. Like every few months it will have have you do stuff like make vet appts, or a big clean out of something. I didn't do it this year but it was a nice reminder to keep me on track with things.
 
#12 ·
what is the real cost for that ? 8 dollars per week ? month ? or 8 dollars per year ?
what do you get for what you pay ?
do you just receive e-mails?
do you have to print your to do-lists at home from your own printer ?
does it come on paper in the regular mail ?

I'm curious about it but would like to know a little bit more about it before I pay anything ...
 
#13 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by IsaFrench View Post
what is the real cost for that ? 8 dollars per week ? month ? or 8 dollars per year ?
what do you get for what you pay ?
do you just receive e-mails?
do you have to print your to do-lists at home from your own printer ?
does it come on paper in the regular mail ?

I'm curious about it but would like to know a little bit more about it before I pay anything ...
It's $8 for the year. I received a pdf and I just print out on my printer a week at a time. I use the weekly list. No emails.

For me, it keeps me on task at home and keeps my home presentable at all times. I already have a mostly decluttered home, so the 1/2 hour or so each week it calls to declutter is enough for me. I also am very good at acomplishing tasks much more so than the fly lady zone idea. It also often has other things in there - like next week - wash bathroom walls. As I said, I like how it breaks things down into simple tasks. Otherwise I look at the fingerprints on ALL my walls and feel overwhelmed....and then nothing gets done.

I have found that I can get my daily chores done by 10-10:30am. That includes getting my kiddos off to school in the morning, cleaning up breakfast etc.. I then have time for a cup of tea, email, read with youngest, or whatever. I take my youngest to Kindy at noon, go for a long walk with the dog, and then come home and shower. Usually have time for another cup of tea before walking to pick up kiddos from school. Pretty much my perfect day.

Ofcourse, I don't work during the week (usually) and my youngest is 6yrs old. Another reason I like this chore list is it is very light on the weekends, which is mostly when I work and if I happen to have the weekend off, I am free to hang with the family. I am sure it isn't for everyone, but it was truly a lifesaver because I found flylady to have quite a frantic feel to it.
 
#14 ·
I've done it in the past (two years) and although I definitely thought it made a difference in my home, I felt that it covered too much of some things (like I think it tells you to empty trash cans everyday) and not enough of others (like I don't remember ever seeing "wash and rehang curtains) I felt like it was too much of the same things over and over so it wasn't worth the $8 for me. I do think it is worth it to try it. I do feel it was a successful program for me when I was trying to get a handle on things.
 
#16 ·
I just bought this (like, Saturday) and I am going to start it tomorrow
I would have started it today but we were doing stuff for Mother's Day and yeah... tomorrow it is! From reading over it I like how everything is broken down into little chores, I can usually get my boys (25 mos and 11 mos) happy for long enough to clean toilets but not neccesarily to do the whole bathroom zone ala FlyLady. We will see how it goes!!
 
#17 ·
I've looked at this a couple of times, but never talked to anyone who had done so. Anyone who has tried it, are you homeschoolers? How does that fit in? 8$ isn't a lot of money. I might just try it.
 
#18 ·
I figured the 8 dollars wasn't a huge waste if I didn't like it
It seems like homeschooling would fit in fine... everything is in little chores, like clean toilets, vacuum main floor, that kind of thing.
 
#19 ·
I just bought my calendar and my dh is picking it up from kinkos today. (I had it printed and spiral-bound for $12.) I'm excited to see how this works for me. I really need a kick in the butt. I've been sick and depressed and have really let my house go. I thought about trying flylady again, but the shoes and zones and trying to get down my morning routine was just too much. Plus I hate the emails and the way they are always selling something.
I'll let you know how I do.
 
#20 ·
Today is my first day trying it and so far I like it a lot!! I like how excercise is included on the list... and there are things I always forget, like changing out hand towels in the bathrooms
 
#21 ·
The only problem I have now is that since the house is staying picked up, I'm noticing "dirt" more
and how shabby and worn some items are
. But, that will pass as I do this longer, I'm sure. And the shabby and worn, as we have the money to replace. I'm considering opening a bank account for the express purpose of it being a "fix up the house" fund. I prefer to save and make do until then rather than just buy on credit. Life-saving surgery--sure, credit, deal later. A big-screen flat panel TV--the old-fashioned CRT TV we have is functional for the few months we save.

I just think of it as a scaffold that I can use to build on. If my son smeared play-doh all over the windows, I'm cleaning them, regardless of whether or not it says "clean windows". I like that it gives me permission to "stop" when I've checked everything off--rather than doing 1 more thing and then I get resentful that no one else is doing a darn thing and enjoying the evening as I'm slaving away...after I put in a full day at the office. My husband also likes it because he SAH and writes novels. I ask him to do certain things--such as make sure the laundry is washed--throw it on the couch to fold in the evening for all I care, dishes get put in the dishwasher, maybe the floor swept and all I get is "when would I have time to write?" This gives a list and the whole thought of "done is done" even when you can see other stuff that needs doing, it can wait--unless it is a health hazard.
 
#22 ·
I am so glad this thread is still going. I just got back in town after a week out of town. My college age dd & dh were home. Ofcourse they didn't really clean anything. BUT, I threw away last weeks list and started chores for the day I returned. Within the first day (monday - cleaning toilets, etc) I felt back on track and not overwhelmed.

To the question about homeschooling, I don't so I am not sure about your schedule. I do have my ds6 home in the morning and he helps. He loves to do chores and cook with me. Ofcourse things are easier with my kids being school age. What gets in the way most are activities, work & volunteering.

Quote:
I just think of it as a scaffold that I can use to build on. If my son smeared play-doh all over the windows, I'm cleaning them, regardless of whether or not it says "clean windows". I like that it gives me permission to "stop" when I've checked everything off--rather than doing 1 more thing and then I get resentful that no one else is doing a darn thing and enjoying the evening as I'm slaving away...after I put in a full day at the office. My husband also likes it because he SAH and writes novels. I ask him to do certain things--such as make sure the laundry is washed--throw it on the couch to fold in the evening for all I care, dishes get put in the dishwasher, maybe the floor swept and all I get is "when would I have time to write?" This gives a list and the whole thought of "done is done" even when you can see other stuff that needs doing, it can wait--unless it is a health hazard.
To above poster - you hit exactly on how I feel. I can look at the checklist and say great, I am done and feel accomplished.

I finished a few extra things yesterday for today so all I have to do is the daily tasks, vacuum the bedrooms and change the kitchen/bathroom towels. I knew today would be jam packed. I like how the list allows me to adjust as needed.

Those that started last week - how is it going?
 
#23 ·
I am on my second week and loving it!!!! We had a friend over a few days ago and for the first time in like... a LONG time I didn't feel like I had to run around cleaning before he came over
I too am noticing some things more now that my house looks better... spots on the walls, scuffed corners of furniture, that sort of thing. My husband has noticed too how much nicer the house looks AND how much less stressed I am which is always a plus. I also like that I can relax knowing I did what was on the list and things will come around that need to be done but I can still do them if they really need to be done
Plus, it has been surprisingly easy to work around even with a 1 and a 2 year old running around!
 
#24 ·
I've been loving my checklist!
For the first time my house is completely clean with almost no effort. It's so easy to just do what is on the list. And of course, it is always easier to keep things clean then it is to let them get completely out of control and then have to start from scratch.
 
#25 ·
The more I think about this, the more I think maybe I should join. But is there a way to check the list off electronically without printing it? Right now my printer's not working. Just wondering.

Also, I am assuming that following the list makes spring cleaning unnecessary, as it's being done little by little all year round?

I like Flylady but I never feel "done," like I can stop cleaning to write or do crafts.

Thanks!
 
#26 ·
I don't think that you can check things off online. If you can I don't know how. I definately understand not feeling done with fly lady. I don't have that feeling with MM. I feel accomplished at the end of the day. I suppose there are some things that don't come up - I haven't seen clean window sills. Gosh knows mine are really dirty from the winter and I am noticing since we can now have the windows open. Last week wiping down bathrooms walls came up. Another time wiping all light switches was listed, so I am thinking it will cover at least some of the spring cleaning type tasks. I was never much of a "spring cleaner" so not sure if it would meet standards. All I know is that I always feel company ready since I started this in January.

I didn't get to wiping the door of the fridge today. Was busy volunteering all morning at the kids school. Maybe tomorrow, maybe not. Otherwise I am on task for the week.
 
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