Motivated Moms 2011

[Hopefulmama]

I dabbled with this last year and LOVED it. However, life got in the way and I fell off of the wagon.

So started January 2 I am on it. (Too much going on on the first.)

Any old pros wish to shared your tips and words of wisdom?

Any newbies care to join us?

[monkey's mom]

I ordered it this morning.

I had some trouble with the download and emailed the creator of it. She emailed me right back, we got it squared away, and I am checking the things off the list for today. VERY impressed thus far!

I like how the thinking is taken out of it. I can just go down the list and kick it into gear without having to think, "Hmmm...is that the highest priority today? I should really do xyz today. But abc also really needs doing." LOL And chores like cleaning out my microwave (which has been hanging over my head for.ever.) just got done today. Done and checked off and feeling super good about it.

[elfimka]

I fell off the wagon last year too, but thinking of getting one again this year. Is 2011 plan different from 2010, other than dates?

[snuggly]

Happy New Year and good for you all!  I'm thinking of joining too, but does anyone know if the sample page that covers Jan 2-9th 2011 is the actual program?  (Just wanting to try it and see how realistic it is for me for a week or so before I "invest" the $8 but I also don't want to miss anything...)  TIA!

[clutterwarrior]

Originally Posted by snuggly 

Happy New Year and good for you all!  I'm thinking of joining too, but does anyone know if the sample page that covers Jan 2-9th 2011 is the actual program?  (Just wanting to try it and see how realistic it is for me for a week or so before I "invest" the $8 but I also don't want to miss anything...)  TIA!

I just took a look at the sample pages for 2011...and they are identical to the pages I have for 2010. So yes it is the actual program.

However having said that, every week after that is not the same as those 2 weeks...the chores change slightly from week to week, which I think makes it easier to stick to, as she mixes it up so you don't feel you are doing the same routine constantly which can be mind numbing!
 

[Gray's Mommy]

Doing this one too!! I have 2010's calendar & am trying to rewrite my own version of this for 2011. I think I will just invest the $8 and add my own stuff in though. Can't decide.

[Comtessa]

I'm in too!  I fell in love with MM in May last year but fell off the wagon when I started working P/T in August.  But I'm a SAHM now for the forseeable future, the holiday season is over, and my New Year's Resolution is to make this house livable before baby #2 arrives in a few months.  Count me in!!!

[clutterwarrior]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gray's Mommy 

Doing this one too!! I have 2010's calendar & am trying to rewrite my own version of this for 2011. I think I will just invest the $8 and add my own stuff in though. Can't decide.

I have just printed out my 2010 one again to use this year...it is the same and the date only varies by one day...i.e it says Sunday 3rd when it should be Sunday 2nd...so I figure that won't really make any difference to doing the chores.

As I paid $8 last June and only ended up using the second half of the year, I do want to get more money's worth out of it.

[2lilsweetfoxes]

I just bought the full-size with bible reading.  DH likes having everything laid out, even things that he and I would never think of--scrub faucets anyone?  $7 with a $1 off coupon code LLNOE.

If something absolutely does not apply, I'll substitute something about the same effort-level (ie, water indoor plants becomes wipe light switches)

[crunchy_mama]

Hi guys!  I started it a couple of weeks ago and really, really like it.  I am adding a whole house pickup time to the afternoon as it has to be done daily and the kids clean their rooms daily.  Other than that it seems fairly complete to me.  Things are cleaned well enough and I don't have to spend all day doing it. 

[ChristinaLucia]

I just purchased the 2011 and I am excited to get started!! 

[broodymama]

I just bought my 2011 version.  I had used it a couple years ago, then bought the 2010 version halfway through the year.  My house is so much nicer when I actually print it out and use it, it's totally worth it for me!  Little things that I know need to get done, but just never seem to make it onto my radar.  Wipe down the front of the dishwasher?  I know it needs it and it only takes 30 seconds but it just never crosses my mind when there are so many other things that I need to do, but when I see it pop up on the list I'll get it done.  And then DH notices that it gets done.

[delightedbutterfly]

Has anyone gotten the iphone app? I sampled the 2010 one and I like it, although I wish you could edit in your own chores or change the ones they have for ones you need and I wish they also said how often the chore is done (1x, 2x, 3x a year or 1x a month type thing)...

I just don't have a printer set up and having it on my phone would be so much easier! But it doesn't have any reviews yet...

[lunarlady]

I was tempted by the phone app, but went for HomeRoutines instead. It is a different system (flylady zones) but it was a one time .99 cent purchase instead of $8 a year. And you can edit tasks to suit your house, which was really important to me. If motivated moms allowed editing I would have done that one instead, even with the higher cost.

[mags.bubble]

Still a motivated Mom (at least somedays)! Started early last year and some days or weeks it goes great and others just doesn't get done. But, it is always easy to get back to it and the house cleans up fast when I do.

I did this last year on paper, but bought the iphone app this year. I like it! Alot! Much prefer the app over paper. Also, I can hide tasks that don't apply to me as well as only view the daily versus today or all if I want. I do understand the desire to want to add your own tasks, but I realize that with my personaility that would just make this all the more complicated for me. I like this system, because they took the thinking out of it for me AND won't let me over think it by adding my own tasks. Everything eventualy gets done and the things not on the list that are important to me are likely to get done anyway.  Like many of us on here, I am trying to live a simpler life. More and more I am finding that what that means is too clear my head of clutter (even more so than my house) for me that means not overcomplicating things by becoming the most organized this or that. I love lists, planners, and organizing but realize I often let that bog me down using up my brain power & time. YKWIM? ~Maggie

[broodymama]

I thought about getting the app but decided to just get the paper version again instead.  I like having it posted on the fridge so DS1 and DH can see it and help out with things too, I think they wouldn't be as likely to help out if it were just things to check off on my iPad.

[Comtessa]

You know, it's too bad they don't add extra deep-cleaning items to the list for the first week of January, to catch all of us in our New Year's Resolution fervor!  I'm already done with all my tasks for today AND tomorrow! 

And Maggie, I totally know what you mean about lists being brain-clutter.  That is a serious problem for me, and I have to watch myself constantly to keep out of the trap.  I can spend many happy hours just making lists of things to do... writing them, rewriting them, organizing and categorizing them, color-coding, etc... and never actually get to any of the tasks!  Of all the worst time-sucking things I do in my day, listmaking ranks right up there with MDC. 

Okay, off to start in on Wednesday's list.  I'm like all those people who go to the gym obsessively for the first three weeks of January, then disappear!!!!  But I won't this time, I won't...

[crunchy_mama]

I totally agree with mental clutter.  This is my big reason for starting a program like this, it takes the thinking out of it for me.  The tasks I have added though are simplifying for me though, the kids cleaning their room everyday for just a few minutes saves a lot of hassle rather than waiting until Friday.  Plus, keeping everything picked up daily means that I don't have that physical clutter so much as it stresses me out.  Not to say that it is always perfect, never with 3 kids, but a general pickup daily goes a long way towards keeping things up.

Of course now that we are set to start back to schooling I will have a lot less time.  However, I am fairly happy with my last round of decluttering- hopefully enough to keep me calmed down for a bit!(Although dh started on the basement- as we plan to partially refinish this year- I will try to restrain myself though and do a bit at a time!).

Obviously it is always the challenge to only add things that are helpful and needed.  Rather it is a relationship, a task or something in your home. 
 

Originally Posted by mags.bubble 
I I do understand the desire to want to add your own tasks, but I realize that with my personaility that would just make this all the more complicated for me. I like this system, because they took the thinking out of it for me AND won't let me over think it by adding my own tasks. Everything eventualy gets done and the things not on the list that are important to me are likely to get done anyway.  Like many of us on here, I am trying to live a simpler life. More and more I am finding that what that means is too clear my head of clutter (even more so than my house) for me that means not overcomplicating things by becoming the most organized this or that. I love lists, planners, and organizing but realize I often let that bog me down using up my brain power & time. YKWIM? ~Maggie  

[dayiscoming2006]

I decided to give this a try. I can't figure out where to really get started and could really use a schedule like this to remember everything. Especially with the pregnancy brain that I've had lately.

[snuggly]

Hmmm.  I've been trying the program (via the sample) the last few days and I'm not sure if it will whip my house into shape, drive me crazy, or both!  Here's the thing:  I'm messy but a perfectionist (if that makes any sense).  So I start doing one thing "vacuum the couches" for example, but then I think: "the vacuum is is out anyway and look at these stairs!" Or I clean and toilet and notice the floor around the toilet... Then the bathroom floor... Then the fact that I need to wash the bathmat... and so on.  This would be wonderful- if I had the time!  The problem is that I get caught up then I ignore homework (I'm a student), work (I work from home), or worse, DD.  Balance is so elusive!