Daily Chore List

A couple of weeks ago, I posted my housekeeping loop plan - a list of chores that I work through a little at a time. They include the "heavier" cleaning chores, like dusting, mopping, and wiping kitchen cabinets. That list takes me on average about two weeks to get through. And I must point out that when I say I "get through the list in two weeks".... I actually don't. I skip several things on that list every week: sometimes because I decide it doesn't need doing, sometimes because I run out of time or just don't feel like doing it.  The list is really more of a goal than an actual set-in-stone-this-is-how-we-do-it list. Also, as I pointed out in that post, I limit myself to a 30-minute stretch of housework per day, during which time I just work through the list. Obviously, I could spend way more time, but there is only so much time I want to dedicate to cleaning!

Of course, there is a lot more to keeping a household running than the deeper cleaning jobs, and the heart of my system is really my daily checklist. I start working on this in the morning before our lessons and continue when I have a free moment here and there. I don't always get to all of this either, I just like having a list to help me remember what needs doing.  I actually have three lists, one for morning, one for noontime, and one for late afternoon.

Morning

• Set out breakfast makings & vitamins

• Quick tidy of downstairs

• Unload dishwasher

• Morning "farm chores" - my husband does these

• Start a load of laundry

• Make bed, tidy bedroom - the kids do their own rooms

• Water houseplants

• Sweep downstairs, vacuum as needed

• Quick wipe down of bathrooms - sinks & toilets

• Pick up kitchen & wipe counters after breakfast

• Check that kids have completed chores - they are in charge of their rooms and feeding the pets

Noon

• Sort mail

• Work on laundry

• Make & clean-up lunch

• Quick tidy up

• Animal care jobs  - refilling water and goat hay, gathering eggs, and exercising the dog (the kids do these)

• Dinner prep - sometimes I need to get the crockpot going or do some other early prep if we are going to be out until dinnertime

• Pack to go out- if we are heading out later I like to start getting ready now- sports gear, snacks, water bottles, library books, shopping lists, etc..

Night

• Empty dishwasher

• Check on animals - Provide new bedding & clean water as needed, collect eggs

• Tidy up house

• Finish laundry & put away

• Jot something down in journal about today

• Make dinner & clean-up

• Feed dog, shut up outdoor animals for night

 Laundry is really an all day affair. My laundry post  is still very relevant. We have three goats, 21 chickens, 5 ducks, a dog, cat, and a fish.... that is why there is so much animal care built into our days!