A Traditional Housekeeping Schedule

How do you keep your home clean, tidy and running smoothly? I am infinitely happier and enjoy my day-to-day so much more when our home is humming. Doesn't that word just fit? In my mind, a humming home is one that is not just clean, but also well-organized, cozy, inviting, well-stocked and truly tidy. Since my unemployment ended, J and I have rearranged our lives so that I'm at home and not working at all. It's the best thing for our family at this point, and it definitely won't be forever, so I'm embracing it fully. I have decided to master the art of being a homemaker. Or, domestic engineer if that sits better with you. 

I was remarking to my mom that I want to set up a routine where I change the beds and wash all the bedding on Monday, clean the kitchen on Tuesday, clean the bathroom Wednesday, dust, vacuum and mop the bedrooms Thursday and dust, vacuum and mop the living room on Friday. In addition, I'd like to do one or two loads of laundry and two declutter/tidy pomodori per day. That way, with a couple of hours each day, I can maintain a humming home without ever letting it become a complete pig sty or having to spend five or six hours cleaning on a Saturday while J takes the kids on a hike and I miss out. My mom's response? "It's just like the song we sang when we were little. 'Monday is for washing...Tuesday is for dusting...'" to which I responded with a probing, inquisitive look and immediately Googled "traditional housekeeping schedule."  

So...it turns out this is totally a thing! And now I officially feel like a 1950's housewife. Yikes! But, in all seriousness, I have been wanting to get a schedule going like this ever since Coco was about Theo's age. Now that we have two little people making messes and generating laundry, it's more necessary than ever. 

I've found schedules like this one, but I'm not interested in including the weekends. (Heck no!) I also found this one which is intriguing and includes a day for grocery shopping and errands. But I need to tweak so that it fits with Theo's naps, Coco's ballet class, school drop-off time and includes the kids. I realize that now when they're tiny is the time to get them involved in household chores. And, lest you're worried about J's involvement, just know that he cleans the kitchen every evening after dinner; he also does the bath and bed routine every night; he participates in the general tidying daily; and he makes me coffee every morning. So don't think for a second that he gets a hall pass on cleaning just because I'm at home. ;)

I'm working on a schedule that's going to work for us in the hopes that it will make life easier and more enjoyable for everyone, but mostly me. I want a dedicated time for everything so that nothing gets overlooked and I have a plan in place at the start of each day. Doesn't that sound lovely? 

Some day, I'll go back to work and this won't be my reality any longer, but for now I'm totally geeking out on my domestic engineer position. ;) Help me out! How do you manage your household - cleaning, errands, laundry, tidying? How do you involve your children? I really do have to laugh out loud. It's like playing house, but with real children!  

(Gorgeous kitchen photo via La Mini Maison)