lock everyone outside...
What Tricks Do You Use To Help Your House Run Smoothly (or smoother)?
- Thread starter serendipity22
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #12
with the chickens? NO WAY!!
Well you DID say "house run smoothly," not "COOP run smoothly!"
- Thread starter
- #14
The goose would eat them all...
Hmmmm, there's a thought.....................
Hmmmm, there's a thought.....................
Quote:
heehe...that sounds just like my house!
heehe...that sounds just like my house!
We are a homeschooling family with lots of animals and so we all really have to pull together to get things done. We also have a very special needs child that requires total care. Our 8 year old is th"biggest" helper with everything without complaining. She loves all the animals and her younger sister so we will do anything that is asked of her and also look to find things to do. Our 14 year old is going through this stage that unless it is fun he is not interested which is why he hasn't been doing anything fun lately, since he is not helping then I am not going to accomodate him. We have chore lists and they know what is expected of them.
Here are some of my rules -
If it is not in the laundry basket at night before bed, than you will wash, dry, fold and put-away your own clothes when you have a full load.
If you dirty it and don't stick in the dishwasher than you will be using it again and I really don't care how dirty it is, you will use it again. It only took once for my son and now he puts all his dishes in the dishwasher.
If you are grumpy about a chore, trust that I will find a more difficult one so you have more to complain about.
I love to hear my kids say they are bored because that means they are looking for chores. Makes my day.
Every morning beds are made, rooms are straightened and personal hygiene is done. It doesn't matter to me if you get up late and don't have time you had better bust your butt because these three chores will be done.
I know I am alot more stricter about my house and my chores than most of my friends and my kids friend's family but that is my way. We are never looking for something that is out of place.
I am horrible about planning dinners and I am trying to get better. I try to just shop at the beginning of the month and then use what we have. I have to make a milk run a couple of times a month and pick up the loss leaders, but this was cut my grocery spending my a ton.
Here are some of my rules -
If it is not in the laundry basket at night before bed, than you will wash, dry, fold and put-away your own clothes when you have a full load.
If you dirty it and don't stick in the dishwasher than you will be using it again and I really don't care how dirty it is, you will use it again. It only took once for my son and now he puts all his dishes in the dishwasher.
If you are grumpy about a chore, trust that I will find a more difficult one so you have more to complain about.
I love to hear my kids say they are bored because that means they are looking for chores. Makes my day.
Every morning beds are made, rooms are straightened and personal hygiene is done. It doesn't matter to me if you get up late and don't have time you had better bust your butt because these three chores will be done.
I know I am alot more stricter about my house and my chores than most of my friends and my kids friend's family but that is my way. We are never looking for something that is out of place.
I am horrible about planning dinners and I am trying to get better. I try to just shop at the beginning of the month and then use what we have. I have to make a milk run a couple of times a month and pick up the loss leaders, but this was cut my grocery spending my a ton.
Last edited:
No kids living at home
DH does the shopping and cooking
I stay outside alot with the chickens.
Life is simple
DH does the shopping and cooking
I stay outside alot with the chickens.
Life is simple
I'm looking for advice or pointers that folks use to help their households run as smoothly as they can manage.
I just had to jump in on this one. I'm no pro... but I am a foster mom who has 8 kids in the house. (1 biological, 3 adopted, 4 foster). I'm not sure our house has ever run "smoothly", but there are a few things I do to at least get our household on the right foot every morning.
Finding shoes used to be our biggest issue every morning. Poor bus driver would get so tired of waiting for my kids while we ran around looking for missing shoes. I solved this issue by making it a household rule... bring MOM your shoes when you take them off. Every morning the children find their shoes lined up in front of the couch... from the oldest child's to the youngest.
I also have shelves in the laundry room where I organize the children's clothing for the following week. This is my Sunday afternoon project. By Sunday night, each child will have 5 complete outfits neatly folded and stacked on these shelves for school/daycare, and that includes their socks! Each night after the children are in bed, I lay each child's clothes out on the couch (oldest to youngest) for the following day. The children's backpacks are lined up by the front door so they can grab them on the way out the front door. It takes a little effort on my part to do this... but it's definitely worth it.
Meal time is one of our most challenging times, but we're working on that also. I have 4 children who are 3 and under. My four older children are each responsible for helping one of the younger ones with their plates and assist them at the table with seconds, etc. My 11-yr-old helps prepare meals, my 6 & 7 year old help set the table, plus clear it after the meal. Thank God for my dishwasher and disposable plates!
Team-work is the secret to running a smooth home and often I have to remind the children that they are all team players... we have no bench warmers
There is also one more little tidbit I will share.. it's called "15 Minutes". This is not something I do everyday... but about once a week. I tell the kids I need 15 minutes of their time. They know what it means
Each of the older children (6 and up) have to spend 15 minutes cleaning the room of their choice. I set a timer and when the timer goes off they can stop. However.. If I find one of the kids goofing off and not working.... they ALL have to give me 15 extra minutes. Nobody goofs off! If four kids clean house for 15 minutes... it saves me an hour of work myself. And to be honest with you, my kids will often finish their room even when the timer goes off. Their reward? Lots of praise and one happy Momma
I just had to jump in on this one. I'm no pro... but I am a foster mom who has 8 kids in the house. (1 biological, 3 adopted, 4 foster). I'm not sure our house has ever run "smoothly", but there are a few things I do to at least get our household on the right foot every morning.
Finding shoes used to be our biggest issue every morning. Poor bus driver would get so tired of waiting for my kids while we ran around looking for missing shoes. I solved this issue by making it a household rule... bring MOM your shoes when you take them off. Every morning the children find their shoes lined up in front of the couch... from the oldest child's to the youngest.
I also have shelves in the laundry room where I organize the children's clothing for the following week. This is my Sunday afternoon project. By Sunday night, each child will have 5 complete outfits neatly folded and stacked on these shelves for school/daycare, and that includes their socks! Each night after the children are in bed, I lay each child's clothes out on the couch (oldest to youngest) for the following day. The children's backpacks are lined up by the front door so they can grab them on the way out the front door. It takes a little effort on my part to do this... but it's definitely worth it.
Meal time is one of our most challenging times, but we're working on that also. I have 4 children who are 3 and under. My four older children are each responsible for helping one of the younger ones with their plates and assist them at the table with seconds, etc. My 11-yr-old helps prepare meals, my 6 & 7 year old help set the table, plus clear it after the meal. Thank God for my dishwasher and disposable plates!
Team-work is the secret to running a smooth home and often I have to remind the children that they are all team players... we have no bench warmers
There is also one more little tidbit I will share.. it's called "15 Minutes". This is not something I do everyday... but about once a week. I tell the kids I need 15 minutes of their time. They know what it means
Quote:
Quote:
You are BLESSED!
You are BLESSED!
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