By Sun and Candlelight

Some Thoughts on the Weekly Routine

Some from me, and some from Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House (one of my favorite domestic how-to books). I must admit I've not read the whole book - which is exceedingly thorough - but I have a special fondness for the first chapter in particular. It's entitled, "Easing into a Routine," and I've read and re-read this section so many times, my book is now falling apart ...

"For at least a hundred years and probably much longer, the heart of housework was a weekly routine that assigned each of the major housekeeping chores to one day of the week. You see variants of the routine, but in my childhood people did washing (laundering) on Monday, ironing on Tuesday, sewing on Wednesday, marketing on Thursday, cleaning on Friday, and baking on Saturday. Sunday was the day of rest. For those of us who can remember the universality with which this system was followed through the mid-1960s, or even later in some areas, the speed and totality of its disappearance are breathtaking."

I do start my laundries on Monday (I say start, because I never finish in one day) but I neither iron nor sew. (At least, not with any regularity or skill.) Bill takes his work clothes to an environmentally-friendly dry cleaner and if we need something sewn ... well, I go to my mum, lol. I do do my major marketing on the weekend (when I can go sans children) but I'm starting to really dislike my whole Saturday "running errands" routine. It just takes up too much of our family weekend time, and by the time I get home I'm exhausted. I'd like to change things up a bit and do my marketing mid-week if possible.

As for Friday cleaning, this makes sense because I like to get the house ready for the weekend - for potential/spontaneous entertaining and hopefully lots of family relaxation. (Though in reality, I spread my cleaning out because A. we're home much of the week so I actually can clean a little each day and B. we're home much of the week so we do tend to make messes each day!) Saturday baking is a wonderful idea - you'll have something lovely to serve with Sunday Dinner of perhaps after church, and hopefully there will be some nice baked goods for breakfasts and lunches through the upcoming week. I bet if I give up my Saturday errands I'd have more energy for baking!

Ms. Mendelson goes on to further discuss the weekly routines ...

"But there is still room in the home for a weekly housekeeping routine, and I strongly recommend you devise one for yourself. This is the main thing you can do to make your home work well. Your list of weekly chores will still include marketing, house-cleaning, laundering, and sometimes, ironing. However, in place of a sewing day, you might have a day for doing odd jobs, such as mending, sewing on buttons or hemming, cooking ahead food for freezing, paying bills or balancing your checkbook. You may also want a "minicleaning day," or a day on which you do an abbreviated version of your regular housecleaning. This is a particularly good idea for households that are very active or in which there are children, pets, allergies, or other situations that might make extra cleaning desirable."

(Not to mention, necessary!)

Ok, so there's some food for thought! I thought I might post quotes from favorite housekeeping books every so often. I happen to love reading these books, and often find myself inspired and invigorated after soaking in these little nuggets of wisdom. :)

I'd love to know what your favorite homekeeping resources are ... please leave a comment below, if you have the time!

*

Well, my friends, we've got a busy day ahead of us, but I'll try to pop back in again later today. Till then, have a good one!

See you again very soon ...

❤

Kitchen Cabinets & Pantry Shelves

Wednesdays are my usual "kitchen days," but I actually worked a little on my pantry yesterday. I was looking for the nutmeg (for a soup I was starting in the crockpot), and not only could I not find it, but things just kept falling out or tipping over and then I noticed the oregano had spilled everywhere ...

So I decided it was time to do a little sorting!

First, I took everything out and grouped things in general piles, and then I vacuumed out the cabinet thoroughly. Next, I turned my attention to the piles ...

Old things went out (and oh my goodness there were some very old things), and overstock got moved downstairs the the big pantry. The rest of the stuff I moved back into the cabinet, as neatly as possible. Now this particular cabinet is situated to the left of our stove and it's what I'd call our "main" cabinet, housing the items we use everyday: coffee and tea supplies, baking goods and pasta-related things.

So here's a little tour ...

First up, bottom left shelf - baking goods:

Decorative toppings and chocolate chips, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and other most commonly used spices. The pull-out drawer seen at the very top of this photo holds seasoning packets and decorating supplies like food dye and gels.

Next shelf up, savory spices:

Whole things like nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, and star anise, etc. Then, in back of the savory spices I have all the flavored extracts, save vanilla. The vanilla is up front in the lower right shelf - I use it so often I need it quite handy. 

This shelf also holds our salt/pepper, cocoa, instant coffee (for baking), honey and favorite tinned teas. In the roll-out rack just above, there are two containers of frequently used tea (black, regular).

Just above that shelf, we have prepared foods, jarred sauces and pastas ...

As well as the cooking spray and coffee beans.

The top shelves are for less frequently used items ...

Extra pasta, sauce-making things, pickling spices and preserves.

And to the left, bottled things like Worcestershire, sesame oil, rose water, molasses, minced garlic, etc. 

And since I was moving all this stuff downstairs, I figured it was a good time to neaten the "big" pantry ... which is really just a hodgepodge of shelving at the bottom of our stairs.

The lighting isn't great, so these photos are dark ...

On top of these cabinets, I have two open bins - one holds energy bars and hot cereal packets and the other contains an assortment of herb teas. These are easy to reach from the steps and so handy when someone needs to grab a power bar or if I have people over and want to offer a variety of tea.

This is just an old bookcase fitted into a space where a freezer used to be. I really want to replace that old freezer and move the shelves just around the corner. If we get a stand up, that is, rather than a chest freezer. (Still debating that point ...)

Collected here are also random kitchen appliances like the bread machine, foodsaver, ice cream maker, etc. And for some reason, a folding tray, lol.

So there you have it! It's not as organized as it should be, but at least now it's a bit neater!

***

Well, my friends, I hope you're having a good week! Thanks for stopping by today ... I'll be back here again very soon!

:)

How Many Tools Do You Use?

When it comes to managing your time, household and family?

You all know it's no secret I love planners. I'm forever talking about them, tweaking them ... tempting myself with new ones. And I'm always curious about other people's planners - specifically, what they look like, and how they use them. And this is what I've been thinking about recently ... about the tools I use and the methods I follow. My "domestic management system" if you will. :)

{tools + methods = system}

But most of all, I'm thinking about how I can simplify it all!

It would be super convenient to have ONE THING that manages EVERYTHING, but I just can't make that happen. That "thing," whatever shape it took, would just be too big and unwieldly. That said, I feel like I may have too many tools currently in use.

I'm wondering then, as my title suggest, how many tools do you use? What do you use to keep up with - and track of - your domestic duties?

 The tools I have "in play" right now are as follows:

Homekeeping Binder

Yearbook Binder

Months @ a Glance Calendar Binder

Weekly File Folders

(a MomAgenda - which is kind of on standby)

Daybook/Homekeeping Blog

Daily Chore Cards

Marketing Binder

Curriculum Binder

Clippings Journal

In-Basket

Reading Basket

Financial Drawer

Correspondence Drawer

Recipe File Drawer

Household File Drawer

*

(Am I forgetting anything? I probably am. I'm looking all around my home office right now, reminding myself what's what ...)

Now, I highlighted the "weekly file folders" in magenta because these are my favorite tools of all. (And the color matches my new banner, lol.) I'll pin most of my planning onto these folders once I figure out how.

Well friends, I'm going to end this post here because A. it's all I have time for, and B. this is more or less, step one, and, C. I'm trying to make my posts a little more manageable these days. (In other words, not so wordy!)

So have a great Wednesday night ... we're keeping things simple here on the supper front, as I just noted in my homekeeping blog. As I was cleaning out the fridge today I realized we had a LOT of leftovers to use up ... so the chicken pesto pasta will have to wait for tomorrow and tonight will be a little mix of this and that. :)

See you all again very soon!

❤

Tuesday Tidbit: On Housekeeping

Good afternoon, everyone!

Wow, has my day ever been busy so far! I feel like I've barely had a minute to think. Well, that's not entirely true ... I did have my chance. Crackerjack had an orthodontist appointment this morning, which went rather long (as these things tend to do) and so I got to sit (SIT!) and just relax. So I perused their extensive magazine selection, and once I'd exhausted that, I dug into the book I had stuck in my bag ... The Apron Book, which I mentioned to you all yesterday. And as I really enjoyed this particular quote, I thought I'd share it today with my readers:

Everything in Its Place

You can say what you want about housework - dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and so forth - but besides having dinner together every night, there's nothing more valuable to a household than order. A tidy home provides structure for family life and an oasis from the chaos of daily living. And these sorts of household chores keep us in touch with our possessions, ideally in a constant state of measuring their value in our lives. Housekeeping chores are made for divvying up among family members - cleaning gets done more quickly, everyone is invested in the care of the home, and good habits are established and shared all the way around.

That said, white-glove tests and the like have no place in busy, happy homes. Schedule top-to-bottom, inside-out housecleaning for twice a year, in springtime, and then again in the fall. And in the meantime, just be systematic and efficient, addressing a small handful of straightforward chores every day (say, kitchen and bathroom cleanup, and a daily sweep for surface clutter) and keeping larger chores few and simple and less frequent (dusting, vacuuming, or laundry, for example). 

I love reading such a positive, practical attitude toward housekeeping! Especially when it's expressed so eloquently. We all have to do it - keep house that is, in some form or another - so we might as well try to appreciate its value. (And think of ways to make it easier!)

Well my friends, the afternoon's ticking on, and I must be off ... but I want to thank you all for sharing your "apron thoughts" with me in yesterday's post. I'm having such fun reading through them. :)

See you all again very soon!

❤

Stressed over Dinner?

So here's a headline that caught my eye in the Boston Globe today:

What's for Dinner, Mom?

"It sounds like the most benign question, doesn’t it? But figuring out what the heck to make, day in and day out, that will satisfy all those at the table—the carnivores, the vegetarians, the pasta-tarians, —is an enormous stressor for many mothers. If you want to really make mom happy this Sunday, forget the flowers and agree to eat something other than chicken fingers—without complaining."

*

So dear readers, I'm curious ...

Are you stressed over the whole dinner thing?

And if so, what about it stresses you out?

About a week ago I started another little blog - Daily Bits of Domestic Bliss - in an effort to keep track of my everyday housekeeping tasks. I'm really having fun with it, and I do find it helpful - it serves as a nice reminder and record - but I have to admit, about a day after I started it I had myself a little panic:

Gah, the pressure! My menus are open for public scrutiny!

But so far I think it's been good - this pressure - because it's given me a little nudge to be a bit more creative with our family diet. And goodness knows I needed it!

Because I'm a busy mom, "creative meal planning" can often get pushed aside for other more pressing domestic matters ... things like hygiene, sanity and good sleep. I'm also a creature of habit, which means it's very easy for me to fall into a comfortable rut ... and find myself making pizzas, pasta, burgers and grilled cheese pretty much night after night.

Sure my kids love all that easy stuff, but I want to expose them to a wider varety of foods. I'd like them to enjoy more vegetables and protein choices beyond hot dogs and chicken nuggets. I really want them to appreciate the value of a homemade meal. And I love making meals that please my husband, who works hard all day and truly savors satisfying food at the end of that long day. And by "satisfying" I mean food that fuels both body and soul. It's healthy and balanced - it smells and tastes good - and best of all, it makes us all feel good ... maybe even great!

It's human nature, isn't it? This desire to eat not just for survival, but pleasure? To enjoy what we eat, and how we eat it?

So now that I'm "reporting in" - not only to myself, but my readers as well - I feel all the more motivated to create a week of balanced, nutritious, satsfying meals. I don't want anyone to think I have always been so creative or accomplished in the culinary arts! (Oh my gosh, hardly.) I'm pretty much making this up as I go along.

Of course, not everyone has a blog where they can kick their dinner-planning into gear, but how about teaming up with a friend, or a few friends with whom you can share dinner ideas and support? Get together to exchange recipes and menu plans, etc. Set up email prompts and reminders ... that could be fun!

Or how about posting your menu plan on the fridge and getting the family involved? If you've got it all figured out - they can answer their own question (that inevitable, everyday question) simply by taking a look at the plan. Or if you're stumped for dinner ideas ... put up the empty menu planner and ask for suggestions. Maybe assign each family member their own night to plan (and/or prepare)?

I'm all for finding ways to make dinner less stressful because really, dinner should be a good thing in the shared life of a family. It's not fair if one person's doing all the work, especially if she's also harboring all the stress. 

I mean, I'm a full-time mom, so I do handle most of the dinner details myself. I do ask for help though ... I ask for input and ideas. I ask for time (quiet and space) with which to work on my menus, clip my coupons and write out my lists. That may seem silly, but honestly, if I don't seek out that time and tell everyone I'm "working" I don't get it done. I also ask Bill to handle some of the meals (i.e. pizzas or any that involve grilling) and I ask the boys to help with the prep when I need them. And I always ask that those who did not cook, help with the cleanup. I love that time of day when I sit down, maybe with a glass of wine, and watch the table get cleared, the leftovers get put away and the dishwasher get started. That's a really nice "wrap" to my day.

:)

So my final question for you all, because I'm curious and can really use the inspiration:

What are THREE dinners you make for your family?

They can be old favorites or new, whatever you'd like ... and if you have a recipe to share, I'd love that too! (And if I use it on my blog, I'll give credit to you.)

So for now I'm working on what we eat ... soon I'll turn a thoughtful eye on how we eat. As in ~ involving the kids, setting the family table, creating a certain environment and the ritual of dinner itself. More on all that in a bit.

Well, thank you all for stopping by and considering my rambles and questions. Until next time, please take care of yourselves and your loved ones ...

I'll be back again very soon!

❤

Holy Week Cleaning

I like to spend the start of Holy Week doing a bit of "spring" cleaning around the house. For one thing, it's part of our Catholic tradition, but for another, it's a very practical routine. We host Easter dinner here, so the house does need to be cleaned ... but the nearer we get to Sunday, the more I want to focus on things other than cleaning. To have a clean house (and quiet mind) when entering the latter half of the week is, to me, a true blessing!
 

So I set up a little schedule for myself:

Monday: de-clutter

Tuesday: dust and vacuum

Wednesday: wipe and wash

Of course, I'm already behind schedule, lol ... yesterday was a bit busier than planned ... but that's ok. I will continue de-cluttering this morning (i.e. "putting out fires," as FlyLady says) and then I'll move on to dusting and vacuuming this afternoon. I have my rags all ready and my vacuum "volunteers" all lined up. ;)

And tomorrow I'll mix up a little bucket of herbal wash and give everything a good once over. The day will be mild, so I'll open the windows and let all that fresh spring air move through the house ... 

 And that will feel very nice.

❤

Wherever I am in my schedule, I do hope to sit down for "Tuesday Tea" this afternoon ... I'll take a short pause and see where I'm at ... and then I'll be back here to share it with you all.

Have a lovely Tuesday, my friends!

Housekeeping Routines (Daily & Weekly)

Well, first of all, Happy Weekend, everyone! I had hoped to get this post up last night, but alas, it was not meant to be. (I like to think I have a good grip on time management, but sometimes I'm overly optimistic, lol.) Also, I do not mean to ignore all your lovely comments ... I will be catching up with them this weekend, and I thank you for your time and kind attention! :)

So, a few people have asked if I would share what my housekeeping routines look like, and though I've posted about them before, I thought it would be fun to revisit the subject. (It's one of my favorite subjects!) And I do tend to update my lists now and again, - for instance, when I spy Crackerjack's filthy fingernails at Sunday Mass, I -- well, first I cringe -- and then I make a mental note: "Add nail check to Saturday's routine." ;)

Now, first off, Kristie asked me to list my own "6 Things to Do Everyday," so I'll cover those first. I don't think they're all that different from Martha's (in fact, I commented on "her things" in this post), but here are what I consider six daily tasks helpful in keeping a bit of order in the house:

1. Make beds every morning.

2. Keep kitchen sink empty/counters clear.

3. Sweep floors (edges/corners).

4. Put toys (etc.) in their place at end of day.

5. Neaten mail/newspaper pile and kids' work/books.

6. Clean up towels and bathroom surfaces.

I'm sure you all have a similar list - but I'd love to hear what you consider "must-do's" in any given day. I'm always looking for new ideas and perspective! And for a look at our daily rhythm (what gets done when), read this post here.

:)

As for weekly chores, I generally divide the overall housekeeping by rooms/themes. And please bear in mind, I don't do all this myself! I am very good at delegating. ;) Also, we don't always get all these things done ... some week's it's just a "lick and a promise." :)

Monday: Bedrooms & Laundry

* clean bedrooms (boys do their own - mostly)

* air out beds (open windows if possible)

* start laundries

* change bedding

Tuesday: Bathrooms & Laundry

* clean bathrooms (sink/toilet/tub/counters, etc.)

{Note: The downstairs bathroom is currently under construction so I only have one bathroom to worry about at this time.}

* put out fresh towels

* sweep/mop floor (actually, Bill usually mops for me and he does that on the weekends)

* empty bathroom trash

* continue laundries

* organize library bag

Wednesday: Kitchen & Trash/Recycling

* clean kitchen - wipe down surfaces

* weed out fridge/freezer and kitchen cupboards (toss/compost old stuff)

* scrub sink

* sweep/mop floor (see above mopping note :))

* organize trash & recycling

* start marketing list

* pick up/return library books

* get milk, meat and pizza dough (quick shop with EB)

* finish - maybe? - laundries

Thursday: Dining Room & Family Room

* put out trash & recycling

* clean off dining table/wipe down

* sweep/vacuum dining room

* dust/wipe bay window and front doorway

* neaten "stuff" in family room (books/videos/toys)

* vacuum family room

* wipe down tables, desk, lamps

* look over store flyers

* organize coupons

* start next week's file folder

* think about next week: faith/nature activities

* think about next week: dinner menu

* update marketing/errands list

Friday: Learning/Sitting Room

* neaten "stuff" in learning/sitting room (books/magazines/desk items)

* sweep/vacuum

* wipe down tables, desk, lamps

* refresh library corner

* refresh nature shelf

* finalize menu/marketing list

* prepare newspaper payment

* organize pocketbook/tote bag

* homemade pizza and family movie night

Saturday: Playroom, Marketing & H/G/A Maintenance

* put out newspaper payment envelope

* run errands/food shopping

* neaten "man cave" aka downstairs playroom

* organize receipts

* go over budget and bills

* prepare parish collection envelopes

* boys: hair trims (if necessary), fingernail check!

* misc. (seasonal) home/garden maintenance

* auto maintenance (gas, other)

* date-night for mom and dad ❤

Sunday: Family & Faith Day

* family breakfast after Mass

* lesson plan/look at week ahead

* sort through in-boxes

* switch up file folders (move contents/retire folder)

* read Sunday papers

* clip coupons

* work in (have fun with) clippings journal

* catch up on correspondence/blog comments

* brainstorm blog posts for week ahead

* 

Keeping a busy household in balance means having some routines in place. I know this is not necessarily true for everyone, but familiar routines are very helpful to me! I know my family is not as large as some - though I think having all boys AND a special needs child "ups" my challenge factor a bit, lol! But any size family can benefit from some established routines, because it's all stuff that needs to get done at some point, one way or another. By assigning set times to these tasks I find it easier to keep up with it all. It doesn't always mean things get done according to schedule (if done at all!), but it does help me keep things somwhat in balance.

Aside from thoughtful routines I also find having help of utmost importance - thankfully, Bill and the boys are pretty good about pitching in. (And having this all written down is really helpful for those times when I'm down and out - due to illness, surgery, etc.)

Also helpful? Good energy and a very positive attitude! You really can't beat those things at all.

:)

Well friends, this post has gone on long enough, so I will do another post about monthly, seasonal and annual routines sometime soon. I hope this post was helpful or interesting to some folks ... I know I love to read about other people's housekeeping methods, so please do share what works for you! Here in my comments box or via a link to your blog. It's a big job we're handling, being in charge of all these people and the place they live and the things they need to do. But it's the best job on earth, in my (humble) opinion!

Ok, so I'll be off for a bit, but I hope you all have a great weekend ... take care of yourselves and your loved ones! I'll be back here again very soon ...

❤

Spring Cleaning Lists

Good morning, my friends! I wanted to share with you all these great cleaning checklists I spotted over at Martha Stewart's website. I don't follow them to a tee, but I think they're very helpful in honing one's own housekeeping routines ...

6 Things to Do Everyday

Weekly Cleaning

Monthly Cleaning

Seasonal Cleaning

Spring Cleaning

Do you have set of cleaning routines you follow? How do you keep track of what needs to be done when? I have my routines written down in my big household binder and I also have them written out on multi-colored index cards. I keep the day's card posted near my kitchen counter "command center."

And before you ask ... no, I don't get it all done all the time! Lol. But having the tasks written down and assigning them a specific timeframe does bring me one step closer to getting them done. :)

Also, by posting this card somewhere "public" the rest of the family can help me get through those chores. (Theoretically speaking, of course. ;))

Ok, I'm going to pop off for now and get my day going, as my fellas are now all awake. ("What's for breakfast, Mom?") But I plan to be back later this afternoon (closer to evening, I'd guess) with a little tea post to share ... in the meantime, I hope you all have a nice day!

❤

Six Things Every Day

I receive these neat "Organizing Tip of the Day" emails from Martha Stewart. (Well, I'm sure they're from someone who works for Martha Stewart, but you know what I mean.) These tips arrive in my inbox every morning.

Well, yesterday's tip was a checklist of "6 Things to Do Every Day" ~ daily habits that promise to keep one's household "chaos" at bay. I found the checklist quite interesting and it inspired me to think about my own daily housekeeping habits. And once I did that, I found myself wondering what other people find helpful and/or necessary to do in a given day ...

But before I get to all that, here are Martha's 6 Things to Do Every Day. (The blue text is Martha's - the brown notes are mine.)

1. Make the Bed: Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely you'll let other things - such as paper and clothes - pile up around it.

This sentiment is very true! Though a challenge to maintain. And I think the same can be said for the sink. I find if the sink is clean (including the surrounding counter area) I feel motivated to keep things clean. Also, I feel motivated to cook!

As for the bed, I like to air it out for a while each morning (this is a tip from Home Comforts). But after a bit I get it all buttoned up: sheet, comforter, fleecy blanket, pillows and shams. :)

(As for the rest of the bedroom, well - bed made or not - bureau tops are real "hot spots" for me, as are clean laundry baskets. I have a tendency to let clean laundry - i.e. needs-to-be -folded laundry - pile up. And this is because A. we have too many clothes and B. our drawers and closets are not well organized ... but that is a post for another day!)

2. Manage Clutter: Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.

Well, this is a good idea in theory, but in my household this would be like shoveling during a snowstorm! I do have a "tidy time" each day - roundabouts 4 p.m. (And another "mini tidy" around 7:30, just after EB goes to bed and right before we sit down to watch TV with the older boys.) But, as a homeschooling family, clutter is something we constantly struggle with. I say "we" meaning Bill and I ~ the boys don't seem to have the same need for order that we do, lol.

3. Sort the Mail: Take a few minutes to open, read and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs and filing.

This is such a standard tip - you read it all the time - and it does make perfect sense. Our mail arrives in the afternoon, and I place it on top of the day's papers at the end of the kitchen island. That pile is for Bill to look through when he gets home. I do take out my own things - letters, magazines, catalogs, etc. I leave all the rest - bills and junk mail, etc. for him to look at.

We keep a recycling "center" by our front door - a basket for paper, a bag for broken down boxes and cardboard, and a bag for plastic and glass. So any junk mail goes directly into the paper basket. Bill also has his own "inbox" on the counter by the stove for things he's not quite ready to "process" yet.

4. Clean as you Cook: Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.

Both my grandmother and mother lived by this rule - clean as you go - but I often have five other things going on as I cook, so I struggle with this. I think a key to this habit is having an empty (or mostly empty) dishwasher! To that end, I like to have the boys unload the dishwasher early in the day so I can keep the sink and counters clear.

(In a perfect world, I have the dishwasher filled after supper and it runs in the evening - ready to be unloaded in the morning. This is not always how it plays out, though.)

5. Wipe Up Spills While They're Fresh: Whether it's tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.

Well, spills are fairly common around here - but a lot of them happen when I'm not looking, lol! I have trained the boys, though, to grab a dish towel (or rag) as soon as a spill happens and wipe things up. They're pretty good about it. 

I do find myself wiping down the kitchen island and counters every day with a wet, warm dish rag. (Once a week I use a gentle cleaning spray.) The island gets very 'smudgey' with pencil, newsprint and ink (this is where the older boys do their seatwork), while the counters are plagued by beverage spills (the boys) and coffee rings (me).

6. Sweep the Kitchen Floor: Every evening, once you've finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker.

Weekly mopping??

Lol. 

But seriously, this is something I do almost everyday - though I do it in the afternoon rather than the evening. You see, there's a certain time of day when natural light floods the kitchen side of the house and I can very clearly see where all the dust and criminy has collected. This reminds me it's time to get out that broom and sweep!

(And I usually heed that reminder, but not always.)

~*❤*~

Well my friends, I hope this checklist from Martha was as interesting to you as it was to me! And before I go, I'd love to ask ~ What are your daily must do's? And how do you remind yourself of them? Do you have a checklist for handy reference or do you just find these habits ingrained?

And ... on top of (or in place of) these proposed "6 things" would there be other tasks you'd add to the daily checklist? What keeps your "household chaos" at bay? 

Have a great Tuesday, everyone ... and thanks for stopping by! I will see you again very soon ... in fact, I hope you''ll join me again later today, for our weekly Wintertime Tea!

:)