Question: Hi Barbara!I love reading whatever you write about, you have been such a blessing to me! Thanks for the question invitation!My kids are 8,6,4, almost 2, and one on the way.My question is- when your oldest was young and you had a bunch of littles- was your house clean on a regular basis? If so- how did you do it? If not, how did you cope with it!? :)Also, do you have a schedule, or a routine?Thanks!, and *hugs* back to you :)

Answer:Delete
What a great question! I like to tell people that in life you can have two out of three- kids, a perfect house, and happiness. You get to pick which two!!My house STILL does not look like house beautiful. It is clean though. :) When you have a lot of kids and are homeschooling you just have more mess. Don't think of it as something wrong. Schools have janitors-they get messy too!

I have learned several things:
1-Relax a bit. Life is not all about perfect homes. A home is a tool, not a showplace!
2-Get rid of everything that causes work and stress that is not useful! You can have 800 knicknacks when you are old! Now is not the time to have to dust every other day! Less is more. Why have 30 nail polishes- you wear the same one over and over- right?!! If you got rid of half your things in a yard sale- you would have enough money for a date with hubby and a cleaner home! LOL!
3-Let kids clean with you. A messy folded washcloth by a 3 year old, will one day be a 10 year old that can do the laundry alone!
4-Have a clean up time before daddy gets home. Really, school is messy at times. Let it be messy! But clean it up before daddy gets home, so the evening is stress free. No one can relax with a half finished volcano on the livingroom floor!
5-have a chore chart. At first it will be just yours. Plan to deep clean just one room a day. keep the others picked up, but really deep clean that room. next day do another room. Rotate through them one by one. So on one room ever gets out of control!
6-Never leave dirty dishes in the sink. Nothing will bring your spirit down more than that. Put the baby in the highchair, put a stool up close so the toddlers can help and wash those dishes. Think of it as a pre-bath for them!
7-Start the first load of laundry before breakfast. it will be done running by the time you have eaten and done dishes- now you can start load # 2 and it is early!
8-plan supper right after breakfast! that way in the afternoon when you are getting tired- you are not stuck with no plan, no supper, tired kids, a hungry husband, and the feeling you are not cut out for this! Use a crockpot. Make and freeze meals. Plan simple meals. But plan ahead!
9-Ask hubby what things are most important to him. Sometimes we kill ourselves over things that husband does not even notice, and forget to do the things that would make life smoother. if having laundry done is #1 and a garden is #862 on his list- then you working in the garden while laundry piles up is going to cause stress. Make sure to get the important things done- the others can wait till all those little ones are teens!
10-Never forget what your goal in life is. Go look at your kids while they are sleeping. Now picture them being the age you are right now. Got that image in your mind? Now, what is important right now today? What will they remember? A screaming tired mom washing windows? or a mom helping make chalk pictures on the porch. Hugs, Barbara