It’s results day for Team Crash Test Mummies!
I’m going to be totally upfront and say I feel like I’ve let the team down. I have found this quite hard and I think it’s because I’ve been a little too relaxed about the baby steps approach. Maybe I need to be more prescriptive and make lists and schedule tasks from the get go! Hmm, maybe I should be on Muddled Up Mumma’s team? ;)
Laney’s Results
Whilst I like FlyLady’s approach I don’t share her passion for a shiny sink when I’m absolutely exhausted by the kids at the end of the day! I have been shining my sink, but just not every day. I also don’t put away all my washed dishes, I let them drip dry and put them away when I need the space ;). I have been really good at getting dressed to my shoes though and actually find this daily task quite helpful and motivating.
My de-cluttering for 15 minutes a day kind of isn’t happening the way it should. Rather than focusing on one particular area and making progress, I’ve been de-cluttering on an as needs basis! Time to get a bit more organised and spend 15 minutes a day sorting out my bedroom (and not taking naps!).
I need to put some more effort into establishing my mini morning and evening routines. This is what I’m aiming for:
MORNING: 1. Putting a load of washing on 2. Tidying the kids room 3. Quickly tidying/cleaning the bathroom
EVENING: 1. Tidying lounge 2. Dishes 3. Get organised for next day
Cécile’s Results
I like FlyLady’s approach of routines and small steps. Only problem is that i seem to be allergic to routines so I really have to work hard at establishing them and sticking to them. I love the idea of having lists and regular tasks, but when it comes to actually implementing the tasks and regularly going through lists, I seem to lose my momentum if not the will to live. I did manage to keep my sink free of dirty dishes most nights, if not shining. And I made my bed every morning (only to have the boys play alien invaders under the covers within 5 minutes of my pulling them up). I did get dressed every morning in a timely fashion, but mostly because I had to get out of the house anyway. I really want to stick to doing these few simple tasks every day, even if all I manage is an #epicfail in all other areas. I am easily pleased, me ;-)
My ideal daily routine would involve
MORNING: 1- making my bed in the morning, 2 – clearing up breakfast dishes BEFORE leaving the house, 3 – hanging one load of laundry
EVENING: 1 – clearing the sink of all dishes and turning dishwasher on, 2 – bringing laundry in and folding while watching endless reruns of The Big Bang Theory, 3 – picking up all dirty clothes and putting a load of washing on.
Cherry’s results
I caught Cherry at the end of a rollercoaster week, but she sent through a quick summary of what she’s been up to:
I started the challenge with a mad flurry of cleaning in the kitchen since it looked like the gremlins had thrown a midnight party in there. It took two goes to get the sink to shine and I love the lemon smell. For my 15 minute de-clutter, I concentrated on the table the first day and the kitchen servery the next.The servery has been the biggest issue so far since that is where every item the midglets put away live apparently, and retraining small people is a mission in of itself.
I am looking forward to the next weeks challenges with a smile.
Weekly Checklists and Plans
Last week I suggested we work towards developing weekly checklists and plans. We haven’t done them! Perhaps a bit too much to bite off in one go.
From Cécile:
I am still working on those (or rather, if I am perfectly honest, I hadn’t really looked at those until about 10 minutes ago :-o) and I plan to write them up over the next 2 weeks. I really want to de-clutter first so that I feel I can get a fresh start (or is that another clever way of procrastinating?). So my challenge over the next 2 weeks is to stick to the above routines and to make my way through our endless pile of filing and redundant toys and clothes. Hopefully, if I achieve that, I will be in a better place to implement weekly tasks and checklists. Hope sustains me ;-)
So guess what we’re all going to focus on for the next two weeks?!?!?! Here’s a reminder of what FlyLady’s weekly checklist and plan looks like.
Now, here’s the plan.
I’m going to write up my checklist and weekly plan and upload it to the blog by the end of the week (keeping me accountable). The second thing I’m going to do is help us with a bit of motivation and a bit more accountability and check in EVERY day on FB to report on completed tasks! Final results day will be the 1st of May!
Giveaway
Now, for some exciting stuff (well as exciting as cleaning gets!). Sabco have come on board with our little challenge and are giving me and Jodie a cleaning pack each to give away to our readers.
WIN a Sabco $60 cleaning pack!
To enter you need to be a member of Crash Test Mummy so:
or follow me on Facebook or RSS
Pop over and like Sabco on FB and say hello from Crash Test Mummy
Then leave a comment below telling me your best time-saving housekeeping tip!
Make sure you pop over to Muddled Up Mumma later today to see how Jodie and her team are doing. See you back here on the 1st of May for our final results and announcement of the winners!
Laney x
Terms and Conditions
The giveaway is open to residents of Australia only.
Entries close 5pm AEST on Monday 30th April 2012.
Winner(s) will be selected on the strength of their answer(s).
The winner will receive a pack of Sabco cleaning products to the value of $60AUD.
The winner will be contacted via email within 24hrs of giveaway closing. If the winner does not respond within 7 days the giveaway will be re-drawn.
Your answers may be published on Crash Test Mummy in future posts. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book. My opinions are my own and can’t be bought.
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My best time saving tip. Grab a washing basket and put everything in it that is on the floor – kids toys, clothes etc. Anything out of place. Then take basket around and put all in right place. Takes me 10 mins and I do it mid morning and before bed
Beck @ The Rambling Mummy’s last post..Wordless Wednesday
Hmm, I’m good at the first part, not so good at the putting away ;)
1/2 hour before my shower I spray shower cleaner and wash it off when I have my shower,I also try to pick up as I go! -saves my sanity as well as my time!
Yes, I’ve done this one before! I’m always cleaning the shower while I’m having one ;)
My favourite timesaving tip for cleaning the toilet is have your choice of cleaning product (mine is White King) in the cupboard near the toilet. When it needs a clean use some product on the toilet paper, clean toilet with paper and flush away. Too easy, especially when you have three to clean.
Three toilets to clean – yikes!
I already follow you and like sabco on fb :)
My cleaning tip is for tidying the living room/ dining area – especially when guests are coming over. We have a colour coded re-usable shopping bag for each person and all the items which have somehow taken up residence in these areas is put in the appropriate bag and taken to the appropriate room for sorting later. If it is not a mad rush tidy (i.e five mins notice from the in-laws) and you have a bit of time, get the kids to fill their own bags, mine love sorting which stuff needs to go in Lulu’s Dora bag and which stuff belongs in W’s Lightening McQueen Bag. If I do it this way I also avoid the dangerous chucking out of important papers or reading material I’m not finished with yet which sometimes happens when we are rushing to tidy up.
Happylan’s last post..Thankful for Getting Organised
I like this tip! I’m going to try it out on the kids, hope they’re not too young. Will try and make it fun!
My best housekeeping advice is to find someone who loves cleaning!!! I found my husband.. and it was a bonus that he loves cleaning!!
Follow on Facebook, RSS and Twitter (slightly stalkerish)
Said hello on Sabco :)
Yvette @ DTlilsquirts’s last post..A Snap, A Set, A Song – Round 2 – Country
So unfair, I wish my husband liked cleaning. Clearly he is allergic ;) ps love that you’re stalking me!
Already follow you on fb and a fan of Sabco too
My tip is clean as you go and if you cant a bathroon tip is clean the shower while your in it because the steam lifts most grime and a Quick dry afterwards does it easy !
I have set days for doing different chores. I don’t have to even think about them then. By spreading the chores out over 5 days (I give myself the weekend off for MOST chores) it’s quicker, easier & more manageable.
Email Subscriber & Visited SABCO on FB
I group chores together, so if one area really needs doing (say the toilet) then i have to clean the bathroom first even if it gets a quick wipe over as that is all it requires, it means i occasionally spend a little longer cleaning up some spots but that the spot cleaning i was doing previous is now keeping the place relatively clean.
Of course a day or two off with 4 children and i find i’m back under a pile of mess lol
I try and clean one thing a day so my whole weekend I’m not left cleaning while the rest of the family are enjoying the sunshine :-)
I always put a load of washing on just before I go to bed so its ready to be hung out first thing the next morning!
Love Sabcos products!
Mum’s the Word’s last post..My Love-Hate Relationship.
My tips are, never let anything get too bad, throw away EVERYTHING!
Put the kids to work, everything has a place and alternate rooms to clean.
And the last and most important send Hubby away for the day!!! hahah so much more can be achieved.
Sharing jobs with the family helps in finding yourself some me time. So delegate and rotate so it isnt mundane doing the same job all the time.
I have a removable shower head which is perfect for rinsing off all the soap suds from the walls of the shower cubicle,( including the doors) after each shower, thereby eliminating the scum build-up and saving cleaning time!
My best time-saving tip would simply be
To outsmart and bribe your family!
Start with the kids, they will succumb
Get them up and moving off their bum!
Have a chore chart with rewards or treat
That will entice them to keep things neat
Get hubby involved in the matter too
Regardless what he says, there’s things he can do
Make him a ‘bribe’ and watch him change like the weather
That way you can all spend more time together!!! :)
I do most of my cleaning at night , after the kids are in bed , it tends to take less time as Im not chasing them around or watching out for them
My best tip is to just do it! Choose on thing that needs doing and do the whole. entire. job. Easier said than done right?
Laureny’s last post..These Girls – A Review and Giveaway
My best time-saving tip for cleaning is to keep the children busy out of the house while you are cleaning, and stay busy out of the house after cleaning. It’s amazing how clean the house stays when you are not home!
I wish! It’s pretty hard to keep my two out of the way. But yes, it is nice to get out so they can’t mess it all up ;)
i keep a spray bottle of cleaner and cloth in most rooms eg. bathroom, toilet, kitchen, laundry. When my boys make little messes on the bathroom vanity or spill something on the floor, its not a stress to give a quick wipe over and make it sparkle again :)
My cleaning tip is de-clutter! Make it a habit to get rid of a bag a week/day/month whatever. The less you have around, the easier and faster it is to clean up!
My timesaving tip is for the laundry. The key to saving time here is to be organised- I have everything in the one area- my linen closet is inside my laundry and I fold and put straight in and my washing line is right outside the laundry door. I do multiple loads and hang out all at once because it’s quicker. I fold on the dining table and everyone has to put away their clothes before they eat dinner so it doesn’t just sit there. I also wash daily, because with 9 of us in the house the mountain of washing is huge if I don’t.
Send the kids outside to eat and/or get them to play outside as much as possible!
Sarah’s last post..The house Mr G built
I time save by folding the washing as i am getting it off the line
buy clothes that don’t need ironing – saves time, money and the environment
Get the kids to help!
Not only will they be helping you clean but they will be learning valuable skills for the future :)
My time saving tip is to delegate jobs to the 4 kids, 2 to tidy up, one dusts, another one vacuums, I oversee the jobs while drinking a cup of tea!
My best time saving housekeeping tip is to play hide and seek with my little boy inside… and pick up and put stuff away on my way to my hiding spot. Keeps us both entertained and motivated! :)
Rebekah’s last post..Today I Changed the World.