Housework is Child's play

Recently I did a post on housework and home care inspired by the lovely JL Scott's book At Home with Madame Chic, which I have loaned to my mum as she has so admired my consistently clean house. Since taking on a plan for cleaning and enjoying the task at hand my house has been running really smoothly; the washing is managed, I go to bed at night with clear benches, and a clean space waiting for us when we wake in the morning.

Since first reading JL Scott's book the only thing I have altered about my efforts is how I undertake them. Some days I still do these tasks in a fast and efficient manner, like hanging the washing before playgroup when we have very little time. Generally, however, hubby and I have been working with Boo to get things done.

Ever noticed how children hang around you no matter what you are doing and try to get involved no matter how everyday the task is? Children love to spend time with their parents and are great mimics, they love doing what we do, no matter how boring we may think it is. So to embrace this trait, I have been endeavouring to include Boo in my day and share the load. Boo now unpacks the washing machine, sweeps the floor, hands me pegs, shadows while hubby or I vacuum, sits on the bench while I bake (I want to teach him but he is still a bit too messy with the flour), makes sandwiches and wipes the table. He also helps in the garden, to unpack the dishwasher and puts his plate in. Not always consistently, but most of the time.

Having Boo participate in the running of the house in this way impacts us as parents in a few ways. Firstly we enjoy the task more; Boo takes such joy and pride in doing these jobs it is hard not to find yourself smiling and enjoying it too. Some jobs take forever like unpacking the washing machine. I could sit and have a cuppa in the time it takes, but it is one of the few jobs he can really do by himself. You have to let go of how you want to do it. With Boo handing me clothes and pegs I end up hanging my washing all over the place rather than grouped by person. This just means a bit more walking around when I bring it in as I sort it and fold it from the line.

Sweeping Leaves with Dad

Boo helping also means I have to pay attention and be aware that he is learning. We have had a broken bowl from unpacking the dishwasher (it was my favourite patterned dessert bowl). But while that was sad, and I told him firmly we need to be gentle or else we break things, I didn't get angry or upset (it took a lot of conscious effort not to) because ultimately if he learns the skill in the long run one bowl is insignificant. Often Boo helping looks like him handing me cutlery, mugs, glasses etc., he will put utensils in the draw and the plates and bowls away with guidance as he can reach these. He will take his own plate from table to kitchen but needs help putting it in the sink or dishwasher. 

Don't get me wrong, this is not every meal of every day, some days he is too tired or frantic to be able to listen and help. Other days I am too tired and impatient or we just don't have time. On a whole I try to make time because as he becomes more independent. With each task he becomes prouder of himself as he knows his own skill. Additionally he gets to be part of the team/family dynamic that exists around keeping our house nice, as it is our house not mummy's house alone. It allows home to be a place where we as a family contribute.

Do you have your children helping around the house? What are their favourite jobs?

Tending to our wheat, they have been telling the Little Red Hen at playgroup.

Love (parenting) and Laughter Andii

Home care and cleaning

I finally  got around to both creating and starting a cleaning schedule. I have always kept a tidy house with things that live in particular places and a weekly vacuum, regular mop and generally clear kitchen benches when I go to bed but this has been a revelation so here is how it is going.

A Panorama of my beautifully clean kitchen

Firstly creating the schedule, using At Home with Madame Chic (treat yourself to either or both of Jennifer's books they are fabulous) and a quick Google search of Cleaning Schedule pictures and I was able to workout what I needed to do and break it down over the course of a week. Here is the finished product:

Hand drawn as the printer was out of ink

You will note Laundry appears a lot this is because I use cloth nappies so I wash everyday. This week as it is massive I am doing everything but generally hubby does bathrooms and Vacuums and I do mopping and everywhere else :)

Super powered elbow.

So we are still 2 days from the the end of the week but here is what I have found so far.

Everything has taken me longer than anticipated. I spent all of yesterday cleaning the kitchen starting with the oven. (It is pyrolitic so it cleaned itself, I just had to clean 8mths of buildup off the glass, plus cleaning all the racks, I got distracted last time I attempted this) thankfully darling hubby did come in with super powered elbows and save me at least 2 more hours of scrubbing.

I happily get carried away. I know that the task is clean the kitchen so while on a more standard day this's oils be a wipe of cabinet fronts and benches plus I good clean of stove and sink this time being the first I took everything out of the pantry, readjusted shelving (this took 30 minutes as my pantry was not completed well by the cabinet maker, the only hiccup in our build, but we got there again hubby came in handy) and rearranged all my containers and food stuffs. So by the time I went to bed, at midnight, everything was sparkling and fit for the queen (I had to vacuum/mop kitchen floors this morning as we have ducted vacuuming so can't use it after 9pm) it was a highly satisfactory day.

I know when a job is going to be done so it is easier to leave other tasks and focus on the task at hand. Such as while cleaning the kitchen I got rags and noticed the laundry needed a clean but knew that was tomorrow's task so was able to leave it. I got it cleaned and re-organised in an hour and a half, it is much smaller than the kitchen, in fact it lives in a large cupboard, one of my favourite features . The box on the bench is all my homemade Christmas gifts packed and ready to go.

Now you see it

Now you don't

My house has never been cleaner everything looks shiny and new especially my oven (can you tell how thrilled I am) as we moved in when Boo was around 7months old having lived underneath while the build was happening. We were so keen to move in that we didn't give it a final clean after the builders finished just cleaned as we went meaning there have been a few dusty residues I have discovered.

I love reorganising I already knew I loved this but there is a whole new joy in facing individual spaces at a time, such as seeing a way I could improve my pantry while I was cleaning. Which is awesome. 

Lastly some pics of the pristine kitchen. Unfortunately I didn't do before pictures as I hadn't realised how into it I would get. So you will just have to trust me when I say the oven particularly was filthy :D

On beautifully clean oven, yay for pyrolitic cleaning and the wikihow on cleaning oven glass. 

Below is my pantry/appliance cupboard closed and open, inside I have all my cup & spoon measures up and available with an awesome conversion chart, as well as attachments for my mixer. this was one feature that i had been dying to put up so was in a month after we moved in. The top shelf is now higher meaning i can stack containers in the middle shelf, it was worth moving.

The Cabinets for the fridge are the next thing I want to build just have to save my pennies

Thanks for reading have a great day and I hope you are leaving inspired.
Andii