Organizing Your Housework...Yuk!

 For the New Year, organization is a goal for many people. Seems if you look at any magazine or newspaper after Christmas there is some article about organization. Organizational supply stores and stores selling organizational stuff go crazy with sales for the first of the year.  How many plastic tubs do you need to buy? Clear tubs do seem great because you think you can see through them to what is packed but really if the tub is not marked you still are not sure, trust me!

I enjoy organization as much as the next person. The thrill of a desk drawer where everything is organized in file folders, the kitchen drawer where tongs can easily be found, the sock drawer with 2 together absolutely delights me! I have learned the key to organization is maintenance. We all get rushed and one day those tongs or that pile of bills and invoices and those stray socks are mocking us once again.

I just saw a headline in my newspaper, “Organizing Your Housework”, that I had to read. The column broke down housekeeping chores that need to be done daily, weekly, quarterly, and annually. It went on to give the time needed to complete these tasks. I don’t think the article was written by some one who actually does household chores because the byline was “staff’.

Daily chores were listed as: “Make bed, sweep kitchen floor, load dishwasher, put in a load of wash, pick up main living areas, pick up clothes. All in 30 minutes. “

Repeat in 23 hours and 30 minutes.

Weekly chores were listed as: “dusting, vacuuming, empty trash, clean mirrors and television and computer screens, change bed linens, scrub bathroom and kitchen, mop floors, put out recyclables. All in 3 hours. “

Quarterly, the list is extensive including ”shampooing the carpet, clean out cabinets and drawers, vacuum underneath and behind furniture.”

 Yearly the list includes but not limited to: “ wash walls, windows, and inside cupboards and closets”.

No talking, taking breaks, getting side tracked, preparing food, eating, walking the dog, exercising, or checking email.

I am exhausted! Where are the kids, the spouse, the pets, the coffee, the friends, the hobbies, the yard care, the car care, the food shopping the food preparation or the job????

I would like to be this disciplined but I am realistic. I know many women say they just don’t clean and hire. What about you???