Deep Cleaning Day!

Friday is deep cleaning day at our house.  Mainly because the kids get out of school early, and I HATE spending the whole day cleaning on Saturday.  I think the kids deserve a day off (except for yard work, that is always done on Saturday cause daddy is home).  Here is how we do it…

Child One (and toddler): Living Room and Office
      (done in both rooms)
     -Picks up everything and puts it AWAY!
     -Vacuums whole floor moving what can be moved and vacuumed under
     -Dust anything that has a surface
     -Cleans the front of TV
     -Cleans windows
     -Dusts desk and computer

Child Two: Childs Bathroom
     -Cleans counter, sink and faucet
     -Organizes drawers
     -Cleans toilet
     -Cleans shower and tub
     -Picks up floor and sweeps
     -Takes out garbage

Child Three: Kitchen
     -Empties and Loads dishwasher
     -Scrubs Sink
     -Wipes down countertops and table with clorox wipe
     -Wipes down chairs and barstools
     -Sweeps floor (including halls)
     -Spot cleans floor (I always mop, call me obsessive)
     -Takes out garbage
     -Wipes down appliances

My kids have flip cards laminated and put on a circle ring to help them remember what needs to be done in each room.  They just flip the card to see what’s next (and it has a picture of the things they will need to accomplish this job also) and when they get back to the beginning, they know they are done 🙂  It’s the best thing in the world!  You can download the ones I made HERE.

One more great thing about this… they are in charge of that room for the WHOLE WEEK!   So if the dishes need to be loaded, the Kitchen Kid does it, or if the Living room needs to be vacuumed, the Living Room Kid does it 🙂  This way they learn how to pick up after themselves.

Oh, by the way, my kids also do their own laundry.  Tuesday is the girls day and Wednesday is the boys day.  They separate their clothes into lights, whites, and darks, and they know how to turn on the washer, add soap, and add the right amount of clothes.  Then they switch the laundry and fold and hang up their own clothes.  I was hoping this would stop them from putting clean clothes in the hamper because that would give them less work to do, but no such luck yet.  Hopefully they will catch on soon! 

I hope this helps your weekly and daily chores.  I believe children should be responsible for helping out around the house.  They need to learn that Mom isn’t a slave.  Even though my kids are in charge of these things at our house.  I am still always busy cleaning up in between Fridays.