Do you ever have dreams that seem to haunt you over and over? For years after I graduated from school, I would occasionally, but regularly wake in a panic unable to remember my locker combination or schedule of classes. Through the years, these visions have diminished only to be replaced with reoccurring “chaos dreams.”
“Chaos dreams” tend to play out something like this: Ten in the morning – I’m still in my pajamas, not showered, can’t figure out what to wear, the bed is not made, laundry is piled sky high, and stuff is everywhere. In the next scene, company arrives – usually lots of company, expecting to be served brunch. I am not prepared.
I am quite sure this would bring a laugh to anyone who really knows me. I love to get up early, the laundry is done everyday – so it doesn’t pile sky high, I make my bed when I get up, and we all enjoy serving guests brunch! Even so, disorder has a way of sneaking in. If I start having “chaos dreams,” I know it is time to get in gear and regain order!
So the question is: How do I maintain order?
In a house with many people, it requires teamwork. There is no way I would be able to accomplish it by myself. Even if I could, it wouldn’t be good for me or the family. With each place we have lived, a “morning job” list has been designed to fit the needs of that home.
These are a few goals that I look for when setting up the morning jobs:
✓ Every child should be included. ( for example: I put the baby in the front pack to watch, while I cleaned. A two year old can be given a moist cloth to dust. That age also enjoys the process of cleaning the tub, especially if given the opportunity to climb in and scrub, keeping them busy while I cleaned the toilet.)
✓ The child’s morning job shouldn’t require a large amount of time. Fifteen quality minutes, required to be done before breakfast in our home everyday, goes a long way in maintaining a clean house.
✓ Watch for problem areas in each room and try to accommodate for them on a daily, weekly, or monthly routine. For instance, something I overlooked on our current morning job chart are the light fixtures. Presently our kitchen light and fan is covered with dust! Yuck! Had I put it on the schedule, it may have been overlooked occasionally, but it never would have become so bad.
✓ The morning job charts are posted where the kids can easily see them and covered with plastic slip covers. At least to begin with, the children check off the chore when it has been completed. After it becomes a habit, they seldom refer to the chart, but it continues to be helpful to me in holding them accountable.
✓ Walk through their personal chore with them the first few times, making sure they have a clear understanding of what is expected and how to accomplish it.
✓ Even if one lives alone, breaking the housekeeping into bite size chunks that can easily be accomplished increases productivity.
✓ Follow the schedule! It works!
If you are interested in seeing my Prevention Plan, I attached some links. Feel free to download and reformat to fit your own needs.
May all your dreams be sweet and filled with order!
• Clean the Office and Living room Doc.Download
• Taking out the Trash Doc.Download
• Clean Bedroom and Bathroom Doc.Download
• Clean the Dining room Doc.Download
• Clean the Kitchen Doc.Download
Not Without Aim 
YES – I love organization. Order does bring some peace!