I think I have discovered the path to successful housekeeping!
All this time I have been attempting to conform my day to the checklist. I've had it all backwards.
The secret is to conform the list to the events of the day.
For instance:
* Wake up when hubby asks you to choose and iron his clothes. Check
* Catch toddler before he climbs on top of sleeping baby. Check
* Discipline toddler for spitting at you. Check
* Iron while toddler fusses. Check
* Iron more wrinkles into tapered-leg pants than you are ironing out. Check
* Go fix toddler's breakfast. Check
* Notice there's a phone message. Check
* Retreat to farthest corner of house to speak to pediatrician's office in quiet. Check
* Apologize to office worker for the noise when toddler finds you. Check
* Catch chewed up cereal in hand while giving pediatrican's office pertinent information regarding transfer of records. Check
* Go get fussing baby out of exer-saucer . Sit in recliner with baby and and screaming toddler to calm both. Keep them from conking heads. Check
* Direct children to put on clothes. Check
* Clean outsides of honey containers. Spray ants on counter. Check
* Rescue milk from counter. Return to fridge. Check
* Rescue remaining cups of chocolate milk from toddler. Put in fridge. Check
* Get dressed. Check
* Put baby down for quick nap. Check
* Pull laundry from dryer. Check
* Notice you forgot to bring a laundry basket. Check
* Notice washer is empty. Check
* Notice water in tub is rusty. Check
* Notice new rust stains on stained clothes soaking in Oxyclean in tub. Check
* Notice tub is clogged. Check
* Find a bucket in which to soak clothes. Check
* Realize bucket is full of automotive cleaners. Check
* Realize path to garage shelves holding automotive cleaners is blocked. Check
* Thread a path to shelf, unload bucket, rinse bucket over clogged tub, fill with soak water, move clothes to bucket. Check
* Repeat with diaper bucket. Check
* Step on bucket lid; injure foot. Check
* Hear 8yo upstairs going AUUUUGGGGHHH in frustration. Check
* Write a quick blog entry. Kiss boo-boos and direct 8yo to missing chocolate milk in fridge. Check
I've had a pretty successful morning, I think. It's not even ten o'clock and look at all I've accomplished on my list! Way to go me!
So we've got it all out of order! Make the list AFTER we accomplish the items on it. AHA!!! I knew I was doing something wrong. So glad you cleared that up for me. I will post my list tonight when I've finished it completely.
• Apr. 28, 2008 - Untitled Comment