How to Catch Up on Unfinished House Work

Teach your older kids how to do their own laundry.

A busy family filled with children, pets, dirty dishes and clean clothes that need folding is an overwhelming sight for even the most organized mom. After several busy days and weeks of car pools and family dinners, the housework will begin to go by the wayside. There are a few ways, from starting a chore chart to establishing a reward system, that any family can employ to get their house clean and the housework schedule back on track.

Instructions

1. Perform several smaller tasks at once. This means throwing in a load of dirty clothes while paying the bills and making an uncomplicated dinner. Do not attempt to tackle large jobs all at once, such as vacuuming the entire first floor while cleaning all the windows.

2. Clean in small increments of time. If you do not have an entire day to set aside to clean the house, clean for 20 or 30 minutes. If you have smaller children, find times when the kids are occupied to tackle a few chores, such as during nap time or after the kids have gone to bed.

3. Enlist the help of every family members, including teenagers. Ask all of these people to clean their own rooms, separate and do their own laundry. Assign them certain tasks or rooms to complete.

4. Offer rewards for family members who are willing to pitch in to help clean the home. For instance, a smaller child is offered a sticker or piece of candy while an older child will enjoy extra hours playing video games or a larger allowance.

5. Ask a girlfriend or family member for a little help. Offer to help this person clean her home at a later date if she gets behind on household chores. As a reward, take your friend or family member to lunch or a movie.

6. Start a chore chart that involves the whole family. Assign daily or weekly chores for every member of the household. Hang the chart up in a place in the home where everyone will see it, such as on the refrigerator. The chart will help prevent future housework pile-ups.

References

• Home Ec 101: Keeping up With Housework When Your Schedule's Unusually Busy
• Planning Family: Out-of-Control Housework; Heather Slee