Household Engineer

It is so easy to get overwhelmed with all of the responsibilties of keeping a comfortable and neat house and meeting the needs of all the people and other things we are involved in. I ran across this idea of Minimum Maintenance. What Minimum Maintenance is in a nutshell is this: acknowledging that every day a minimum amount of effort will go into that day to make it work.
Minimum Maintenance is NOT a thorough cleaning process. It is great because it a morning (or evening) run-through of the house, that gives you a successful start (or finish) to your day, no matter what happens. All you need is a kitchen timer and your favorite cleaners.

Here are some basic guidelines to help you make your daily routine Minimum Maintenance- Remember MINIMUM- JUST TO MAKE THE DAY WORK:
1. Spend NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES! picking up and straightening. (Except the kitchen, which gets 15). When the timer goes off, move on to the next room!
2. Don't start cleaning too deeply during your morning run-through. Save that for later.
3. Don't let the needs of others control your life. (ex. telephone calls, checking email/blogs, TV, etc.)
4. Make the dinner decision early. (Like by 10:00am) Deciding early gives you more choices, even if you eat out. It gives you control. Try an easy monthly menu plan.
5. Start from the outside in. Clean off the top of the counter before you attack a drawer.
6. Categorize items as you go: start grouping stuff as you pick up. Like stuff with like stuff. Don't get try to get into specific, precise categories, just simple groups so that when you begin to really organize, half the job is already done.
7. Learn to pick up before the mess becomes too much. It is easy to ignore the little things lying about because the whole house seems messy. For today, just pick up the stuff you took out and used TODAY.
8. Make the picking-up process a habit. Clean as you go. Having cleansers and supplies in each bathroom make it easier to wipe over surfaces there as you pass thru.

Now here's an easy list of the Minimum Maintenance activities to show you what should be done.
Kitchen: dishes, countertops, sweep. (OK, it may take longer than 15 minutes.)
Entry: pick up, backpacks, shoes, stuff to take upstairs. No tripping over stuff as you come home.
Family Room: newspaper, books, remotes, trash, pillows straightened, laundry pile all over the couch
Bedrooms: The room owner should be responsible for his/her own room: beds made, clothes picked up off of floor, trash thrown away. Two year olds can't make their own bed, but spend a few minutes with your preschooler, helping them see what should be done. Give them a chance to "do" it and then you will probably "fix" it after they leave the room. It will take some time, but after a while they will grow more coordinated and able to do it. It takes practice and developing the expectations early on.
Mail Center: (You need one if you don't have one) junk mail thrown, bills and important papers where they go, etc. Hint: do this when you bring it in from the mailbox. Don't delay!

Start with the big items (bed, table top, countertops) and work down to smaller areas.
Carry a basket or wear an apron with large pockets to store things that need to be carried to another room.
You may not need to do ALL the rooms each day. And all the rooms may not need 5 minutes EVERY DAY.
Being flexible is important. With little kids, it will be nearly impossible to go from room to room without interruption. You maybe try picking up at night.
Keeping a basket in each room (living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc) that toys could be thrown into for a fast and easy clean up. It may not be the most organized way to deal with the toys, but it helps keep the floor from looking like the toy box exploded and makes it easy for the kids to help with a quick pick-up, too.

Setting realistic goals and accepting that a perfectly organized and clean house may not always be a reality with the little ones. But it is possible to maintain a comfortable and peaceful home for your family.