Saturday 27 August 2011

Turning over a new leaf.

Recently it occurred to me - as I picked my way through piles of shit, in an attempt to pluck something unsavoury from Boober's mouth - that I am a slob. A complete slob. Well, maybe not complete. I throw away trash most of the time, my house is not full of bugs or rodents, I can't be a complete slob. But there have been back-handed comments, and seeing the shit that Boober finds around to nom on is very telling . . . so it's been front of mind lately.

The state of my home: horrifying. I made a decision right then that for the sake of my children, and my own stress and sanity level, I need to do better. But where do you start? When you have finite and limited amounts of space, and 2 kids up in your grill at all times . . . what can you do? I've been in a holding pattern of ick for so long. And then my SIL hit me up for info on smartphones (I work for a wireless provider. This info is like breathing for me - although it's wildly confusing for the uninitiated) and she mentioned an app that she was lusting after. I checked it out. The skies cleared. The angels sang. A checklist! A daily checklist! It's perfect!

This app gives me a list of things to do daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. It's possible (maybe advisable) to edit frequency and tasks. Sure, lists are 'silly' and you can totally make them yourself and all that -- but it's a free app, and it seems to be working for me.

Wednesday, I cleaned the bathroom. Including the tub and surround. I last did this while nesting with Sweet Pea. She's 3 now. I am Horrifying.
Thursday, I cleaned the fridge with soap and everything! Last time I did this? Never. I am so gross.
Friday I took 2 or 3 hours to cull the massive toy herd we've grown. Currently my kitchen floor is covered in boxes for donation.
Today I've cleared off some of the kitchen table. It's our shit pile. Where we dump everything. When it gets full, we clear it off on to the living room floor, or the bookshelf, and we start again.

I've only just begun with this, but I'm really, really tired of being gross. I'm tired of putting it all on Mr. Wonderful - it shouldn't all be his problem. Days when the kids simul-nap, I can use that time to be productive rather than napping along side them or surfing the tubes or otherwise wasting time. Of course, napping is a completely valid pastime, and can be done on days when I'm tired too, but it doesn't have to be the default.

I'm so hoping this sticks. Because I'm tired of being gross.

7 comments:

Star said...

Is the android app as good as the iPhone one looks???? I am still debating iPhone, just for the app!!

(srsly, the app was what prompted the desire for the phone in the first place. I told C that I *needed* a phne in order to keep our house clean!!)

Kaye said...

It's all about routine too. Saturday is my cleaning day and every other Saturday is my not-too-routine chore day as well....washing the sheets, mopping the floors, that kinda stuff.
Good luck sticking with it!

Stickyfingers said...

That really depends on what you're looking for in the app, Star. We'll talk specifics via email or FB.
Kaye, I so hear you on routine - and with 2 little tiny kids, routine is virtually impossible. Hell, I forgot to make COFFEE the other day because the morning routine got a little muffed. That's why a checklist is good for me. 'I have 10 minutes - what can I do in 10 minutes? Hmmm . . . . yeah, I can totally do THAT in 10 minutes!!'
Today, I have changed the bedding on the kid's beds (Wonderful is still sleeping) and started the laundry. All because I had some time and a checklist to give me a nudge.

canadacole said...

I can't describe how relieved this post makes me. I still use my mother's method of housekeeping: people coming=panic and yell and clean like a dervish. I have no mobile device and now I'm wondering if I can get this for my PC? Fly lady didn't work for me...

Stickyfingers said...

I bet you can get something like it, Cole. Habithacker.com was suggested to me by my SIL as a companion to the chore checklist. I checked it out, but can't stand email subscriptions to ANYTHING -- but it looks like it could work.
Lots of people give up on Flylady and her . . . oddities??

Star said...

Habithacker I am finding much better than flylady.... flylady was just weird. and sent too much crap.

Habit hacker sends an email a day for 90 days.... day one, do this, day two, do that.... the idea being that you are slowly developing a routine.

Lara said...

What app is this? I join you in slobbiness.