Cleaning: What works for me

I almost decided to forego this post in the All in a Day Series, but the kids are playing gloriously outside, the baby is sleeping, the laundry is going and I have a whew.....moment. :)

I have to firstly report some terrible news. Yesterday, I was taking pictures of my parents' new baby goats. I had my camera in my pocket. My 3 yr old and I were out looking for the newest baby goats when he fell in an ant bed. I immediately scooped him up and rushed him over to a spring flowing, close by. I submerged his hand in the water and immediately my camera slipped out of my pocket and yes, into the spring. My new camera. I am just sick. It worked for a few minutes and I was so thrilled. But, alas, now it won't even turn on. I know those things happen. I don't feel like I was being careless or anything. I sure would've been sick then. I think my memory card is ok. I sure hope so.

Anyway...onto cleaning.

Right now, I am going room by room through my house and decluttering. Here is my living room after decluttering:

I read Tsh Oxenreider's (Sp?) book, Organized Simplicity, and she advocates going room by room, having a bag for trash and a bag for yard sale stuff. She says take everything out of the room and put in one location (this is really fun and AMAZING to see all the stuff that was in a room). You then Spring Clean that room, go through your stuff and purge and trash, put things back, and fall in love. :)

Once I get every room done (I am now in my bedroom...wow), I hope to get a scheduled cleaning system going.

For now, here's what I do:

Keep the dishes washed

Do laundry at least twice a week

Sweep the floors and mop when needed (this is usually sweeping every other day and mopping about once every two weeks...I do a lot of spot mopping in between thorough mops)

Kids keep bedroom straightened

Keep LR and DR straightened

Dust when I see dust piling up (or ignore it for a few days until I find out I'm going to have company)

Clean bathroom when I see it can't go any longer

And that is what I do. Maintain. Cook. Straighten. Mother.

That's what I do.

Mother.

That's the most important thing, right?

Read how these other mothers do it:

Carrie @ Our Full House Christi @ Where the Creek Meets the Lake Elizabeth @ Yes They’re All Ours Kathy @ Kathy Mom of Many Kristy @ Homemaker's Cottage Lori @ Happy Busy Mama Renee @ Bakers Dozen