Creating a Household Routine

by Melissa Ringstaff, Director
Whether you are young or old, married or single, a family with one child or a family of many, your household, your life will benefit from a good routine. Homemakers, whether full-time or part-time, will complete their household chores more efficiently by establishing a routine. Children thrive in structured environments. Husbands will enjoy their home life more when they know they can expect a clean house and supper on the table before 8:30.

The hardest part of a routine is making it a habit. Habits take around 21 days to officially be ingrained in your daily patterns. So, if you fall off of your preplanned routine, don't despair! There is always tomorrow. Once you establish your household routine, you will find that you have time to complete your tasks and you may even find you have time you didn't have before.

A good routine will allow a fulltime homemaker to complete her chores daily with little frustration. The house can be clean by 10:00 in the morning leaving the rest of the day to go to the park, run errands, cook or bake, enjoy a hobby, care for the children, and serve in the community. For a woman who works outside of the home, a good routine will serve as an efficient way to complete chores that cannot be done during the day.

To get started, make a list of all of your regular chores, errands, commitments, and activities. Beside each notation, add the time it typically takes for you to complete the task. It may seem overwhelming at first! But this is an important step.

Now create a timeline or schedule. Housework can be accomplished easily if done regularly. Cleaning the kitchen immediately takes 15 - 20 minutes. Cleaning the kitchen after 2 or 3 meals takes 2 or more hours.

In our household, I have certain chores I like to perform each morning. These tasks are: prayer and devotion, making beds - 5 minutes, straightening kitchen - 15 minutes, wiping down bathroom sinks – 5 minutes, washing 2 loads of laundry - total of 2 hours and includes folding and putting away, and then I select two more chores each day of the week. Monday I clean the stove - 15 minutes, and vacuum - 30 minutes. Tuesday - Bathrooms and Mop Friday - Dust All Furniture and Bake Bread. My personal example may give you some ideas about how you can order your household tasks through the week. Most importantly, your routine should fit your lifestyle. My routine works great for me. I can complete my chores in a timely fashion and still have my afternoons free to complete projects or have fun with my children. In your routine you should include meal planning and preparation. Create your weekly menu for the coming week and you'll never have to wonder "What's for dinner?" again. Also include daytime and bedtime routines for your children. Your children will behave better, act calmer when they know what to expect.

The most important part of your routine is The Night Before. In the evening, make sure that your house is straight and your kitchen is sparkling clean. Lay out your clothes and your children's clothes. Have your children put their soiled clothes in the hamper and pick up toys and other items that are out of place. In the morning they can make their bed, put away the pajamas and leave for school with fresh clean rooms.

But what if you are so far behind on your housework that you cannot go to bed with a clean house? If your house is out of control, you will need to set aside time each day to organize at least one area. You may want to focus on a single room at a time. Starting with your kitchen will work wonders on your mornings when you walk into a clean fresh smelling kitchen. Your whole day will go better! Then you may want to start with the areas guests see when they come over. If you only have small portions of time, focus on one drawer or one closet at a time. Put away like items, for instance, all the clothes, all the magazines, papers, etc. Make decisions about items that are cluttering your house. Throw away and give away as much as possible. Make sure that what you keep has a designated place. You've heard the old adage, "A Place for everything and everything in its place." Now, in the evening straighten those areas you have organized so that clutter does not once again take over.

In the morning, look at your schedule and "to do lists" first thing. Have your devotion and prayer time. Pray for your day. Make your bed as soon as your husband gets up. Don't wait! Get dressed. Eat a healthy breakfast. Put away dishes and straighten kitchen. Wipe down the bathroom sinks to freshen. And begin your day knowing your house is clean for the day. Complete the day's tasks with a cheerful spirit and create a haven of peace and warmth for your family and yourself.

Melissa Ringstaff is the Director of A Virtuous Woman and the Proverbs 31 Clubs and Practical Homemaking. She is a happy wife and mother living in the beautiful Appalachain mountains of Kentucky.