Step By Step Chores

I think one of the best ways to make a large family successful is by assigning chores to everyone. Everyone 2 and up can definitely pitch in. Even the smallest chore is the biggest help and one less thing for mama to worry about.

In the beginning, I set aside about 15 minutes each afternoon to work with a specific child and chore that they will be working on. I take my "master list" with me so both they and I know what is to be expected. I also take this list and type each one out onto a larger sheet, with squares next to it, laminate it and then it can be their own personal checklist until they are confident with how to do it by heart.

Below is my "master list". I personally work well off of other's ideas, so hopefully my list will help you. I clean my house everyday, little by little, till everything is done by Friday. That way my weekends are free to be a little more flexible with the kids and hubby, just hanging out. It is a nice way for us because 30-45 min. each day is spent cleaning, versus a whole day or working. I will post my cleaning schedule hopefully tomorrow so that way you can see how that works along with my "master list." Feel free to use it and tweak to help you.

God bless.


STEP-BY-STEP CHORE DIRECTIONS

Making Your Bed
1. Take all pillows off of your bed.
2. Put away any items that don’t belong on your bed.
3. Pull up your sheet to the top and smooth out the wrinkles.
4. Straighten your blanket and smooth out the wrinkles.
5. Tuck in any sides that are hanging over the edge.
6. Replace pillows neatly.

Getting Dressed
1. Take off your pajamas in your own room with the door closed.
2. Get dressed with the clothes you have picked out.
3. Put your pajamas away neatly folded in drawer/bucket.
4. After wearing your pajamas for 3 nights, place them in the dirty laundry basket.

Brushing Your Teeth
1. Put toothpaste on your toothbrush.
2. Close the cap neatly and put it away.
3. If there is toothpaste on the cap, please rinse off with warm water and then replace the cap and put it away.
4. Wet your toothbrush.
5. Set timer for 1 minute and brush until the timer goes off.
6. Rinse your mouth and toothbrush.
7. Put away your toothbrush.
8. Rinse any toothpaste out of the sink.

Wiping Down Bathroom Sink and Mirror
1. Take out one wipe from under bathroom sink and wipe down the entire bathroom sink and counter.
2. Throw away wipe.
3. Take out glass cleaner and one paper towel.
4. Spray the glass cleaner on the center of the mirror and wipe clean with paper towel.
5. Throw away paper towel.
6. Put wipes, glass cleaner and paper towels back in basket under sink.

Cleaning Bedroom
1. Pick up everything off the floor and put things in their home.
2. Throw away trash in the kitchen trash can.
3. Put any dirty laundry in the dirty clothes basket.
4. Check under your bed for any items that need to be put away where they belong.
5. Check closet shelf and floor, put items away where they belong.
6. Make sure all clothes are hung up neatly or folded and put away neatly.
7. Take swiffer duster and dust off all furniture, shelves, and blinds in your room.

Cleaning Bathroom
1. Put any dirty laundry in the laundry basket.
2. Put away any other items that do not belong in the bathroom away where they belong.
3. Empty the bathroom trash and replace with another trash bag.
4. Get two washcloths from the laundry room and the Comet spray.
5. Take out shampoo, conditioner, and soap from shower area and place on the bathroom counter.
6. Spray shower with the Comet spray and get one washcloth wet.
7. Wipe down entire inside of the shower and the floor area with the wet washcloth.
8. Use the dry washcloth to dry off the walls and floor of shower.
9. To clean the glass door on the shower make sure to spray Comet on the door.
10. Wash with wet wash cloth until there are bubbles.
11. Then take squeegee and wipe down the door.
12. After the door has been squeegeed, use glass cleaner.
13. Replace the shampoo, condition and soap back in their home.
14. Next move to the toilet.
15. Use a small amount of toilet bowl cleaner in toilet bowl.
16. Take out one wipe from under sink and clean off the top of the toilet and handle.
17. Clean off toilet behind the toilet seat and then the top and underneath the toilet seat.
18. Clean off outside the toilet bowl and down behind the toilet.
19. Get toilet bowl brush and scrub inside the toilet, flush.
20. Make sure to straighten out the rug.
21. Hang up all towels back on the rack and hook neatly.
22. Next move to the sink.
23. Take out one wipe from under the sink and clean off entire sink area and counter.
24. Take out glass spray and spray the mirror one time in the middle and one time on medicine cabinet.
25. Take out two paper towels and wipe down mirrors.
26. Take paper towels and wipe down sink faucet.
27. Throw paper towel and wipe away in the kitchen trash.

Cleaning Library
1. Pick up all books off the floor.
2. Put all books neatly back on the shelf.
3. Put all push toys against the wall.
4. Put ottoman back up against the wall.
5. Put any toys back in their homes.
6. Get step ladder from laundry room.
7. Dust off all the bookshelves.
8. Dust off blinds.

Cleaning Front Entry/Living Room
1. Take swiffer and dust off the entire bench. Starting at the top, moving the LOVE letters and baskets.
2. Take off the runner and pillows and dust off the bench.
3. Replace the runner and pillows.
4. Take two paper towels and glass cleaner.
5. Clean the windows on each side of the door.
6. Throw paper towels away in kitchen trash and put glass cleaner away.
7. Take a washcloth from laundry room.
8. Get washcloth damp and wipe down the tv stand and all the shelves.
9. With damp washcloth wipe down all components of the tv.
10. Put all the tv remotes and Wii remotes in the drawer.
11. With damp washcloth wipe down the front of the fireplace.
12. Put washcloth in the laundry basket
13. Get three paper towels and glass cleaner.
14. Wipe down each window.
15. Throw paper towels away in kitchen trash.
16. Get another three paper towels and move to kitchen area.
17. Spray glass sliding door with three quirts on each side and clean window.
18. Spray smaller windows with one squirt and clean window.
19. Spray the big window in the middle with four squirts of glass cleaner and clean window.
20. Throw paper towels away in kitchen trash and put glass cleaner away.

Cleaning Kitchen
1. Take items that do not belong in kitchen and put away in their homes.
2. Put dishes into dishwasher.
3. Take green spray and spray one squirt in each side of the kitchen sink. Wipe out with one paper towel.
4. Take green spray and spray on counters and stove top.
5. Wipe down with three paper towels.
6. Take green spray and spray one spray on the dishwasher front, oven front and refrigerator front. Wipe down with paper towels from counter.
7. Throw paper towels away in kitchen trash and take two new paper towels.
8. Take green spray and spray five sprays on the kitchen table.
9. Wipe down kitchen table with paper towels and throw away in kitchen trash.
10. Push in all chairs around the table.
11. Straighten out kitchen rug.
12. Hang up kitchen towel on oven rack.


Clearing Off Kitchen Table
1. Take all refrigerator items and place back in the refrigerator.
2. Take all plates and scrape into the kitchen trash.
3. Place plate into the kitchen sink.
4. Take all cups and place them on the counter to be used the rest of the day.
5. Take any napkins and trash and throw them into the kitchen trash.
6. Get a washcloth from the laundry room.
7. Get washcloth damp and wipe down kitchen table crumbs onto a plate.
8. Rinse out washcloth.
9. Wipe down kitchen table.
10. Push in all kitchen chairs.

Wiping Down Kitchen Counters
1. Get washcloth from laundry room.
2. Get washcloth wet and wring out.
3. Wipe down all kitchen counters, moving items and replacing them.
4. Rinse out washcloth and hang on hook under sink.
5. Hang up kitchen towel on oven rack.

Oil All Cabinets
1. Get a washcloth from laundry room
2. Get the pledge spray from the laundry room cleaning supplies.
3. Go into girl’s bathroom.
4. Spray one spray of pledge on each cabinet door.
5. Wipe down.
6. Take washcloth and wipe down drawers and side of cabinet.
7. Go into boy’s bathroom.
8. Spray one spray of pledge on each cabinet door.
9. Wipe down.
10. Take washcloth and wipe down drawers and side of cabinet.
11. Go into parent’s bathroom.
12. Spray one spray of pledge one each cabinet door.
13. Wipe down
14. Take washcloth and wipe down drawers.
15. Go into kitchen.
16. Spray one spray of pledge on each cabinet door on the bottom cabinets.
17. Wipe down.
18. Take washcloth and wipe down drawers and side of cabinet.
19. Go to laundry room and get the step ladder.
20. Use step ladder to get the top cabinets.
21. Spray one spray of pledge on each cabinet door.
22. Wipe down.
23. Put pledge away in laundry room cleaning supplies.
24. Put washcloth into laundry basket.

Clean Out Van
1. Take out all toys, jackets, shoes, etc. and place them in the appropriate bedroom.
2. Take out all trash, napkins, water bottles, etc. and put them in the trash can.
3. Empty out all cup holders and put in appropriate place, trash or in a bedroom.
4. Get a washcloth from laundry room.
5. Get the washcloth damp and wipe down the dash and all cup holders with washcloth.
6. If needed, get shop vac to vacuum out.