Tackle it Tuesday: Cleaning chart

Here is another overdue task that I finally get it done - thanks to Amy with her Tuesday's AP party link. Every week I am looking around to see what I need to accomplished by next Tuesday. I know I said this before, but Amy's AP party has been a wonderful tool to help me get my unfinish projects finished.
I think it is something called "accountibility". :)

Last time I checked, not many people seem to like doing any of the cleaning tasks. We all like to live in a clean house but we seem to struggle with the cleaning part of it.

I have followed the FLYlady system for about 11 years now and at times, I still found myself back to square one for the cleaning routines.

I pray that my daughter will not hate cleaning.

No one will hate cleaning if the job is as easy as 123.

Since the Hot Spot crew is going strong, I started the bathroom crew yesterday morning as well. No they don't have a choice. Both of the older children will re-learn how to clean and maintain their shared bathroom.

Since I am a nice mom (wink, wink), I did not make them do the crash and burn method to start up the routines. Just one little task at a time.  Right before breakfast time.

For example,
yesterday C did the mirror and the sink. J did the toilet tank and the toilet seat.
Today C did the sink and toilet tank and J did the mirror and toilet seat.
Tomorrow C will do the toilet tank and toilet seat and J will do the mirror and sink.

It may sound complicated when you are reading it and yes, I too, will fold this idea if I have to remember who is doing what each day!

That is why it took me a while to get this idea going, as I had to think through the order of helping them to reclaim their clean bathroom. Baby step style. No more crash and burn.

I created a color coded list so that they can mark off the tasks they accomplished. Also, I require them to inspect each other's cleaning job and take pride in a job well done.

You know how easy it is to clean something that's already clean? Today they finish the cleaning way before my minute timer hit the number 5!

It may take up to a week or two for them to get every task in their bathroom under their belts, but it will be solid and that is what I am after.

J may marry a girl who would love him enough to keep their house clean and C may marry a politician (right!) so she could hire a maid. But whatever their future will hold, I want to be sure they know how to clean and feel good about doing so.

I use this "How to eat an elephant?" method on a number of things and I really like the result - Yup! One bite at a time.

I posted the chart in their bathroom next to the mirror so they will see it and will call on each other to complete the tasks.  They check off the tasks using the Expo markers on top of the plastic protetor which also keeps the sheet dry while they take their showers.