The Couch is the Enemy - Beat it with My Cleaning Schedule

When lying in bed, right before you fall asleep, do you ever think, "What the heck did I do today?" Man, I hate those nights.

For me, staying busy is the key to happiness. Accomplishing goals is so completely satisfying that it is what brings me joy. I'm not talking about huge goals, but if you wake in the morning thinking that you really want to read your child a story or finish a 1/2 completed craft project and then you FAIL to do these things, it's a major bummer when you realize your missed opportunities at the end of the day.

Mark my words, the couch is the enemy. Our days are filled with distractions -- T.V. shows, random Internet searches that lead us into an abyss of endless ads, news stories, emails, and so forth, the magazine left open on the coffee table -- they all lead us to one place -- the couch. I KNOW!

Here's how to win your battle with that comfy couch calling your name. Have a plan! Your best weapon? The list. I have lists for everything. Chores, shopping, recipes I want to bake, crafts I'd like to make, books to read, and so on, and so on, and, well, you get the point.

My favorite list is more like a schedule. It's my cleaning list, and it's my savior. My house is not spotless, not even close, actually, but by following this short little list I am not completely horrified when a neighbor "pops over" to deliver a mis-directed piece of mail. I try to get my daily chore done before 10:00 a.m. so I have the rest of the day to spend doing fun stuff.

Here it is:

• Monday: Dust & wipe down and water plants
• Tuesday: Floors – Vacuum & wash
• Wednesday: Bathrooms
• Thursday: Wipe down appliances, clean mirrors, spot clean fingerprints & doggie nose prints on windows
• Friday: Laundry
• Saturday: Wild card! I pick a project like cleaning out the fridge, wiping down blinds, organizing the pantry, or switching out seasonal clothes.
• Sunday: This is my baking day. So my cleaning is of the kitchen mess I’ve made.

There are moments to relax: cuddling with your kids before going down to sleep, thumbing through a celeb magazine while sipping afternoon tea, enjoying a glass of ice cold lemonade under a warm summer sun. But these moments are so much more amazing when sandwiched between productive hours. You know it's true, so tell that couch it will just have to wait!