To Do - Day Five

Of course I can!

I woke up this morning and the counters were still clean and it was awesome. Oddly enough, last night's meal wasn't nearly as complicated as tacos, but it was harder to keep the counters clean. Maybe because I wasn't constantly using a new dish and constantly reminding myself to wash them immediately?

Either way, it was still clean(ish) this morning, and that's what matters!

As far as my list goes, I didn't do a single thing on the second half. Once regular maintenance tasks were taken care of (dishes, messes, food, etc) I was at the point where I had to choose between playing with the kids who were incessantly demanding attention or work on the list. Occasionally I can convince C to help me with my list but yesterday he was having none of it and just wanted us to play legos. 

To be honest, I decided when C was born that the kids will only be this young for a little while. Once they start school they won't be home for much of the day, and even when they are home they may not want to spend time with their momma anymore.

So as long as they want to play with me, I pick them over household chores any day of the week. 

I do need to remember that (most of the time) the day-to-day maintenance still needs to take precedence over playing with the kids. It has taken me a long time to realize that a few minutes of clean-up throughout the day is much better than letting it go completely until I have to waste hours catching up. 

That's why I'm adjusting my list even more today. I am going to try and take off all the "unnecessary" tasks and only list my day-to-day maintenance. Yes, I know, that's what I said I was going to do at the beginning of the week. The thing is, I actually thought I had done that! Remember how long my first list was? And my second was half the size of that one! 

But it's still too much. 

At least for now, I really do need to focus on the day-to-day stuff until it becomes habit. So here is today's list of every day tasks:

• put dishes away
• keep kitchen table and counters cleared
• vacuum living room and kitchen
• clear off couches and chairs
• bring up firewood
• take out trash

And these are things that I really really really need to do today, even if I have to do them after the kids go to bed (which is my only "free time" of the day)!

• laundry (wash, fold, put away!!!)
• sign M up for class
• re-pot the plant

Wish me luck!