Wait - Let Me Tie My Apron Strings

In my entire life, there is not one single person who would think 'Suzie Homemaker' when they heard my name.

Not one.

And that's fine with me. I never wanted to be the kind of wife who has her apron, heels and red lipstick on with dinner on the table and a martini ready when her husband comes home. Nah. I'm way too independent.

Cleaning house when you're single, living with another adult, or married just isn't that bad. I mess it up, I clean it up. You mess it up, you clean it up. We'll split the stuff that needs done together (garbage, laundry, vacuuming etc.). However, since I've been at home with mini-me and mini-Tony, it's been a little bit more difficult. There are two little creatures, messing everything up at all moments of the day. They're quite good at it. I've really had to spend a lot of time here in the house. And I really like it to be clean. I don't require spotless and sparkling. But I would like to have, at minimum, the APPEARANCE of clean.

I have also realized, in my semi-old age, that they only way I am productive is if I have a to-do list. Honestly. I get completely distracted by small things even WITH a list. Without a list, I'd spend ALL day playing with the kids, watching Oprah and using StumbleUpon. I get a certain amount of satisfaction just crossing something off that list. It is very rare if one day's list gets finished in one day. But, at the end of the day, I try to start a list for the next day.

How do these two topics come together? Well, I've found a great cleaning to-do list. Actually, an old friend of mine found it, and emailed me the link. From what I can tell, this list was created by a mom who also home schools her children. It only costs $8, and she has each day on a page. She has your regular every day stuff, weekly stuff, and (this is what I always forget) the stuff that you only do every few months. I've only been using it for a week, and I've found that I tweak it a bit. I add my work and personal chores on there, too. My old to-do lists ALMOST NEVER including cleaning. I would do some, when I felt like it. Which meant that I hardly every did things like clean the top of the fridge and organize my closet. This list took all of the thinking out of cleaning. I mean, I think enough with all of my other endeavors. I don't have time to THINK about cleaning.

So, here's a link for the to-do list. It comes in a few different formats, and gives you an entire year. Yeah, I know that tomorrow starts March. But better late than never. Click here to view more details. She has it available with or without a Bible verse. Hey, whatever floats your boat. Personally, I'm not so much a bible girl. If you end up using this list, let me know! Or, if you have some other kind of great idea to keep your house in a semi-clean state, feel free to share that, too!