Housekeeping is about more than just the best household products and tips on how to better clean a room. Housekeeping is about keeping your house in order and what better way to do that than finding an organizational system that works for you.
I am amazed at the majority of people who push their carts through grocery stores, wandering aimlessly and grabbing whatever they think they need. Rarely do I see someone with a list. Sometimes I feel a little odd, with my list and pen in hand. But at the same time I feel a sense of triumph in knowing that I have planned my meals ahead of time.
Lists can be a great way to keep things under control in your home. They eliminate the need to make extra trips to the store, running out of items last minute or finding that you are suddenly in need of something that is gone.
The key to this however, is to get your entire family on board. I cannot possibly keep track of everything in our home that needs replacing. So I have come up with a way that encourages my family to cooperate with my organizational system for lists.
I keep two running lists. On my refrigerator is one of those magnetic tablets that you write grocery items on. My family knows that if they are the last one to use something or better, if they see something is running low, to write it down on our grocery list. They also know that if they want something in particular to eat, they have to write it down.
My children used to protest that I “never” got them certain things. I would reply, “Did you write it on the list?” They have finally caught on and most of the time they do a great job with this.
Now this list is strictly for grocery store items. On our dry erase calendar there is a spot where they know to write other items needed, things I would pick up at Target or Walmart, such as socks or makeup.
These lists are only beneficial if you are smart about using them. Although I do rely on my family to keep up with the lists, I still take time every Sunday to do a quick walk through each room of my house to determine if there is anything I need to add to the list.
For instance, in the laundry room I check how much detergent and fabric softener sheets are left. In the kitchen I look to see how much Cascade we have or in the linen closet, how many rolls of toilet paper are left. It literally takes me five minutes to do this quick walk through. But it prevents me from running out of necessary items.
I immediately write on my lists the things I saw that need replacing so that I am fully prepared when I do my grocery shopping and errand running that week.
How do you use lists to better your housekeeping?
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