great system to help you keep house with so much to do

[Jacafamala]

Sure. What can you do? 

[Liza_Do_A_Lot]

Sure. What can you do? 

Design new header, create tabs for you and links - labels to each post (so they are easy to traced and people can find them again)  You can also add several gadgets like LinkWithin etc).

I have designed a few others (look on left side pannel, there are a couple of other blogs I have re designed.  I did all the graphics too.  (the headers, and buttons etc).

[Johanna]

I have actually found that 2 and 4 year olds can be quite helpful if they are trained properly.  I have had 3 and 4 year olds make their own beds, wipe down tables and chairs, fetch and carry, entertain the baby, set the table, and sort laundry.  I expect all the kids to clean up their toys from the age of 2, or even younger in some cases.  When the little kids watch me doing chores with the older ones, they are usually quite willing to help.  My 7 year old mops and does dishes.

My other organizing secret is extreme  minimalism in the amount of stuff we have.  As a result I find even with 5 kids, keeping up with the chores isn't too hard, and we homeschool and don't have a dishwasher!  I think the biggest thing is the minimalism, Americans have waaay too much stuff.  I always have a bag going for goodwill.  The less stuff there is the less cleaning and organizing you have to do. 

[Liza_Do_A_Lot]

I have actually found that 2 and 4 year olds can be quite helpful if they are trained properly.  I have had 3 and 4 year olds make their own beds, wipe down tables and chairs, fetch and carry, entertain the baby, set the table, and sort laundry.  I expect all the kids to clean up their toys from the age of 2, or even younger in some cases.  When the little kids watch me doing chores with the older ones, they are usually quite willing to help.  My 7 year old mops and does dishes.

My other organizing secret is extreme  minimalism in the amount of stuff we have.  As a result I find even with 5 kids, keeping up with the chores isn't too hard, and we homeschool and don't have a dishwasher!  I think the biggest thing is the minimalism, Americans have waaay too much stuff.  I always have a bag going for goodwill.  The less stuff there is the less cleaning and organizing you have to do. 

I agree totally with all the above.  (Although I don't home school, so you are one above me)!

[candyapple]

It's been awhile since I have been on FE but have to admit I am a fly lady flunkie Go figure. The only thing that stuck for the most part is keep the sink clean and clear and do a load of laundry a day. I think I will get that book Mother's Rule... and view the No Excuses!- seemed like good dinner suggestions. Getting tired of the same 'ol thing.

Another think is how in the world do you make it to Mass each Sunday with a colicky baby? Each Sunday I get the fam ready to go and somehow can't get out the door. Husband resists anyway, and baby wants to be nursed. I am transitioning to entirely ff her but still.... (Oh and I don't make enough for entirely bf even with lactation consultations.) 

BTW another note is among many reasons to homeschool- which I don't do yet - being a taxi driver is not what I imagined. It's tedious to load the baby, drop the kid off, unload, load, get there at least a half hour early for pick up to get a close parking space so the kid can walk to the car; to avoid having to take the baby out to be exposed to the germy kids and crazy parents. Yes, crazy parents who snap pictures of babies without giving you the time to politely decline, or parents who actually open the carseat shade cover to see the baby you just said was sleeping right now. Oh and it's been an hour- baby wants to nurse Que hungry baby.

[iona_scribe]

A few days ago I found a blog called "Like Mother, Like Daughter." And after reading several of the articles about mealtimes and cleaning, I've really fallen in love with it.  It's written by a veteran mother of seven, homeschooling, Catholic who also writes about the spiritual "why" behind an orderly home, and tells it like it is and not how Martha Stewart thinks it should be:

http://ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com/2009/03/let-me-tell-you-one-thing-about-order.html

That's just a sample, but there's lot of good stuff in the sidebar. I'm working my way through the cleaning series first.