How do you keep on top of things?

[singmelullabies]

I'm hoping for a few tips from people who are better at this cleaning malarky than I am! Am currently on Mat leave and have been trying to make a real effort to get the house decluttered, tidy and clean, and, more importantly, keep it that way.

I've been using Flylady and I know it's hideously twee but I've found it so useful in getting some basics done. So far I've managed:

• Bathroom cleaned every day
  
• Washing up done and kitchen surfaces wiped down every day
  
• Laundry gone from being a mountain that was twice the height of the laundry basket to a small amount that gets done every day.
  
• Breakfast dishes and clothes for the following day set out each night.
  
• Bedroom partly decluttered, e.g. shelves, dresser, wardrobes cleared out.
  
• Have started to get the kids involved by giving them each a tub that they use to go round the house and collect up anything they have left lying around, which they then have to put back in the right place (with a little help).
  
  By other people's standards the house is still pretty messy but I feel like I'm getting somewhere. I'm trying to undo a lifetime's worth of bad habits and establish some good ones; I'm worried that when I go back to work in a few months we'll just slide back into chaos though. My main problems are really bad time management, a lack of effective routines and a tendency to get distracted so that I don't finish the job I'm doing. When I go back to work I'll have 2 days a week at home but will have a toddler and baby at home with me. I don't want to feel like I'm spending all day tidying and cleaning but also really want a nice house that we can all enjoy living in.
  Any tips please???
  Thanks

[Scattymum101]

Sounds like a lot of good ideas already. I think the key is routine, routine, routine. When things become second nature they just get done.
I'm going back to work in January in a similar situation to you and I'm planning the basket idea too.
Also planning everyone to have their own washing baskets for clothes to be put in the right place even if I can't out the clothes away straight away.
I usually do a tidy up with my 3 year old before lunch and before dinner of any toys. I put a 'tidy up' song on and we race each other to see who can put the toys away quickest. It takes two mins - the length of the song - and stops the toy trail before it trickles everywhere!

I'm a big flylady convert too. She revolutionised my thinking by making me realise that 10 mins can make a huge difference so is always worth doing a little bit rather than being overwhelmed by a whole job to be done.

[Moving15]

I agree its all about habits and tidying as you go! Teach the children good habits too as they grow.. It sounds like you are an excellent example!

[Zippidydoodah]

Gosh, I'm in awe of your op! I am currently a sahm (three under six) and I'm nowhere near as organised/domesticated as I hoped I would be by now!!

Thanks for the inspiration, though!

[prettygirlincrimsonrose]

I find timers really useful for focusing for a short period of time, and I don't tend to get distracted if I'm using them. If the timer goes off and I haven't finished something I'm usually far enough through that I just want to get it done, so I carry on (according to this: waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html and this: waitbutwhy.com/2013/11/how-to-beat-procrastination.html I've passed a 'tipping point' and my instant gratification monkey has stopped trying to distract me!). I'm still working on routines though, so any tips on that would be great.