So here we go again. I'm trying. I made a chore chart last year and the kids really liked it. But as time wore on, it lost it's allure. We revamped it and reimplemented it today. Once again, the kids are excited. And even Emma has 2 chores to do each week! :) Putting up some of her clothes and picking up her toys.
I made it using a magnetic dry erase board and then used sharpie markers for the grid and vinyl letters for the days and the kids names. The chore icons I printed out on magnetic sheets I got at WalMart. The pictures are easy for the kids to understand. And all they have to do is put a smiley face on the right day when they complete their chore. They get 10 cents for each smiley face. I have it on the door leading to the garage in our laundry room. I really, really wish we had a mud room, but this will have to do. :)
And now, for my newest bid at organization...My friend Christi blogged about this idea that she found on a blog yesterday. I'm a little nervous, but really excited. I bought 4 new laundry baskets today. Each kid has one and I put their names on them in vinyl.
So it works like this. Each child puts their dirty clothes in their own basket. Each person has their own laundry day. I will take Luke's basket and dump it into the washer. Without separating colors. Eeeek! That's the part that scares me. :) But, I have to admit, I mix clothes on accident all the time and haven't ever had any problems. And I've read that I can add a 1/2 cup of vinegar with my soap to help in case colors do bleed. I'm going to be careful to wash new red clothes or new dark wash denim separately for a while, but everything else just goes in! Then into the dryer and after I pull them out of the dryer, they go back into Luke's laundry basket and he folds them and puts them up.
And Tuesday is Sara's day, Wednesday: Hope, etc. Granted, Hope and Emma will need help, but they can do a lot of it! So, in theory, I should only have 1 load of laundry a day and no sorting of colors or sorting everyone's clothes after they are washed. (which is the part I hate the MOST!) Lance and I will have a day, too, and I will wash sheets and towels as needed, but I have to say, this sounds really awesome! I hope I can keep up with it!
I love your plan for laundry. I started doing the same thing. I wash in cold and no bleeding of colors. Sometimes i use color catcher sheets. They are the best for catches the dye right in the washer. I buy them at wal-mart by the shout.I still use warm when needed with stains. I trained my family to lay the clothes out in the sink or in the floorif it had a stain to remind me to tackle it right away. I think that is that doing in the floor then I remind it has a stain. Good luck with your plan. You have the right odea train them young.
ReplyDeleteI saw that on Christi's blog and I've seen it a couple of other places, too. I already have a laundry basket for every family member and I love this plan in theory, but it makes me nervous! You need to let us know how you're liking it in a couple of weeks. (In other words, you need to be our guinea pig. :) )
ReplyDeleteI also have the chore charts but I don't use them effectively. We're trying to decide how to handle allowance around here. This household management stuff can be challenging, can't it?!