It was 10:00 in the morning. I was dressed and ready for the day and I had already:
- Taken care of the cat (If you’re a cat owner, you know that your cat will make sure that happens first!)
- Swept the floor in the laundry room
- Thrown in a load of laundry
- Made the bed
- Cleaned the bathroom
- Wiped off the mirrors in the bathroom and bedroom
- Made baked oatmeal
- Emptied the dishwasher
I had also had my time in the Word and prayer, and my husband and I had also been guests on a podcast before 10:00! I was thankful that these things were done, because the rest of the day was also full of responsibilities. Not every day is as busy or productive and “My life is not about checking off boxes!” (I say to myself each day!).
My life is driven by my relationship with the Lord. I desire He direct my steps each day so that I can live my life for His glory. But God is a god of order and beauty, so that motivates me to live out each day in the same way. I don’t want to be driven by the constant demand of household chores and duties, but I desire to be the Keeper of my home so that it runs smoothly and efficiently.
In my years of homemaking, I have learned that the most adequate way to keep that happening is by having a daily routine. Most every bullet at the top of this post is done every single day of the week. I could do most of those things half asleep simply because it’s part of my daily routine.
Getting my day organized by doing the same things every day keeps my meals prepped, my laundry clean and the house in order. Here are some of the other things that I do every single day:
- Put away my clothes when changing.
- Clean up the kitchen after each meal.
- Clear off any clutter from the kitchen counter.
- Wipe down the stove top after cooking.
- Spray the fridge, microwave and kitchen trash can with window spray.
- Empty the trash.
- Do one load of laundry.
- Fold and put away the laundry as soon as possible after it’s dried.
- Empty the litter box.
- Sweep the floor.
- Clean the main bathroom.
- Straighten up the living areas (family room, living room).
The picture of my family room at the top of this post is my view while I’m writing. I did nothing to this room when I came in here today, and we use this room every day. It stays neat and clean, thanks to my daily routines. Without that, things would be a mess!
What do you need to add to your daily routine in order to be more effective as the keeper of your home? Make an evaluation of your “problem areas” then make a routine that will keep things in check. I’ve heard Whitney say many times that she has a routine for each day of the week – a day for laundry, a day for watering the plants, etc. That’s also helpful!
If I can give you suggestions or help, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments, or feel free to email me. My email address is in my contact page.
Here are some other cleaning posts (done in our previous home) that might spur you on to do some deep cleaning.
Refresh your home with routine!
RefreshHer 
So true (especially about taking care of the cat, ha!)! And that picture of your family room – I’m in love with how it turned out!! ❤
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A cat owner understands! Which probably means we are we owned by our cats!!
Thanks for your comment on my family room. We are enjoying it so much!
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Hey Denise,
When you empty the litter box daily do you mean scooping out the presents or totally changing it out(removing liner and all litter and replacing it with all new litter) I have three cats and three litterboxes.
Thank you for sharing your daily routine tasks!
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Hi Diane, I’m talking about just emptying the dirty litter, not emptying everything out. Sorry for the confusion!
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It seems I’m always doing housework and rarely getting it all done and I’m home all the time. My life is likely to get much busier than I’d like, in the fall, when I take my kiddo to school and very likely work as an aide. I have no idea how I’m going to make it work. Any suggestions? Thanks!
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Johanna, working outside the home adds a dynamic that makes homemaking difficult, but not impossible to maintain. Here are a few tips off the top of my head:
Keeping a daily routine is crucial. For instance – Monday – laundry day. Start a load as soon as you get up and get it into the dryer before you leave.
Also, try to use little minutes like while the coffee is brewing – dust, sweep the floor, or empty the dishwasher.
At nighttime: Making sure the house is picked up before heading to bed, lunches packed, breakfast things ready. You just have to use every minute wisely to keep things maintained.
Also, enlist help from your family and your maids – electronic ones! You might be wise to invest in a robotic vacuum. Use the slow cooker while you’re at school.
Then use Saturday to do the heavier tasks. If everything is in order before you start the school job, you should be able to maintain it with daily routines.
I hope this helps!
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Thank you for the advice! At least I have some time to get things in order!
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Great advice! I also work full time outside the home, and keeping up with things and having a routine are key. After work while supper is cooking I dry and fold the laundry I started that morning. After supper I load the dishwasher, wash hand dishes/pots, clean the counters and stove, sweep, and empty the trash. It really doesn’t take that long. I also try to do one chore per evening, and that leaves less to do on Saturdays. I often use my lunch break for errands. It can be done, it just takes intentional organization.
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Your family room is just lovely!! A very nice view indeed:)
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Thank you, Jennifer. We are enjoying it so much!
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