I used to think it was utterly impossible to homeschool AND keep a clean house. I figured I was giving up a clean home when I decided to homeschool because there simply were not enough hours in the day to do both. And I knew plenty of other homeschool moms who would back me up on it.
Yet, I never, ever felt comfortable having a messy home and homeschooling never, ever felt right as long as the house was in disarray.
Deep within me I knew I had to find a way to keep the house tidy while homeschooling.
Before I go any further, I am going to assume you know that I believe the purpose of your home is not to create a place that sacrifices the family on the altar of appearances. If you don’t know that, READ THIS NOW! It is imperative you get your priorities straight before you create any schedule so that you don’t inadvertently schedule your family right out of the picture.
Moving on…
For a long time, I had our weekly chores scheduled for the morning hours right after breakfast and before school. This worked well when the school workload was rather small. However, with a 5th grader and an 8th grader this year, I found that sometimes school suffered if I required the weekly chores to be first on the list. And often by the end of the homeschooling day, the house was a mess AGAIN.
I remember reading a post my friend Kimberly wrote about deciding to do their weekly chores in the afternoon and thinking, “Nope, won’t work for me because I need a clean slate to work from and if the house is messy then I can’t school.” But, as I began to see our weekly chores being pushed aside in favor of starting school hours first thing after breakfast, I realized we were naturally drifting toward that model and I might as well as least give it a try. What harm could it do? As it was the weekly chores were not getting done. Can’t get much worse than that!
Well, one week of putting school before chores was enough to convince me!
Why?
Because doing the chores that much later in the day meant the house stayed cleaner and it was easier to pick up in the evening hours before bed. That, in turn, meant we got up in the morning to a relatively tidy home that was aesthetically pleasing “enough” to allow me to school without feeling like there were chores breathing down my neck.
However, this isn’t necessarily the answer for everyone.
I was speaking with a friend of mine this past weekend and I told her she might need to flip-flop my schedule because her husband works the evening shift. Like most men, he enjoys a clean home, so for her family doing the chores first while he is there and schooling while he is gone to work in the later afternoon (along with having a light supper rather the lighter lunch many homeschool moms choose to do) was perhaps a better option.
The bottom line here is no matter how you order the day, you must order the day.
If you want a relatively clean home (not immaculate unlived-in clean), you have to carve out time for cleaning. And if you want to homeschool in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, you must carve out time for that as well.
You are both wife and mother. You are both homeschool mom and homemaker. This is not mission impossible.
If you have to get off the computer, then do it.
If you have to stop a few of the extra-curricular activities, then do it.
If you have to get up earlier or go to bed earlier or unplug the phone or retrain your children or rewrite your schedule, then do it.
It is possible to keep a clean home and homeschool at the same time. Even for someone who struggles with being undisciplined.
I know.
Ask God to point out where you are wasting time. Ask God to show you where you are expecting too much or expecting too little. Ask God to show the order you need for your day.
And then listen and do.
It’s not easy. You won’t get it right every single day. But, if your heart is to be a homemaker who glorifies God with her home AND her homeschooling, God will honor your efforts and lead you in that path.
Praise the Lord for mercy and wisdom that speaks to a homeschooling mom…
right where she lives.
**********
Join me tomorrow for a Well-Ordered Days Link Up where several bloggers share scheduling ideas and lend your own to the mix!
Nicole says
Gosh Amy! Thank you for this one! Someone told me once that “you can either homeschool or have a clean house.” That has always bothered me because a messy house drives me nuts! Thanks again, well done!
Nicole
http://www.faithinsmallthings.com
Noel S says
this is so true! I also found that trying to clean up the house before school delayed our learning so we would begin the night before, picking up bedrooms, gathering laundry, then at our lunch break, we clean up dishes and vacuum the floors. It’s worked great so far. Thanks for the post 😀
Tiana @ God Made, Home Grown says
Great post, Amy!
We started having “afternoon chore time” a while back as well, on the advice of the book “Large Family Logistics”. It really does make a difference in how tidy things are on a regular basis, especially right when daddy walks in the door. 🙂
One of my favorite, though often overlooked, advantages to homeschooling is my ability to teach my children home management skills. I was almost never home as a young person, so when I became a full-time homemaker, I had *so very much to learn*! I hope that by teaching basic skills–cooking, laundry, etc–to my children while they are still little, I will make their transition to adult life a lot easier. Cleaning the house is part of school. 🙂
Liz says
Oh, I really relate to that comment! I hardly ever helped out as a young person at home, so I have been struggling both to do the chores myself and train my children to help. Especially when it comes to overcoming laziness/ bad attitudes, because I’m still fighting to address those myself.
Thanks for an encouraging post, Amy!
Lauree says
Thanks for this post Amy! I’ve always heard the same thing and basically you have to give up a clean home when homeschooling. I think I will try this method, so we can start school earlier and do chores later-at least the house should be relatively clean when Daddy comes home. haha
Sam says
You are right! I have also moved our chores, with a tidy right before bed, and it is working well.
Dawn says
Oddly enough, I’ve found it much easier to keep a clean house ever since we decided to homeschool. I’m a girl who gets easily frazzled by disarray, so we tend to “clean as we go”. But even if the school day has to take precedence over housekeeping, I live by a rule my mother taught me: if nothing else, keep the living room, bathroom, and kitchen table presentable– it helps preserve some sanity (and routine), and keeps you at the ready for any unexpected guests!
Dusty says
This is a very timely post for me to read! I have been desperately tstruggling to find some sort of balance in this area. I find it very stressful trying to work in a messy area/home and our house is VERY small so even things that aren’t “mess” but are clutter make the house look like it is in complete disarray if not handled properly. My husband also works the evening shift and we also have our big meal at lunch time with a lighter supper. BUT my small children are not as alert or attentive in the afternoon after their nap, so we still must school in the morning. It’s been a hard road for me lately, but this post was encouraging. Thank you!
Lisa~ says
Thanks Amy! This is a message that is not taught enough. It is possible to have a tidy home and not sacrifice your family to do it. Lisa~
Lyndsay says
I used to say the exact thing. You can’t have a clean house while homeschooling.
But my mother did and so did my mother in law.
I think it is hard to have a clean house and homeschool younger children. But the clutter and mess finally got to me. I couldn’t take it anymore and neither could my husband. So I have been slowly changing everything about our day and routine to keep our house clean. Once I got organized it got easier!
I started pinpointing certain messes that I was always cleaning up and streamlined thos areas of the house. It has saved me so much time and also my sanity!! Lol
I’m looking forward to your upcoming posts. :o)
Kristen H. says
I’ve been thinking about this recently too. There are people who are too quick to give up on keeping a clean house because they homeschool.
Lynnette says
Like you, besides doing dishes (all day event), getting beds made, and getting laundry started…we really can’t clean much in the morning. If we made the house completely clean (although it’s almost NEVER completely clean), we’d either have to get up at 6:00 or start school at noon! ha!
Every household is so different… and we’ve done different things at different stages of life. It’s that move with the groove that seems to be so important for a homeschooling family. Yeah? 🙂
Side-Note: I love your new blog design. It’s so fresh and clean looking. I LOVE the white background and the color combo you used with it. I’m on my way to a new design too. Ab is doing some online courses for web design. I’m excited to be one of her new projects with all of her new knowledge! ha
Have a great day Amy. I thought of you on Sunday when we were doing baptisms. Just seemed like your family should have been there.
Love,
Lynnette
Amy says
Thanks, Lynnette! Could I use her expertise when she’s done??? I have some projects and she is one of those designers who totally “gets me”. 😉 Hope to see all of you soon!
Christina says
Thank you! This post encouraged and motivated me. 🙂 I love your blog!
Donielle Schipper says
Very well said… and at the perfect time for me. We start the school year next week. I am one of those moms who tends to let housework slide until it’s at the point where I just HAVE to do it. Thanks for the reminder that it needs to be “Scheduled” into the day!
Thanks for the great blog. 🙂
Mrs. Mary Joy Pershing @Learning to Live a Surrendered Life says
Great article!!! Thanks for this! I agree with you…and am working on having chores as part of our school day. But I was still trying to do it in the morning and every else kept getting pushed back. I think I will try putting them in the afternoon! Makes sense. We will have to try it!
Blessings!
Mrs Mary Joy Pershing
PS– Starting a Wednesday series on Family Discipleship and Discipleship Homeschooling would be honored if you stopped by.
Amy says
Thanks for letting me know, Mary Joy!
Jennie Ruth says
Thanks for this, Amy. I’m at the beginning of my homeschooling adventure and since I struggle as a housekeeper in general, adding school to the mix (which I love!) leaves the house extremely messy of late. I really struggle with being disciplined in my own life, especially with things I don’t like (dishes, anyone?) and I needed the reminder that if I ask Him, God will meet me and bless my efforts. Thank you so much!
Teresa says
We try to do what we can as we go, and then when the day is done we do our major cleaning. I have found that if I get well organized before the school year starts and keep up with it then the year is much easier. So the last few weeks we have tidy closets, drawers, and storage areas. This way all I have to do is keep up with them.
Our first week has gone well. Just have the oldest do the dishes each morning, the second throws in a load of laundry, the third sweeps the floor and walks the dog, then we are off to school. Stop to eat lunch and repeat the morning chores and back again to finish school. When we are done we vaccum, fold laundry, bathrooms, and whatever needs to be done outside like mow. With kids in high school and a one year old it is really a challenge, but we are making do well and we are doing our best to corner the one and three year old to keep down the messes.
Debbie says
Great article Amy, we have stayed too busy with outside activities for so long and when you don’t keep up you get mounds of clutter that never goes away. I don’t like being so embarrassed to let people in, I’m trying to get better organized. It seems like a huge job that I can’t get control of. Thanks Again for the article!!
Debbie says
I would welcome any helpful tips on how to get control of 20 + years of chaos. I was a very organized single person and this is very depressing. My better half had been taught not to throw things away so I need to get creative about organizing the mess. Thank you!!
Amy says
For my husband who doesn’t have the time to go through things, I put his “stuff” in rubbermaid-type tubs and then every now and then pull the tub out and suggest we go through it together. You won’t be able to control your husband’s clutter completely, but you can “hide” it. I’m actually getting ready to do a series on clutter…so stay tuned! 😉
Ginger says
Yep, yep, yep. I totally agree. I was having the exact same struggle – had decided that I had to choose: clean house or schooled kids. Now on their to-do list, I have: ‘Clean your room and make your bed’ last, after they’ve done all their school. The only exception is cleaning up after breakfast. That is the one chore we do before school is finished. I had to let go of the idea of their rooms staying clean all day. I just don’t go in their in the morning! 😉 We also only tidy the house once a day – just before Daddy comes home. I do have the littles tidy the den in the morning and again in the afternoon (lest I go nuts from disorder), but that’s it.
Heather Kaspar says
Hi Amy!
I have to say that I stumbled upon your blog while surfing the web. I am a new blogger and mother of a 2-year old. I work from home. I think a lot of people think that just because you work from home you should be able to keep you house clean. Well…some may be able to. It is a STRUGGLE for me. I´m like you. I work better in a clean environment. I´m happier in a clean environment, but for SOME reason I can´t get it together. I´ve known for a long time that I have to MAKE TIME. So….thank you for your blog. Maybe…it will cause me to take action! I appreciate it!
-Heather Kaspar
http://buckupbaby.blogspot.com
Heather Anderson says
Thanks for the post. I, too, can’t really function if the house isn’t in decent order when school starts. My mind just doesn’t think clearly. We do a few chores before breakfast such as make beds and clean bathrooms, a quick 5 minute clean up at lunch time, and then chores around 5:00. I do have the children folding laundry while I read aloud after lunch. They have something to do with their hands while their minds get fed.
Kimberly says
The bottom line here is no matter how you order the day, you must order the day.
Yes! We have had such a crazy year with massive changes constantly. We are starting up our first “official” school year here next week. I look forward to checking out your links and love reading your blog. SO MUCH great stuff! Thank you for sharing your life and wisdom.
Amy says
Thank you so much, Kimberly!
Andrea says
Thanks Amy. Not only is your blog encouraging..but it’s always ‘right on the money’..I’ve been so stressed lately about the clutter and mess in our home. I can’t keep up, even with the boys doing their regular chores. (they are 14, 12, 9, 7, 5 and 1..our daughter is 3) It seems like every time I turn around..something is destroyed (aka-little boys room) I need a system! I’ve been trying to write out a list of daily assignments for each person (MOTH style)..and want to start another routine/schedule soon. I’m working on it..praying about it. Looking forward to your series on ‘clutter’ 🙂
~andeebeth, momys to 7
Amy says
Andrea,
You might want to check out my post on Creating a Schedule from Scratch…it takes the guesswork out of making a schedule. 😉 https://raisingarrows.net/2011/07/creating-a-schedule-from-scratch/
Jessica S. @ Mother of Action says
Excellent post! I find that we don’t do chores until after our school work. So early evening and after they (children) go to bed–I find myself cleaning and this schedule works for us. Thanks again for the post!!
Rebecca says
We’ve had to revamp our schedule too as the kids got older and the schoolwork got more intense. We tidy up after breakfast, make beds, I start laundry and we get right on it. At lunch, do a couple other things, catch up on dishes, and we make sure it’s all pretty much cleaned up by 5pm. We have scheduled chores and follow that, it works for us!
Amy Matthews says
I am thankful for this post. I had already conceded that I couldn’t do both. I have 5 children 6 and under and am consantly drowning in housework. I will be seeking the Lord in waht I need to do to accomplish both!
His daughter +5 says
Great post. I’m more of a “tidy and hide”! So the mess basically moves from Point A to Point B yet never disappears. Can’t wait for your “Clutter” series.
Angela says
I had a friend introduce me to flylady.com. It brought about a peace that was very much needed. Having time to do what is needed is now doable. Being built up slowly on a daily routine does keep choas away and gives me freedom to do more than clean.
KML says
Chores at nite are so much easier! I no longer feel guilty about pushing them off either.
Desiree says
I am constantly trying to tweak things so our work and school don’t crowd each other out. We currently have morning, afternoon, and evening jobs. This has made we wonder if trying out shifting everything to afternoon and evening only, or even only evening, might not be more productive.
Now what I need is to learn how to homeschool and keep a clean house *while pregnant.* 😉 That’s the biggest challenge for me, and one I have not yet begun to overcome.
E S says
oh this is soooo good. thank you thank you for pushing me in just the right way.
(oh and, just finding you, i have to say i really like that thing at the top: “bringing blunt-eged babes to finely-sharpened arrows.” i think i’ll be popping in again sometime…) God bless you…
Rebecca says
I needed to hear this today. I was searching for advise on this. I read about one paragraph, put the computer away, went and cleaned for an hour and came back to this post later. Thank you! 🙂
Amy says
🙂
Jessie says
Amy, I just came across your blog for the first time. I know this article was written a few years ago, but it was exactly what I needed to read right now. I appreciate the time and work you put in on it. This week my family and I will begin implementing your advice. Thanks again for the help!
Val says
Just curious, what about summer days and/or days with afternoon activities? Do you shift chores to earlier in the day or skip them?
Amy says
Hi Val! Things have changed since I wrote this post. We school year round and have several tidy-up times each day and then a big clean on Fridays, as lined out in this post: https://raisingarrows.net/2012/03/the-one-day-home-blessing/