I have been working with U.S. Cellular this year telling you about apps for your phone and other interesting cell phone related tidbits. This is one of those posts.
So how are you doing on your resolutions? It’s that time in January when we all start to rethink what we resolved to do. I really didn’t make any official resolutions-I’ve been too busy with the house. I have made a resolution with our move though. I am going to think through purchases more so I don’t accumulate so much stuff and I am going to be more organized.
I’ve learned that I am a list maker. When I make lists I accomplish more.  There’s just something that I love about making the check mark and checking things off my list.
I can see with more space in house, having an upstairs desk and downstairs desk, I’m going to want to start using some sort of phone app to keep my appointments and tasks lists on. Previously I’ve always just kept a calendar at my desk and would reference it.
I did a little research and found an app that I’m giving a try. It’s Any Do. I’m really excited to give it a try as it is supposed to sync between my computer and my phone. This will help me lots!
One of the other things I’ve resolved to do when we move is to make a house cleaning list. Something simple like dust on Fridays…clean floors on Tuesdays. I really do need something like this. I am not a house cleaner but have really come to realize that I feel better mentally if I am working and living in a space that isn’t as cluttered as my spaces sometimes get. I am hoping this app will help me set up lists so I can achieve that goal.
Those of you that keep your house clean and organized, how do you schedule cleaning and household tasks? Â Do you do certain jobs on specific days or do you have a cleaning day? Â I’d love some advice on how to best keep on top of things.
There are lots of other smart phone or tablet apps out there that can help you stick to your goals.  There is Runtastic  Six Packs for those with fitness goals, GroupMe for keeping the whole family organized on one calendar, and Check for those wanting to keep track of their finances.
This time of year is a great time to reflect, set goals and decide what you really want to accomplish in the upcoming year, and perhaps a great resolution should be to explore how using your smartphone paired with these great apps can help you reach those goals in the coming year.
Well my app is downloaded. Â I’m off to see if I can figure out how to use it and how to schedule in some house cleaning tasks…I’ll keep you posted on how it goes.
For scheduling and simplifying household chores, please look at
http://flylady.net/
I’ve been contemplating using this list:
http://simplykierste.com/2013/12/a-clean-home-every-day.html
I just have not committed to it yet!
LOL – when I read the title I thought you meant “Keeping the House Cleaner” – as in “Keeping the Person who is Hired to Keep the House Clean “… I thought maybe your house keeper person was quitting or somethine (an emergency in my life)
I don’t mean to sound snooty at all, but that’s the only way I keep my head above water – (I do have a killer job with long hours), and I don’t feel a bit guilty about it !!!!
Kathleen
When my kids were little, I had a house cleaning day – Wednesday – and I did it all then. Now that there are no kids to mess up the house, I’m more of a when-I-see-it’s-dirty kind of cleaner. However, I am currently at my daughter’s home caring for her two daughters and 2 huge dogs (210 lbs and 170 lbs), so I vacuum downstairs every other day and on the days I’m not cleaning floors downstairs, I’m upstairs with the vacuum! I have found that I can’t stand to see stuff on the carpets and her light tan carpets show every little blade of grass! My Berber carpet at home is multicolored and it is hard to see most stuff on it! I dust, mop and clean bathrooms every week, I shoot for when the kiddos are in school or at the day care (every other week for that for the 19 month old). I wish I could afford to have a cleaning person, but I’m not willing to go to work just so I can pay someone to clean! I’d rather have my quilting business and get to help out my family when they need me.
My husband invites people over for dinner because he knows I’ll clean house and he’ll get a big meal
I used to use flylady.net Loved her organization ideas – “you can do anything for 15 minutes!” I’ll bet you could use her format of making a list of things to do on certain days and weeks in the app you found. She is big on routines that you work into your daily life. My house wasn’t always perfect, but my mom noticed, which says a lot!
That’s so funny, I was about to recommend Flylady also. She has great routines
I love lists too and find that if I write my house hold chores on them I not only achieve more, but I feel better about it. Nobody notices if the toilets are cleaned, only if they aren’t. When I see ‘clean toilets’ is ticked off my list I don’t feel as though I’ve worked hard all day long but don’t have anything ‘noticeable’ to show for it (which is why I love quilting. I can sew and then physically see what I’ve sewn as it gets bigger and bigger. Clean toilets just get dirty again!). I might add that I also write my list on a whiteboard where the whole family sees it! I usually do my housework in the morning so that I have a chance of rewarding myself with something a little more enjoyable (yes – something at the sewing machine!).
Jo I am sure you will come up with a plan that works for you. I too have used the FlyLady concepts and find I don’t have to work so hard to keep things up. The thing is not to put off what you have scheduled until it become a huge job! Good luck on your plans.
I have always managed to get things done along with a full time job and a family as I had been a full time worker all my life until I retired 4 years ago. Somehow I’m not doing better at cleaning now that I don’t work! I’ll be looking forward to hearing how you like this app you’ve found.