I don’t do a lot of reviews here, I’m sure you noticed. But a couple of months ago, following my post about our 20 Minute Clean-Ups, I was offered a free Sonic Scrubber set to try out and review. I’ve seen them before but I’d never actually purchased one and satisfied my curiosity. But as I read the review offer it occurred to me, “Hey, this could be a good way to encourage the kids to clean.”

I like getting the kids to clean.

The time was actually pretty great because we were just about to embark on our three week Spring Break from school and I planned on getting plenty of Spring Cleaning done at the same time. And since then I’ve had plenty of regular daily cleaning to try it out on, too. I think I can safely say we’ve thoroughly tested and tried out these little Sonic Scrubbers!

Here’s a list of the different things I’ve found our Sonic Scrubber very useful for:

• grime and soap buildup around the base of sink faucets and handles
• milk rings and other dried liquids inside or at the bottom of the drinking glasses
• serrated edges of knife blades and dried food between fork tines
• textured surfaces such as the handle on the refrigerator door
• nooks/crannies/corners on washable bins, such as the produce drawers in the refrigerator
• cleaning around buttons and dials on small appliances (toasters, blenders, etc.)
• removing dust & grime on the window ac (vents, coils behind the filter — with the ac unplugged of course)
• mesh colanders and the mesh lint trap on the dryer
• the fabric softener and bleach ports in the washing machine
• cleaning around the slats/spindles on dining room chairs
• inside the microwave
• molded soap trays/shelves inside the shower –this would be good for tile and grout, too, but we don’t have any
• the inside of the trashcan
• scrubbing potatoes!

I feel like I’m forgetting something.. I’m sure I am! The kids like using it when they wash dishes or clean the bathroom (and I like that they think it’s fun and they complain less about the cleaning part.) If you get several sets of Sonic Scrubbers you can label each for different types of tasks or rooms to separate the dirtier tasks from the cleaner tasks (bathroom, general use, food safe, etc.) Or if you have one set, you can bleach your brushes between uses to keep them clean for washing dishes, cutting boards and other food-related items.

I did find that when it came to scrubbing plainer, flatter surfaces such as a dinner plate, I preferred to use a sponge and my flat scraper. My scraper scrapes dried food off in one swift motion which is faster and more convenient. But for items with textured surfaces, holes, curves, nooks and crannies, small openings and other hard to reach areas — the Sonic Scrubber was much faster and easier than scrubbing with a sponge, toothbrush or scouring pad. Fastier and Easier are two friends that are always welcome around my house!

As for how long the product lasts.. we’ve been using it for the past two months and don’t need to replace any of the scrubbing heads yet. It still has the original set of batteries that we started with and it still works. If you search for coupon codes when you order refills and if you use rechargeable batteries, you can save yourself a little bit of money on the usage cost. There are several discount offers on their website right now. The brushes interchange easily and quickly, making switching from one task to another quick and easy also.

The verdict: I like the Sonic Scrubber enough that I do plan to buy more brush heads when these wear out and continue using it!

The Disclaimer: I wasn’t paid for this review, but I did receive a free Household Cleaning Tool and Brushes Set and a Household All Purpose Accessory Pack to try out and review in my own words. I am not a Scrubbing Bubbles affiliate, but I did use Amazon links in this disclaimer; I would be remiss not to. Every penny I earn through Amazon is spent on Homeschool Curriculum.

Every now and then I come up with something that’s REALLY good.

Most of the time I come up with good ideas and they’re good for a little while and then our needs and abilities change and we need a new idea. (Sometimes I come up with ideas that seem good at first glance but really aren’t feasible but that’s beside the point..)

But every now and then I think up a real golden nugget of an idea.

This is one of those golden nugget ideas. I really think so. I give you our:

20 Minute Clean-Up

The basic idea is simple, really. Set the timer for 20 minutes and clean. But it’s bigger than that. The rest of the idea (the golden nugget part) is that you give your children, and yourself, a specific task or tasks to do during the 20 minutes– and then whatever time is left before the timer goes off is theirs to keep. To read or sit or whatever. I cannot assign more tasks or anything until the timer goes off.

What?!

I know. Sounds crazy. But stick with me, okay? Don’t give up on me yet.

Here’s why this is so great:

• Manageable Pieces – 20 minutes is a manageable chunk of time for children to clean without overloading their brain and inducing resistance and whining.
• Manageable Tasks - specific tasks suitable for their age and ability allows the child to focus only on the task(s) at hand, not the whole list of everything that needs to be done that day.
• Time Management – HOW MANY times a day do you find yourself saying, “If you’d just hurry up and get it done it would be over with.” ? My children are actively learning that the longer they spend on the task, the less time left over at the end of 20 minutes, the faster they get it done the more time they have to themselves.
• Work Ethic - The kids are encouraged to do their best and work hard first, then enjoy a rest after. They’re learning how to mop, vacuum, fold, etc.  They’re working together for the purpose of keeping our house picked up – just because it’s the right thing to do and not for reward of money, bribery, or threats of punishment.
• Built In Breaks – If you need to repeat back to back 20 minute clean-ups, the kids have built in “breaks” with their leftover time so they feel ready to begin the next 20 minute session — again with no whining.
• Work gets done faster – It really does. The kids and I, working in the four main living areas simultaneously, can completely tidy the house in 20 minutes. We can clean the house well in one hour (3 sessions.) The lack of whining, feet dragging and bickering that normally slows us down helps us get more work done in less time.
• Kids work independently – Before this method, the kids did not work well without my husband or I standing in the same room, micro-managing. I despise micro-managing. I ADORE knowing that they are working, really working, in one room while I’m getting work done in another.

Can you see how good this is?! We’ve been doing this for about six weeks now and IT IS BEAUTIFUL. I can’t tell you how good this has been for us! So far I’ve used this tactic at random times here and there. At least once a day most days. 2 or 3 times a day on Saturdays for work days.

I’ve been trying to add the 20 minute clean-up to our regularly daily schedule — after breakfast, lunch and supper. I haven’t been able to stick to it, so for the month of March we’re going to be working on that habit. I’ve added alarms to my cell phone to remind me. Now we’re not only training ourselves to clean quickly and efficiently but we’re setting good habits of cleaning up immediately after meals and keeping the house picked up throughout the day.

More beauty.

Here’s how we implement this plan here at our house:

• Call for 20-minute clean up (this was explained beforehand, what I expected, how it was going to go, etc.)
• Assign tasks.
  • For random clean-ups I look around to see what needs to be done and assign things to do. I give tasks that I expect to take about ten-fifteen minutes, less if they hurry, longer if they dawdle.
  • For regular after meal clean ups I have zones assigned. They rotate zones after each meal so that by the end of the day everyone has cleaned each zone. (Except me, I do the kitchen each time.)
• Set the timer.
• Work on your task while the kids work on theirs. Feel free to call out time remaining a couple of times, or call out and ask your kids how it’s going. Or you may actually need to step away from your task and teach a child how to do something. It’s fine! Teaching is good. Then get back to work. Lead by example and work hard.
• Expect, require, good effort. When they kids say they’re done with their tasks, I run and check. If it’s not good enough, I point out what’s left and ask them to finish. This prevents rushing through with sloppy jobs to earn more free time.
• Expect, require, participation. Younger children who throw a fit, older children who want to be lazy, need to be gently reminded that we all have to work together and that it’s not optional. I’ve only had this happen twice! I reminded them that the earlier they finished the more time they would earn. I also informed them that if they didn’t finish because they didn’t try, they would have to keep working until it was done, however long they made it take.
• Discipline for defiance/disobedience – ONCE. One time I had to discipline the 5yo for defiance and refusing to clean in the middle of a clean up session. I gave him a 5 minute time out right then. That means he also lost 5 minutes of cleaning time and as a result had no leftover time when he was done with his task. The next time he started to complain I reminded him and he has worked with us ever since.
• “Reward” hard work - The kids are not penalized for not finishing their tasks in 20 minutes if they really did work hard. It doesn’t happen often but it has a few times. I don’t require that they keep working once the timer is up, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my kids a few times when they stuck with the task until it was completed, despite the empty timer. =) When this does happen, though, I give a 5 minute break before starting another 20 minute clean-up (if we need to.)
• Encourage and praise your children. You have an opportunity here to TEACH your children (how to clean, how to have good habits, how to work hard.) Make the most of that. Wrapping that up with a “Y’all did a good job, the house looks great!” or “We got that done so fast without whining, I’m so proud!” will really help to seal the deal.

This is really the most simple idea ever, isn’t? But yet so laden with great things for my kids to learn and practice.

I’m starting to feel a bit like an infomercial: “Yes, YOU TOO can get your kids to clean! Act now and never listen to a whine again!”

Well.. at least not a whine about chores. =p There’s one more thing I want to give you. The next question to ask is:

“What kind of tasks are age appropriate? And what about littles?”

First, YES, your littles can do this, too! 2-5 year olds can help mom with her tasks, or even an older sibling. Give them something specific to do. Here are a few suggestions:

• Cleaning off light switches & doorknobs with a step, a cloth and a small spray bottle of your favorite preschooler safe cleaner–kill those germs! (We use Nature’s Source)
• Wiping down the front of stoves/dishwashers/lower cabinets.
• dusting the tv screen
• checking under furniture for ‘lost’ items
• wiping down dining chairs

My 5 year old is often assigned many of the above and also:

• cleaning off the dining room table (yes, he takes dishes to the sink and returns stray items wherever they go!)
• cleaning under couch cushions
• tidying and wiping down the bathroom sink/counter
• cleaning in his room
• he’s learning to sweep (but needs a little help)

The 7 year old is given tasks such as:

• Cleaning sinks and mirrors
• Sweeping and mopping
• Cleaning the microwave
• Vacuuming
• Starting/switching loads in the washing machine/dryer
• Folding clothes

The 10 year old is given tasks like the above for the 7 yr old and also:

• Scrubbing toilets and tubs
• Organizing and other tasks requiring more attention to detail
• Putting dishes away and other tasks requiring more height (and more care)
• Cleaning/oiling wood furniture
• Sacking up and emptying trash

How do I decide to assign tasks? For regular clean ups, as I mentioned, they have assigned zones (rooms). If a zone still looks clean and picked up since the previous clean-up (which you’ll find happens A LOT when you do this regularly throughout the day.. HUH.. IMAGINE THAT..) I can assign a couple of  ‘other’ tasks for deeper cleaning, like dusting, vacuuming and toilet scrubbing. I just pick some things that need to be done.

Our house is staying CLEANER than it ever has before!

Messes still happen. Things still get left out from time to time. I’m working on cleaning up messes right away and reminding kids to put things away but at least once a day we have a REAL,  ‘Good Effort’ clean up that makes a whirlwind of a difference in just a few minutes.

It still surprises me how much work we can get done so quickly.

Yesterday we cleaned for an hour, 3 sessions back to back (because my Dad was coming so we did yesterday instead of today.) In ONE HOUR we: tidied the living room, vacuumed (under the furniture and couch cushions, too), cleaned off & wiped down the dining room table and chairs, swept & mopped the dining room, tidied the bathroom, cleaned the mirror and sink, scrubbed the toilet and tub, swept and mopped the bathroom and hallway, unloaded/reloaded the dishwasher, washed hand dishes, cleaned the stove and counters, scrubbed the sink, swept and mopped the kitchen, emptied the trash and the kids cleaned in their bedrooms for 20 minutes.

Maybe that’s normal for your house but up until six weeks ago that could have easily taken us the majority of the day.

Gone is the whining. No more nagging, begging, threatening or bribing. For the first time ever I have what I have always wanted — chores getting done JUST BECAUSE it needs to be done, family members working simultaneously in different rooms, everybody working together.

I am thrilled!!

AND ONE MORE PERK – I no longer feel like housework is competing with school work. Which is just such a big, big relief. Twenty minutes after breakfast, or after lunch is enough to tidy up and get right back to school. Keeping the house picked up more throughout the day relieves me of the pressing feeling that I need to be working on housework while the kids are doing school. I can’t tell you how much of a weight that has taken off of my shoulders!

I hesitate to even share this with you because every time I share a golden nugget on my blog it seems to suddenly go bust in my home. But we’ve been doing this for six weeks now. It’s stuck, it’s stayed, and I really hope that it helps somebody else out there. It’s working for us. I hope it works for you, too!

Part of my 3 in 30 journey and also linked to Works for Me Wednesday and Helpful Homeschool Hints.

Image Credit: Some rights reserved by Theresa Thompson

P.S. This post contains amazon affiliate links. Every penny goes toward homeschool curriculum.

Yes! It’s true! You CAN have a perfectly spotless home! Just follow these 5 EASY STEPS.

Step 1:

Gather up all of the clothes – all of them – and donate to charity.

Step 2:

Those toys and books? Give them away!

Step 3:

Dishes? Who needs them? In fact, go ahead and remove all the food from the pantry and the refrigerator while you’re at it.

Step 4:

Knickknacks, pictures, jewelry, plants, momentos… purge, purge, purge!

Step 5:

Scrub, wash, mop, vacuum and dust EVERYTHING. Walk out the door. Lock it.

Done! Your house is perfect. Isn’t it lovely?

**WARNING: Living in your house may alter these results.**

~

Photo Credit:  Some rights reserved by insane photoholic

Lately I’ve been dwelling on this thing I’ve heard tale of…

Something called…”diligence.”

Oh, you’ve heard of that, have you?

I’ve been thinking that if I were a bit more.. DILIGENT.. with even just a few little things, it could lead to some very big changes.

I don’t want you laughing at me, thinking, “well, yeah, it’s amazing what happens if you put in a little effort.” I’m talking about a different kind of effort. Like a “working smarter rather than harder” kind of effort.

For example, how often do you set a glass down by the sink (or maybe you actually load it into the dishwasher, you on the ball person, you) right after drinking a big glass of milk — and then walk away to leave a teeny tiny ring of milk to dry in the bottom? A ring that may or may not wash off completely in the dishwasher? Or a ring that you may have to scrub at for a few minutes while you hand wash it, trying to reach down into the bottom of the cup as best as you can.

What if you (I) rinsed that cup out and then set it in the dishwasher or by the sink or wherever, so that later when it ran in the dishwasher or was handwashed there was NO MILK RING?

Astounding.

Profound.

Call me genius, if you must, I’ll take it.

Now that I’ve had this little epiphany, I’m on a hunt. How many simple, teeny tiny little changes can I make to add up to big ones? If I were just a teensy bit more diligent with things that needed to be done throughout the day, my day could look a little different, go a little smoother. (Imagine what could happen if I were a LOT more diligent. But hey, baby steps, right?)

So this is my theme song right now. It’s running in my head like a broken record.

“Little things, big changes,

little things, big changes.”

I think I can, I think I can,

I know I can, I know I can.

Little things. Big changes.

This post has been happily submitted to Your Life, Your Blog.

Originally published on July 27, 2008. Enjoy!

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• klee-nis in-tuh-rhupt-is

-Noun.

1. A condition affecting women of childbearing age in which the act of cleaning is often interrupted or undone.

Women suffering from Cleanus Interruptus will find themselves frequently stopping in the middle of an act of cleaning, or actually redoing something that has already been cleaned. This condition can be very frustrating and lead to other conditions such as Overwhelmius Maximus and Shortus Temperus.

Women with children who stay home throughout the day may suffer more severe symptoms, however, Cleanus Interruptus can affect any woman with children of any age.

Other conditions such as Husbandus Absentus (whether this condition is caused by excessive work ethic, poor cleanliness habits, or inability or refusal to provide assistance) may actually worsen the symptoms of Cleanus Interruptus. Single and widowed mothers (as well as those with husbands who are deployed in the military or work in a different state) may also experience this condition more frequently or to a higher extent.

Treatment of Cleanus Interruptus is as follows:

• Topical treatments may not be effective, it is essential to get to the root of the problem and establish good cleanliness habits in each member of the family.
• For severe Cleanus Interruptus, a radical overhaul and attitude check may be necessary to regain authority and control of the house.
• Once treatment has been administered it will be necessary to keep an eye on the condition to prevent reoccurrence.
• During the course of treatment, frequent doses of chocolate and caffeine may be also necessary.
• Also, on occasion, treatment may require a holiday at a grandparents for the children until symptoms subside at home.

If you or anyone you know suffers from Cleanus Interruptus, it is imperative that you seek treatment immediately. Cleanus Interruptus will only worsen over time without treatment.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/ / CC BY 2.0

Originally published on October 16, 2007. Still good tips that work for me…Don’t worry, there will be some new posts very soon!

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Last week I went through all the kids’ clothes and cycled all the seasonal stuff. It’s not really my favorite thing to do, but I do have a few tricks that make it a little bit easier. So here they are, 6 tips and tricks to bring a little bit of good organization home to your family.

1.) Sterilite tubs are relatively inexpensive – I have three. One for hand-me-downs from Princess to Drama Queen that don’t fit yet, one for the girls off-season clothes that might still fit at the next season change, and one for all of Little Prince’s hand-me-downs and off-season clothes. These tubs are stored in the corner of Little Prince’s closet for easy access. Whenever one of them is given something that doesn’t fit yet, or whenever Princess outgrows something I can just add it to the tub. When it’s time to cycle the wardrobe I pull out all the tubs, empty the dressers of their contents, sort everything appropriately and put it all back. I’ll leave the tubs out for a day or two to catch other items that might have been in the dirty laundry and then store them away again. I do the same thing with shoes, and those that can be passed on get stored with the appropriate clothes.

2.) Use space wisely. The two girls share a dresser which is located inside their closet, as is Little Prince’s dresser inside his closet as well. They both have long curtain rods in their little walk-in closets and I’ve also added a lower wire shelf/rod in the girls’ closet. Having the dresser and curtain rods in close proximity helps with putting clothes away, as well as making it easier for the girls to get their own clothes and making more space in their tiny rooms.

3.) Organize and contain those teeny tiny socks. First off, all three of my kids have different socks. When I first started this, Princess received white quarter socks with purple toes, Drama Queen received white ankle socks with pink toes, and when Little Prince came along he got little boy quarter socks. Since I’m very picky about not folding socks together by folding the tops over (it stretches the elastic and it’s a pet peeve of mine), each girl has a basket in the designated “sock and underwear drawer” to contain their socks. Little Prince has little drawers along the top of his dresser so his socks go into one of those. This system makes it very easy for the girls to put socks away and find their own matching socks. And if one gets lost or ruined, it’s not that big of a problem, because the remaining mate still matches all the others.

4.) I pull out my magic marker. When the girls started dance class and it became important to keep up with their stockings and keep track of which was whose,.. I finally decided to throw years of frustration out the window and make it easier for everybody. I pulled out my magic marker and wrote their initials in the waistband in the back. Now when the girls get new tights (for church or ballet) I pull them out of the package and initial them immediately. No more wondering. However, I haven’t figured out what to do for black or navy tights yet – I’m not ready to pull out a needle and white thread, though that certainly is an option.

5.) Hang as much as possible. Since the girls share a dresser this is especially important. They each have one of the four drawers for their clothes. The other two are used for pajamas and socks/undergarments. Hanging things not only makes more room in the drawers for what can’t hang, but it also means there is less stuff in the dresser to become unfolded and it makes it easier to see what they have and pick an outfit. I often send the girls in there themselves to get dressed. When their drawers are stuffed full and they have to dig to find the pieces that much, the odds are much lower that they’ll actually come out without something that looks even remotely decent.

6.) We have a shoe bin. Under the lower shelf are two stackable bins for the girls shoes. In a perfect world, the shoes would be organized in some fashion. But in reality they’re really just chunked into the bins. However, this is still a level of organization acceptable to me. Provided the girls put their shoes away in the bins (see, that’s really the key right there) then they will be easy to find later, thus making my life a little bit easier as well.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysza/ / CC BY 2.0