Home is where your (school) is

Calling all homeschooling moms!

I need your advice.

Don't you just love those 4 words? I think my heart gives a little leap whenever someone asks me for my advice. :-) Not that I think I am overly smart or perceptive......I just really enjoy hearing myself talk. No--just kidding. But I do love sharing my opinion. Sometimes too much, I am sure.... But isn't it fun to know that you might be able to help someone and that they value your opinion?!

Anyways, I need the help of my homeschooling readers. My husband and I have decided (through a series of events) to keep our girls home this year and school them. This decision was rather last-minute, so we will be schooling them through the online academy provided by a local public school system. Some of you may have opinions or advice about that, but I don't need it right now. Not to be rude, but it is the decision we had to make for our situation, and we are going to make it work for this year. :-) In the future, I may need your advice about curriculum, etc.

I DO need advice about what works for you. And I would love to hear all of your personal stories someday, but frankly--I don't have the time since I am frantically trying to get everything in place for the school year. I only need a short word of advice from each of you.......

What is your number one "saving grace" as a homeschooling parent?

It could be a scheduling tip, a resource you use, a book that has helped you, or the method that you teach by. I just want a short answer, one that I can take away from reading it and easily implement into my planning. Think you can keep it short? :-) (I don't know if I could......good luck!)

Later, I plan to blog a little about our experience starting out. I know it has been told by many others before me, but each experience is different and may encourage a person in the same situation. But that will be MUCH later...right now I just need to finish getting them registered. :)

I cheat every day

That's right.....I like to cheat. In fact, I seek ways to get out of things all the time. I am shameless.

You see, I don't like to clean my house. I like having a clean house--I just don't like most of the actual cleaning tasks.


So--I have found several ways to get around the drudgery of housework, and make time for more important things in my day...like blogging, drinking coffee, and playing at the park with my kids. :-)
Here are a few of my "housework cheats":

1) I don't own a vacuum--I use a ShopVac. Stylish, no. Fabulously functional, yes! I can vacuum up anything, and I can clean my carpeting and hard floors all at the same time. It rolls nicely and there is no emptying or changing vacuum bags. We started using one in our old house because all of the hair was clogging up our regular vacuum. (Gross, I know; but I'm just giving you the story.) So we bought a Shop Vac, and I will never go back!

2) I use baby wipes to clean up my bathrooms throughout the week. I give them a very good cleaning once a week, but rather than clean again, I just wipe everything down with a wipe. Cheap, already on hand, and even smells good! (At least I think so...)

3)I hate dusting---HAAAAAATE it--so I use the cheap Swiffer-like cloths ( I buy them at Walmart for under $2). They pick up the dust without putting dust into the air, and can just be thrown away when you are finished. No spray and feathers, etc. for me...when I actually get to the dusting.....

4) I try to keep all of the "clutter" picked up every day, but sometimes I just can't keep up. So I have one basket designated for JUNK. I throw stuff in there that I do not have time to put away. At the end of the week, I take an hour and clean out the basket.

5) I use styrofoam plates for most lunches. Not helping to minimize landfills, but sure helping minimize my clean-up time. :-) Once again, I buy these at Walmart--the biggest pack for less than $4. You could use plastic silverware also, if you wanted. We also use the same cup all day, so that saves on our amount of dishwashing.

6) The kids only have bottom sheets on their beds. This saves lots of time when making the beds, and makes less laundry on laundry day. (Plus you save money by only buying a fitted sheet!)

These are just a few ways to save time during your daily cleaning routines. Do you have any shortcuts?