I have found that with every stage my kids go through (and it has almost constantly changed over the last 8 years as we've had our four kids), my systems for getting things done and keeping the house clean constantly change as well. Different things work for different ages and different stages--including how much I can actually get done (like, when you have a baby and three older kids you are homeschooling, your house isn't nearly as clean each day XD).
Right now, we're getting into a really good groove with the stage we're in. Oliver is getting old enough that he plays independently a lot and doesn't need me quite as constantly. The girls are getting old enough that they are actually helpful around the house rather than it being more work for me in order for them to help (especially Ashtyn).
And I also have found that my own expectations have slowly lowered over the years, to where I am happy with a "clean enough" house most of the time.
With that, we've found a few systems that helps us keep the house clean enough, even with all my kids home all the time. Today, I wanted to record those.
One strong habit that Ben and I have is doing the dishes. Each night after putting the kids to bed, Ben loads the dishwasher and starts it. Then the first thing I do each morning after getting out of bed is clearing out the dishwasher and doing any handwash from the day before. Even if I cook a lot or we don't do a good job of getting dishes done after each meal, our kitchen is always "clean enough".
After breakfast, we start each school day with the kids' chore charts. They rotate between sorting laundry, washing the table, and sweeping the kitchen. I usually help Rylee, while Parker and Ashtyn can do their chore independently. Then they are in charge of putting away their clothes while I get things ready for our school day. These small chores get our house "clean enough" for school, where we spend a lot of time at the table together, and also help us to stay on top of laundry.
Another system I have is picking up Ben and my room while getting ready for the day. I put away any clean clothes, make the bed, and put away anything that got left out.
After I do some school things with the kids, they get some independent time on their school app while I do things like start or switch over a load of laundry, put away the handwashed dishes, and do my daily chore. Monday is cleaning the main bathroom, Tuesday is vacuuming, Wednesday is cleaning the master bathroom, and Thursday is doing a deep cleaning item.
The kids don't usually have other chores again until dinner time. I like to do a five minute family pick up before dinner. This gives our house a "reset" from a day of play and allows me to sweep the kitchen floor and get the table cleaned off for dinner.
On Friday, rather than doing their normal chores, the kids do their weekly chores. They pick up the rooms upstairs together and then Parker and Rylee clean the upstairs bathroom while Ashtyn vacuums the rooms upstairs.
Then on Saturday, we try to do a family cleaning time (though it doesn't always happen). During this time, we might do a deep cleaning task that doesn't need to happen each day, and the kids can get paid for the chores they help with. When it's warm, we will often do yardwork outside together.
I really like the systems we have right now because they are easy enough that we are fairly consistent with them, but they also help keep our house as clean as Ben and I like it to be. We will see what future stages bring, but for now, I am loving what we have.
