Books I recommend for housework:

Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time to Dejunk Your Life
How to Clean Up, Clear Out & Live Clutter Free Forever
Is There Life After Housework

Keeping a clutter free, clean house.

Yes, you can homeschool and keep your house clean. Okay, maybe it will take some adjustment and at first you may have to let some things go that you don't normally do. But when you get into the routine, it will become easier.
1. Get rid of the clutter. Admit it, we all have clutter around the house. Here is what to do: Get a few boxes and label each 1. Trash  2. Yard sale, thrift store or Goodwill (your choice) 3. Don't use it, can't give it up. Now, what i like to do is take things to the thrift store. This way I can consign it, and with things I just can't throw out or give away, at least I can sell them. It makes it a little easier for getting rid of those things you just aren't ready to part with, but don't have any use for.
     a. Make a list of each room of the house. Plan to spend one day in a room at a time and go through drawers, toys, clothes, pull everything out and sort ALL of it. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but in the long run, it saves a lot of time.  Keep things off the floor, less is better, and it looks cleaner.
     b. Store things in clear boxes of various sizes on shelves. If you can't afford to go out and buy those clear boxes, use regular boxes you have from all those PCS moves to store things in. Slowly buy the clear boxes. One each payday (or whatever works for you).
    c. In the third box, the things you can't give up. Tape it up and store it. If you store it for a year or more and don't use anything from it, get rid of the box. You don't even remember what you put in that box by now.
2. Give your children a list of jobs or chores to do. Teach your child how to do the job correctly to begin with. Show them, watch them and follow them to make sure for the first few times they do it. Until they are doing it very well. Set up a reward program or pay scale. I pay based on age and amount of chores. We did try rewards, but the pay works better for us. When we go somewhere and the kids want something, all we have to do is say, "Do you have enough money". If they don't, that solves that. We end up saving a lot of money  and headaches this way.
Here are a few chores you can expect your child to do:
The first time, make sure you show them how to do the job, and check their work together. Have them do the job several days in a row to become proficient.
2-6 year old - Empty small trash cans. Make their bed (even if it isn't perfect, they are learning family responsibility and Mom or Dad can always lend a hand).
Help older sibling or parent put dishes away (in dishwasher or on shelves). Water plants (a way to avoid spills is by having them place a few ice cubes on the dirt). Clean room and pick up toys. Help sort laundry.
6 - 10 year old - The above. Put trash out for trash pick up. Sort laundry. Vacuum. Load/ unload dishwasher or wash, dry and put away dishes. Clean around doorknobs and lightswitches. Put clothes away neatly (label drawers with drawing or name of clothing for easy identification). Feed and water pets.  Clean mirrors, TV screens.  Clean bathroom sinks. Clean toilets.  Clean yard, help rake leaves, etc. Sort laundry. Fold clothes. Help with the cooking (measuring ingredients, stirring, etc.) and set table. Clean kitchen after meals.
10 and up -  All of the above. Plan and fix a meal (start with simple meals from child's cookbook and Parent supervision until child is completely capable of following more difficult recipes). Eventually, as the child is a teenager (sooner in some cases), the child should be able to make a list of planned meals, grocery list, and do the shopping.  Mow the yard. Help younger siblings with school. Sort, wash, dry and fold laundry (teach one at a time and as each is mastered, add a new skill). When your child is nearly old enough to drive, do not forget to teach them how to change a tire, the oil and other basic car maintenance for both male and female. For more valuable skills we use Keepers Of The Faith.. Keepers at home for girls and Contenders for the faith for boys, although you can use both for a boy or girl. Keepers Of The Faith is like 4-H with family values.You can do it at home with your child or start your own club in church, with other homeschool families or support group. As your child learns a new skill, they earn a badge.
3. Everyone must pick up after themselves. At the end of the day, everyone goes around picking up. After meals, everyone picks up after themselves. One person might have the job of loading and unloading the dishwasher. Having children do chores teaches them life skills. My goal is to have each child capable of running this household without me.

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