Task lists seem to be working for us.
After we had Merry Maids in here last week, we were determined - that is, I was determined - not to let our house get to the point that it had gotten before they intervened. Because Brian and I both have depression, we go through depressive episodes occasionally, in which even the easiest everyday tasks become difficult.
There are some things that are just not working for us. Unfortunately, one of them is the futon. Merry Maids tried, but they could not clean the pad. It's too big to put in our washer and too big to drag to the nearest laundromat. So unless any of my local readers would like a fairly nice, two-year-old futon frame, I plan to donate it to the Salvation Army. For seating in the living room, we plan to buy a patio-type bench, which we can subsequently move outdoors when we decide on a permanent solution. It will have to be pad-free or have a washable pad. I don't mind if the cats scratch it; ideally, we'll find it used anyway.
Working for us, however, is our Task List. Those who tend to have depressive episodes need structure to keep their lives from falling apart. Tasks fall into four categories: daily/emergency, catching up, two-person, and general maintenance.
Daily tasks include feeding and watering the cats; dishes; making the bed; and accidents/emergencies - things that come out of a cat but don't make it to a litterbox, spills of any type on the ceramic tile, spills on the carpet containing any form of energy, and any emergency with the cats. Last weekend we had an emergency with our fuse box: high winds had blown the cover off, it was an emergency and we took care of it. Daily items don't include getting dressed, as you don't need to get dressed for these things. But since I like my job, I do tend to get dressed on work mornings. It also doesn't include meals, which we eat as needed; I'm not always hungry for dinner.
Last week, we had a few catch-up tasks. I organized the dining room table, which was acting as a file cabinet, putting all valid coupons in a splendid basket my team had given me for my birthday and finally having a display item for the last dining room shelf. I applied Sticky Paws to Brian's box spring, where the cats like to scratch, and to the top of the chest of drawers where my Dalmatian Army is displayed - things like that, that needed doing for a long time and just never got done.
By this week, we had more general maintenance items. Brian vacuumed Monday, I'm vacuuming today - with eight cats, you MUST vacuum frequently and we're just not doing it enough. I did a different bathroom item every night last week. I built in two loads of laundry and two tasks for me to put my own clothes away, which I haven't been doing but letting them sit on top of my dresser. I cleaned the windows and windowsills with vinegar; I won't use chemicals where the cats are going to be.
Starting next week, we have two two-person tasks: trimming the cats' claws, and yard work in front of the house. We need to get the yard done before it gets too hot, and certainly before the summer thunderstorms start. It looks awful. We did, however, one night about a month ago, get some anti-fire ant stuff out there. Trimming the claws of eight cats takes two of us: Brian holds, I trim. We always do Thea first because she's just like Dylan was about getting claws trimmed - hissing, growling, being uncooperative and bad-tempered (and that's on a good day).
I build in two days, Friday and Sunday, with no tasks except daily/emergency. If I come home too exhausted to do my tasks, as I did Thursday; or if one of us is sick, we have some wiggle room. Brian has been keeping up with things very well. Most of the Daily items fall on his shoulders, and he has mostly light tasks during his day. Merry Maids had dusted all our knicknacks, and I had Brian just go over them with our duster, named Tina because of her bright purple hair. That will keep the dust from accumulating.
Well I still have to vacuum the master bedroom. I want to be done with my tasks before Brian's done with his today: he's doing the Petsmart and grocery shopping as his task.
There are some things that are just not working for us. Unfortunately, one of them is the futon. Merry Maids tried, but they could not clean the pad. It's too big to put in our washer and too big to drag to the nearest laundromat. So unless any of my local readers would like a fairly nice, two-year-old futon frame, I plan to donate it to the Salvation Army. For seating in the living room, we plan to buy a patio-type bench, which we can subsequently move outdoors when we decide on a permanent solution. It will have to be pad-free or have a washable pad. I don't mind if the cats scratch it; ideally, we'll find it used anyway.
Working for us, however, is our Task List. Those who tend to have depressive episodes need structure to keep their lives from falling apart. Tasks fall into four categories: daily/emergency, catching up, two-person, and general maintenance.
Daily tasks include feeding and watering the cats; dishes; making the bed; and accidents/emergencies - things that come out of a cat but don't make it to a litterbox, spills of any type on the ceramic tile, spills on the carpet containing any form of energy, and any emergency with the cats. Last weekend we had an emergency with our fuse box: high winds had blown the cover off, it was an emergency and we took care of it. Daily items don't include getting dressed, as you don't need to get dressed for these things. But since I like my job, I do tend to get dressed on work mornings. It also doesn't include meals, which we eat as needed; I'm not always hungry for dinner.
Last week, we had a few catch-up tasks. I organized the dining room table, which was acting as a file cabinet, putting all valid coupons in a splendid basket my team had given me for my birthday and finally having a display item for the last dining room shelf. I applied Sticky Paws to Brian's box spring, where the cats like to scratch, and to the top of the chest of drawers where my Dalmatian Army is displayed - things like that, that needed doing for a long time and just never got done.
By this week, we had more general maintenance items. Brian vacuumed Monday, I'm vacuuming today - with eight cats, you MUST vacuum frequently and we're just not doing it enough. I did a different bathroom item every night last week. I built in two loads of laundry and two tasks for me to put my own clothes away, which I haven't been doing but letting them sit on top of my dresser. I cleaned the windows and windowsills with vinegar; I won't use chemicals where the cats are going to be.
Starting next week, we have two two-person tasks: trimming the cats' claws, and yard work in front of the house. We need to get the yard done before it gets too hot, and certainly before the summer thunderstorms start. It looks awful. We did, however, one night about a month ago, get some anti-fire ant stuff out there. Trimming the claws of eight cats takes two of us: Brian holds, I trim. We always do Thea first because she's just like Dylan was about getting claws trimmed - hissing, growling, being uncooperative and bad-tempered (and that's on a good day).
I build in two days, Friday and Sunday, with no tasks except daily/emergency. If I come home too exhausted to do my tasks, as I did Thursday; or if one of us is sick, we have some wiggle room. Brian has been keeping up with things very well. Most of the Daily items fall on his shoulders, and he has mostly light tasks during his day. Merry Maids had dusted all our knicknacks, and I had Brian just go over them with our duster, named Tina because of her bright purple hair. That will keep the dust from accumulating.
Well I still have to vacuum the master bedroom. I want to be done with my tasks before Brian's done with his today: he's doing the Petsmart and grocery shopping as his task.