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From Chaos to Calm in Less that a Day {Quick Clean Up} | A Virtuous Woman

Emergency Quick Clean Up | When Your House is Chaos

This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

Today I’m sharing this post from a few years ago.

Well, today is Sunday. Which for me, generally means, getting the house back in shape if I am behind – which, today I am very behind. We spent nearly everyday last week working in the garden/ yard. I’ll share pictures of that later! I don’t think I have ever worked so hard in my life! Well, physically, anyway. Thankfully I have no pulled muscles and seem to be no worse for the wear.

I like being at home. Today it is raining – a true blessing because that means that whatever work is still awaiting me outside will have to wait until another day. That means I can devote the entire day to puttering around the house, cleaning, and making my home a haven for my family. Sometimes I use Sundays for rearranging things and “re-decorating” the house. I look forward to Sundays.

Today, we will be getting the house back in order after not just one week, but two weeks of being outside or just out of the house. It is unusual for me to be gone, but the week before last, I had appointments everyday of the week! I am in need of some home rejuvenation. So, how do I go from chaos to calm in less than a day?

How to Go from Chaos to Calm in Less Than a Day

This is only for the determined spirit, believe me! If you are easily distracted or overwhelmed, be sure to ask God for self-discipline and strength. A messy house is depressing. You will feel much, much better when it is all done! Believe me, I know!

1. Gather up the children.

2. Turn off the internet, television, video games, and any other distraction that may keep you and your children preoccupied.

3. Decide which room to begin with. I like to begin with the kitchen/ dining area of my home.

4. Assign each child a task within the room or just bark er, nicely give orders to the children such as:

  • “Put this away.”
  • “Scrub this wall, here is the cleaner and the Magic Eraser.”
  • “Dust this book shelf.”
  • “Quickly!”
  • “Let’s move!”

Anyway, you get the idea. Don’t let anyone finish a job without it being immediately replaced with a new one and don’t let one child work intentionally slow. Be sure to follow up with lots of praise!

5. Complete one room before moving to the next.

I generally save bedrooms for last and then we will either all clean each others rooms together or I will have the children work on their own space. Even the messiest rooms will be whipped into shape within 15 – 30 minutes if everyone works together and works efficiently.

I plan to have a “Ice Cream Sundae Bar” tonight to celebrate the hard work and the clean house! Maybe we’ll even enjoy a movie night and some scrapbooking….

 

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About Melissa Ringstaff

My name is Melissa Ringstaff and I've been blogging here at A Virtuous Woman since 2001. I'm a pastor's wife and homeschooling mom living in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Southeastern KY. I believe in finding freedom from perfection and living life with purpose and I want to help you do exactly that.

I'm so glad you've stopped by to visit with me. I hope we can be friends!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becca~TimeWellSpent

    May 3, 2009 at 8:54 pm

    This sounds like a fantastic idea! Sundays are my days to get caught up with the house as well. Today was actually spent outside all day working, planting and making that look good. I hate to say the inside of my house isn't in the greatest of shape right now! I did go through and organize my refrig freezer and my deep freeze today and I kept the laundry going.
    I'd love to participate in the weeks to come!
    Reply
  2. Dusti

    May 3, 2009 at 9:18 pm

    Thank you and amen. Nice to hear another mom say it is everyones job to clean the home not just mom. I love being home with my kids. Love to cook and garden but, cleaning can sometimes feel overwhelming. It really helps when eveyone pitches in. :) Mondays for us are stay home days when we get the house back in shape after the weekend.
    -God bless
    Reply
  3. Narelle

    May 6, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    I like this - I have been thinking about our Sunday's recently.... something else to chew on
    Reply
  4. Kathrine

    July 11, 2012 at 10:48 am

    Well...I love the idea, but looking at my kitchen, I'm already depressed! We just came back from a business/family trip and I think every random scrap of paperwork, kid's drawing, receipt, to do list, lego piece, and whatever landed in my kitchen. I don't mind scrubbing the floor, washing windows, dusting the cabinet tops, but I have the hardest time organizing all the little stuff. So, I'm stuck before I start. When I do start, maybe I'll start with the living room and as we go around the house move all the random papers and stuff that doesn't have a home into the kitchen, then only one room will be a disaster! Thanks for your website; I've really enjoyed it.
    Reply
    • Melissa Ringstaff

      July 12, 2012 at 7:11 pm

      Katherine, you could get a box and put all the stuff that doesn't belong in the kitchen in it. Then, choose a time/ day and go through the junk and make a decision about what to do with each thing. Sometimes the trash is the best way to go! Otherwise, file each piece of paper where they go. Put the receipts in your receipt box - (my husband bought a scanner and scans all of our receipts right onto the pc.) Often, making a decision is the hardest part!
      Reply
  5. Melinda Mitchell

    August 13, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    I live alone, so no one to help! My grand babies come and mess up, then leave. I really have to start making the 3 yo clean up after herself. (One thing, if you're a pastor's wife, how do you get to stay home on Sunday? Sorry for being nitpicky! Just curious!)
    Reply
    • Melissa Ringstaff

      August 13, 2016 at 9:44 pm

      Hi Melinda, we go to church on Saturday. Sorry for the confusion!
      Reply

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Freedom from perfection. 🪁
Live with purpose. ✝️
Proverbs 31 for modern women. 👱‍♀️
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Life: @melissa.ringstaff

Melissa Ringstaff
Not gonna lie. 2020 was a hard year. And not just Not gonna lie. 2020 was a hard year. And not just because there was a pandemic. Our family has faced many trying times in the past but 2020 gave us some doozies.  I’m looking forward to a new year. The beginning of the new year always feels like a fresh start to me. It feels like HOPE.  But the truth is, whatever heartaches and hardships you and I were facing on Dec. 31 will most likely still be there on Jan. 1.  That’s why it’s hard to keep New Years resolutions. It’s easy to feel motivated for a few days or a couple weeks until we realize life hasn’t really changed and things are still hard.  But if we want to see real change it takes hard work and real effort. It takes showing up every day - even when it’s hard.  Whether that means working on your fractured relationships or setting healthy boundaries or cultivating self disciple... whatever that hard thing is that you need to work on ... it will only get better if you work on it.  We aren’t promised an easy life. But we are promised an “Ever Present Help in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1  *
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We’re coming into the new year with all the same We’re coming into the new year with all the same problems we had in the last year. And that’s okay! Life doesn’t have to be perfect to still be amazing. Perfectionism is a joy stealer. Let’s determine to enjoy life right now in all its messiness.  I believe you can find freedom from perfection and the confidence to live your life with purpose. #purposenotperfection  #christian #Jesus #love #quotes #quoteslife #quotestoliveby #godisgood #votd #lifequotes #inspirationalquotes #life #motivationalquotes #inspiration #bible #bb #bestoftheday #happiness #wordofgod
🏠 Being a homemaker is such an important role. 🏠 Being a homemaker is such an important role. It’s a ministry to your family and all who enter your home.  But I want you to know: You don’t have to be perfect. ❤️  There’s a fine line between teaching your children to be neat and insisting on perfection. No one can meet that kind of standard and it can be detrimental to the emotional health of your family.  What we want for our homes is to provide a space that is neat and clean enough that your family and friends feel comfortable and well loved.  There is freedom in accepting the fact that you’re not perfect. Not to make excuses for slovenliness - but to give yourself grace.  It’s when we recognize our weakness that we find ourselves reaching out to Jesus to receive the power that comes only from him. As homemakers, when we can find grace for the moment when we accept His Gift.  “But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. Ezra 9:8  Let His Grace wash over you, cleanse your weary heart. Homemaking isn’t about creating a perfect space. It’s about creating a home where loved ones feel cared for and nurtured. 
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#proverbs31 #proverbs31woman #purpose31 #10virtues #homemaking #homemakingministries #happyhomemaking #homemaking101 #cleanhome #cleanheart #fromchaostocalm #housekeeping #cleaningroutine #inspiredhome #makingahome #lovewhereyoudwell #homemaker #homebody #biblicalHomemaking #wearethehomemakers
❤️Your attitude about homemaking matters.⠀
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A homemaker by definition is someone who manages and makes a home. 🏠⠀
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But, anyone can clean and organize a home. ⠀
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☑️ Homemaking is about more than checking off the items on your to do list.⠀
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Learning how to be a homemaker means you learn how to make your home feel like haven of peace and love. You seek out ways to make your home feel inviting. You work at it.⠀
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There is no easy button for homemaking. There are easier, more efficient ways to do chores, but the chores still have to be done. If you live in a house, you will create the need for the house to be tidied every day and cleaned on a regular basis.⠀
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Having the right attitude about homemaking is the first step in learning how to be a homemaker.⠀
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The good news is, even if you’ve been struggling with your homemaking, you can always go to God and ask Him for help. ⠀
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He sees the unseen work of your hands. And He loves you very, very much. He wants to help you succeed. ⠀
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#proverbs31 #proverbs31woman #purpose31 #10virtues #homemaking #homemakingministries #happyhomemaking #homemaking101 #cleanhome #cleanheart #fromchaostocalm #housekeeping #cleaningroutine #inspiredhome #makingahome #lovewhereyoudwell #homemaker #homebody #biblicalHomemaking  #youngwife #housewife
🙏 If you’ve found it difficult to have a regu 🙏 If you’ve found it difficult to have a regular time with Jesus every day, you’re not alone. Lots of busy Christian women struggle to find time for a daily prayer and devotion time. ⠀
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But I still want to encourage you to start your day with God! ⠀
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⏰ If it’s hard to spend 30 minutes in the morning for a quiet time, I want you to remember you can still begin your day with God – even if that means saying a short prayer before your feet hit the floor in the morning.⠀
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✝️ I also want to encourage you to memorize this verse:⠀
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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.⠀
Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 📖⠀
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In the morning you can recite this verse and say a prayer. It doesn’t have to take a long time. Although – if you do have time – you will be greatly blessed by spending more time in prayer and devotion.⠀
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📌 Free Printable Morning Prayer Prompts on the blog today: https://avirtuouswoman.org/morning-prayer-prompts/  #linkinbio ⠀
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🏠 As a homemaker, one of my goals is to be inte 🏠 As a homemaker, one of my goals is to be intentional with how I plan our days. I love any opportunity to create a good memories at home for my family and guests. ⠀⠀
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📌 If you're looking to make this holiday season really special, you need to be intentional. Goodness knows 2020 has had a lot of ups and downs. And maybe you feel like it's been mostly downs. ⠀⠀
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🎄 But the holiday season is a chance to focus on celebrating the life we have right now. Things don't need to be perfect for us to celebrate life right now!!⠀⠀
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☑️ Inside the pages of my Purpose 31 holiday planner, you'll find 8 weeks of planning and cleaning all laid out for you. Recipe pages, journaling pages, and more - 120 pages total. ⠀⠀
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✏️ The Purpose 31 Holiday Planner is by far one of the most popular resource I produce each year. ⠀⠀
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Thousands of women have downloaded it over the last four years I've offered it.⠀⠀
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So, even though it's early still, you can go ahead and downlaod it. Print it out and then set it up so you're ready to go.⠀⠀
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I usually take my holiday planner down to Office Depot and have them spiral bind it with a plastic cover for about $5.00. This year, though, I just bought a new 3 ring binder at Walmart, printed off extra cover pages to slip in the clear sleeve, and created a binder with it. ⠀⠀
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📌📌📌 If you use the planner this year, be sure to share and tag me in your photos! ❤️⠀  Download: https://avirtuouswoman.org/holiday-planner/ #linkinbio
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