A big thank you to Shifrah Combiths for putting this article together!

The question really is “Who?”

Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of the Do-It-Now philosophy of life. However…

We are talking about 45 minutes here. So while it is true that the socks on the floor, the sink that needs scrubbing, and putting one’s toothbrush away only take a moment, we are still talking about a good chunk of time altogether. If only one person in your household has this work on their radar, it is easy to see how whole hours and days could be swallowed by the tiny tasks of tidying up. Especially if you are doing this for other people in the house, too.

Like an army of ants, carrying off the minutes of your day, one tiny piece at a time.

Sure, leading by example is a great way to encourage other members of your household, but be careful that your children don’t get the idea it’s all and only your job or you may be dealing with more than your share of the bargain. If you still have time, teach your kids how good it feels to tidy up after themselves. It shows respect not only for themselves but everyone else in the house, too.

Let’s face it, putting trash in the can, laundry in the hamper, and dishes in the washer only take a minute and are good house-mate behaviors. Especially in this time when more adults are living in extended-family and co-housing situations, going the extra minute is just the grown-up thing to do.

What do you do when you have a minute? Drop a note in the comment section! We’d love to hear any ideas or working favorite methods of keeping the home tidy.