Now I do not expect my kids to clean to the level that I would, however, if no one ever teaches them what is expected and gives them guidance, then they will never know. My checklists are pretty basic but the kids are getting so much more efficient with their cleaning and they take a lot more pride in their work, too.

Feel free to print out the PDF file of the cleaning checklists below, which includes basic checklists for cleaning the living room, dining room, bathroom, kids bedroom, playroom and kitchen. I have put them into clear plastic sleeves and  let the kids use dry erase markers to check items off as they go.

• Free printable cleaning checklists (PDF file)

And just in case you need a chore chart & the summer rules, you can find them here.

The secret is MAKE IT FUN! I devised a plan and when all was said and done, it took us about 2 hours to really make this house shine.

The Ingredients:

• A timer
• Strips of paper labeled with each room you want cleaned (we have done this with actual tasks, too)
• A bowl
• Some fun music
• A mystery/reward

The Plan:

We started by having my youngest daughter pull a slip of paper out of a bowl – this let us know where we would start. Once we knew the room, my oldest set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes and my middle daughter picked the tunes on the iPod. We all headed to that room and started picking things up, putting them away, wiping down surfaces, and getting the room clean.

When the timer went off, we stopped -  no matter where we were in the process.  I added a twist to the fun.  As a reward I had planned on letting the kids get a movie off Pay-Per-View and having a family movie night, so I gave them a clue for the reward. I have never seen my kids so excited to get something done (especially my 7 year old who normally refuses to help with anything)!

After the 20 minutes was up, everyone got 5 minutes of free time before we started the process over with a new room. I switched up who got to pick the room, set the timer, and pick the music each time so that the kids felt like they were in charge.

You would be amazed at how easy this was and the kids were so proud of their work. I even overheard one of them reminding the other to pick up something in the bathroom because we had just worked so hard to make it clean!

PS – we watched The Game Plan as our reward. It was such a cute movie and totally appropriate for a family movie night!

I went to the dollar store and purchased three small stacking organizer bins with open tops. I labeled them Childrens, Adult and First Aid. I pulled everything out of the cabinet and sorted it into one of these three categories.

The childrens’ bin contains what I consider to be essentials – Childrens Motrin, Mucinex cough medicine, Childrens Sudafed, Similasan Childrens ear ache drops, Little Noses Saline Spray/Drops for Dry for Stuffy Noses, the kids vitamins, and any of their current prescriptions.

The adult bin has Motrin, Aspirin, Alavert, Benadryl, Nyquil, Similasan Allergy Eye Relief Eye Drops and our adult vitamins.

We keep the first aid bin well stocked with Neosporin (love the new Neosporin and Pain Relief formula), Arnica Gel (great for muscle pain), Traumeel Ointment (also for muscle pain), Dermoplast Pain Relieving Spray (takes the sting out of scrapes fast), bandaids in all shapes and sizes, cortizone cream, tweezers, antiseptic wipes, gauze and tape.

This system has worked weel for us for the past few years. My kids are now old enough that they can get their own bandaids and little items. Having the medicines clearly marked in bins makes it much easier for the entire family to find what they need and stay healthy.

The following are skills/concepts (in no particular order) I am trying to teach my kids now – while they are teens/pre-teens – so that by the time  they go off to college, these are not totally new!

1. How to Cook – Now I don’t expect the kids to be able to cook a gourmet meal, but basic cooking skills are important. By allowing them to bake cookies and brownies now, I am teaching them that the kitchen is not a place to be feared. Additionally, the kids help with menu planning and are often involved with our regular dinner preparation. Hopefully these experiences will enable them to have a better appreciation for food as young adults, help them eat healthy in college,  and not make them so dependent on fast food.

2. How to Shop – From reading labels to watching for sales, kids need to know how to go shopping for their own basics. I have friends who never take their kids grocery shopping because it is too much of a hassle. My kids have been grocery shopping with me since they were little. They often have the job of keeping track of the list, making choices about the best brands and deals, and helping put the groceries away at home.  We talk about the store’s marketing tactics and why generic brands are perfectly acceptable for certain items.

3. The 80/20 Rule – If 80% of your food choices during the week are good, then indulging in the occasional treat or meal out is fine – everything in moderation is the key. The same goes for alcohol consumption. The fact of the matter is that most kids are going to drink in college, but teaching (and practicing) moderation at home from an early age is going to make it much easier for them once they are in the college environment. I think that kids who have been in overly strict and overly protective environments as kids are the ones who really go to extremes once they are independent.

4. Be Active – Just Because - You don’t have to be training as a world class athlete in order to stay fit. One of the lessons I am trying to teach my children is that being active is a way of life and you don’t need an excuse to exercise. Go for a walk – and take the kids. Schedule family bike rides. Get involved in sports at a recreational level. Club sports in college are a great way to further the active lifestyle and will help stave off the Freshman 15!

5. Keeping Track of Your Finances – Starting with knowing where your money is at all times, teaching kids how to manage money is one of the most important tools we can give our kids. Kids need to understand budgeting, saving, how to think through a purchase, how to deal with buyers remorse and how to make their own purchases. We recently opened up a savings account for our son and it came with a debit card. The debit card allows him to have the ability to spend his own money in stores and online, but it also allows us to really monitor his spending and help him make good choices.

6. Time Management - one of the things I worry most about (especially with my oldest) when my kids go to college is their time management skills. Will they play video games and surf the web all day or will they have the sense of maturity to get to class, get their studies done and then goof off. By giving kids guidelines now and holding them accountable for their own success in school as teens will make them more prepared to make the right choices as independent young adults.

7. How to do Laundry - Doing laundry is not rocket science but college and bringing laundry home for Mom to do seem to go hand in hand. Its not that hard, but unless you teach your kids to do their own laundry now, you will be doing it by the basket loads when they come home to visit you on weekends. Even little kids can get involved – from sorting dirty laundry by colors to folding socks. By the time your kids are tweens they should be able to help load the washer, understand why you don’t wash whites with reds and, the basics of folding.

8. And probably the most important thing I want my kids to know it that you have to take ownership of your own success, happiness and actions!

Two more great resources are The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens and The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make: A Guide for Teens.

Did I miss anything? What skills do you think are essential for preparing kids for young adulthood and independence?

Images (StockXchange)

Check out this technique:

Using an Apple Corer and Divider, cut down 7/8 of the way through the apple. Remove the slicer and reform the apple so it looks “whole” again. Pack in a sealed baggie or container. When your child opens it up at lunch, the apple will still appear fresh and will not have browned.

Need more great lunch box ideas? Check out my posts on 21 Healthy Snack and Lunch Box Ideas and 20 Healthy Fall Fruits and Vegetables.

The Preserve toothbrush is very comfortable to hold and designed by dentists for the optimum brush angle for cleaning your teeth. While the concept behind the toothbrushes is very cool, what I like even more is that when it comes time to replace the toothbrush (about every 3 months), you can send the toothbrush back to Recycline free of charge to be recycled into plastic for decking, picnic tables and more.

The toothbrushes are very economical (only $2.04 each) and easy to find as they are sold at Target stores nationwide. Get a coupon for $1.00 off 2 Preserve or Preserve Jr. toothbrushes at the Recycline site.

PS – they don’t just make cool recycled toothbrushes – they also make tablewear, kitchen gadgets and other health products from recycled materials.

When we were in Ireland a few years ago, we picked up some very cute hot water bottles for the kids that were covered to look like stuffed animals.  I had no idea they would be such a hit and I found myself wishing I would have got one for myself too.

Since none of the kids will share theirs with me, I have had to make my own. It is so simple, too! Just fill up any plastic drink bottle – from a 16oz to a 2 liter bottle – with hot tap water. Make sure the lid is on tight. Place the hot water bottle on your lap while watching TV, by your feet while sitting at your desk or take it to bed with you. The heat will last quite a while and it costs you nothing!

Every winter when the cold viruses start going around, I usually have at least one cold sore (also known as a fever blister) outbreak on my lips. The moment I feel that tingling sensation and the area around it get warm, I head for the refrigerator. We keep a bottle of
MMS Pro’s Entrin Acidophilus 90 caps in the refrigerator year round.

At the first sign of an outbreak I take two acidophilus capsules with a large glass of water. I then take two every hour for the next few hours. If I catch the cold sore early enough, I can prevent it from erupting in to a full blown blister. Even if I don’t catch it early enough, I have been able to dramatically reduce the duration and size of a cold sore just by taking acidophilus repeatedly throughout the day.

Acidophilus is a good bacteria that helps restore balance in the intestinal tract and boosts the immune system. It is also helpful for preventing yeast infections and some gastrointestinal issues. Read more on acidophilus.

We have been dealing with molluscum (a viral, pearl like wart that doctors say will go away on its own) for almost a year. In the past the cycle has been that a new outbreak would occur, with 2-5 new molluscum appearing. Usually one of these molluscum would end up getting extremely infected before it erupted and went away. Because they were getting so infected, I had to keep taking my daughter into the doctors where they would lance the molluscum, drain the infection, send it off to be tested (because my doctor is obsessed with MRSA) and then put her on antibiotics.

I didn’t feel like this vicious cycle was getting any better and frankly, I don’t like my kids being on antibiotics on a regular basis.

After doing more research and consulting with my doctor, we came up with a plan that seems to be working.

On Sunday evenings when I bathe my daughter, once we are done with all the hair washing, my doctor recommended adding 2-3 tablespoons of bleach to her bath water. I add the bleach and she continues to soak for 5-10 minutes. This helps to eliminate any bacteria on the outside of the skin.

Every morning and evening, she plays dot-to-dot with a cotton swab and Tea Tree Essential Oil . The tea tree oil has its own natural antibiotic and antifungal properties.

The combination of the two treatments really seems to be working. The molluscum are smaller, they are crusting over on their own and much quicker, and we have not had one get infected for almost two months.

GET THE UPDATE: The molluscum are finally gone!

• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Vinegar

Baking Soda

Pick up a box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda next time you go to the store and read all the great ways you can use this product in your home.  Aside from leaving a box in the fridge to absorb smells, you can use baking soda to:

• Scrub down sinks, countertops, pots and pans, coffee pots, silverware and cutting boards with out scratching.
• Remove dirt and soap scum from sinks, counters, tubs, showers, and toilets in the bathroom.
• Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Then pour in 1 cup of vinegar. Let the mixture foam for a few minutes. Then flush with a gallon of boiling water. Lastly if you have a disposal, finish up with some ice cubes to sharpen the blades and old citrus rinds to freshen up. (HT: LifeLearningToday)

Salt

Salt works  very well as a natural scrub. A few weeks ago I accidentally let a  pot of tomato soup boil over on my cooktop. It was such a mess. I was really worried about scratching the ceramic top, but had heard that salt is a safe scrubbing agent. I sprinkled salt over the mess and was amazed at how well I was able to remove the spill with just salt and hot water.

Vinegar

Vinegar is useful in cleaning so many things – either by itself or mixed with salt or baking soda. Here are just a few things you can do with vinegar:

• Dilute vinegar in a spray bottle of water and use to clean your windows and mirrors
• Once a month fill the reservoir with white vinegar and run through the brew cycle. Rinse thoroughly with two cycles of cold water. (HT: Because you value your body)
• Mixed with baking soda, vinegar is wonderful for scrubbing toilets and cleaning drains

Life Learning Today has 31 more tips for green cleaning. What are your favorites?