Mess-eating Monster

I was recently reading posts from one of the blogs I love to follow and was smacked in the face with a brilliant idea!  She actually got her idea from another bloggin mama. I love how we moms can share and learn from each other!!! Here is the blog I am borderline obsessed with (seriously want to join her family) and here is the original idea blog post (this is a new favorite blog). 

As moms we pick things up off the floor about a million times a day and this awesome idea is going to change that around my house.  I will ask once for it to be picked up and if it's not then the item will go in my box.  No, I will not keep it forever but to get it back the perpetrator must do a chore.  

Now for my favorite part, not all the slips of paper have serious chores on them....some are just plain silly or even just a warning slip.  It's such a great way to not get caught up in the, "I told you 6 times to pick that toy up...blah blah blah!" argument with your child.  I know I need to laugh a little more and not take things so seriously with my children. I want them to remember me as a fun mom who was silly, would play and laugh with them, not a mom who constantly got onto them, punished them, and was so serious!

So I printed off my chores and cut them into slips, stuck them in an envelope and put the envelope on a plastic storage bin that I have named Mommy's Mess-eating Monster.

 Here are the chores I put in my envelope.  Feel free to copy and paste and then change some around to suit your household!

Clean out van
Clean out pantry
Pull weeds in back yard for 10 minutes
Pull weeds in front yard for 10 minutes
Rub dad’s feet for 10 minutes and do, ‘this little piggy’ to him.
Clean Archer's room
Wipe down kitchen counters

Wipe down kids' potty
Clean a bathroom mirror while singing any song.
Clean out silverware drawer
Wipe down outside of fridge and have a treat afterwards.
You are free but this is a WARNING!
Vacuum living room rug
Scrub kids' bathtub
Give mom and dad a hug and say, “I will never leave my stuff out again.”
Clean/wipe down front door
Wipe down door going to garage (both sides)
Empty all garbage cans
Write a letter to someone who has done a service for you and tell them thank you.
Dust the tv stand and all items on it
Fold 10 pairs of socks
Rub dad’s head for 10 minutes while telling him how thankful you are for him working so hard.
Rub mom’s head for 10 minutes while telling her how thankful you are she sweeps 200 times a day.
Sweep front porch and run around the house 1 time
Watch Archer for 10 minutes
Clean out/organize desk drawer
Dust living room
Clean kitchen table
You are free but this is a WARNING!
You are free but this is a WARNING!
Tell your siblings and parents 3 things you love about them.
Write 2 times “I will not leave my things out.”
Do 25 jumping jacks while singing, “I am a cleaning machine.”
Run around the house for 1 minute and see how many things you can pick up and put away.
Tidy up the art room.
Draw a picture of you picking up things and your mom and dad smiling BIG!
Make up a song about a clean house and perform it in front of your family.
Make your bed blindfolded.
Clean Archer's high chair (in and around)
While hopping on one foot, wipe the kitchen counters off.
Choose 2 items of yours to donate to Goodwill.
Vacuum the playroom.
Scrub an air vent with a toothbrush.
Hand wash 3 dishes
Scrub your toilet while singing, ‘whistle while you work’.
Pick up backyard, do a flip on the trampoline and beg your mother for forgiveness.
Sweep back patio
Design a machine on paper that cleans the whole house and gets you ready for the day.
Water the plant in the living room.
Tell us the story, ‘The Little Red Hen.”
Organize mom and dad’s shoes.
Vacuum Mommy and Daddy's room

Give all family members a kiss and a hug

Tell us three things you are thankful for

Clean/organize Archer's train table

Lead prayers at bedtime tonight

Call grandparents to tell them you love them

Find me on Facebook at My little smarties!