Thanks for all the Advice!

I appreciate everyone's comments (although I don't always get them published right away!)...I did read them and ponder over them for quite some time.

Normally laundry, dishes, and floors are all that I get to...that is the floors downstairs.

We have been blessed with a large house...at least large for me.

On the first floor there is a large mudroom, a large eat-in kitchen, a somewhat large living area (broken up into a living area & piano area that houses the home school books), a screened-in porch which serves as our second eating/home school area, a hallway/stairway/closet area, an office, and a bathroom.

On the second floor is the bedrooms: girl's room, boy's room, master bedroom, and guest room; then the linen closet, bathroom, and hallway.

The basement isn't much to talk about as water streams through it when it rains, but it has the "extra" junk, the freezers, a refrigerator, 2 washers & 2 dryers (one of which I am waiting for my husband to hook up), and our stove that has the broken door (broken during our move). NOTE: I am thrilled to have both washers hooked up as my dear hubby hung some clothesline up just the other day...I am able to attack the laundry with a vengeance daily...

I am getting a game plan together so that I can attack this home with a vengeance...so far, I have attacked the hallway/stairway/closet area but it needs to be tidied again, the kitchen which is always in need of tidying, and the living area which always needs tidying, and the laundry (never ending task as my children love to play in the water all summer long!)...

We have company coming over on Sunday, so I must keep attacking the house...I DO plan to get as much done as possible.

Again, thanks for all the advice!

So far, here is what I have done with it:

1. Yesterday I employed all of my older children in the kitchen, I washed the dishes, my younger son rinsed, my older daughter dried, and my oldest son put the dishes away...then we, as a team, attacked the floors, counter tops and table.
2. I DO own a copy of Teri Maxwell's Manager's of Their Homes, (which is what the Duggars use) however I have not yet read it all the way through...BUT, my children usually buddy up like this: two middle daughters, oldest son with second youngest daughter, youngest son with youngest daughter, oldest daughter is my cleaning angel...she goes behind me after I have swept up a pile and cleans it up.
3. Laundry, dishes, and floors are just about all that I get done daily...at least the floors downstairs...we have a BIG problem with sand here, it's not good for the floors but it gets on the children's clothes everyday. I am unable to keep up with all the sand, but I am trying to get a routine that works.
4. Standards, standards, standards...we all have them. We have our "standard" about what we think is clean...mine are somewhat high, but I have achieved them in the past. I'm not getting any younger, nor am I getting any less busy...so my standards need to be lower, but as I teach and train my children to clean, I can raise my standards as, "Many hands make light work".
5. My own advice...I have a First Time Obedience chart for each child. I am using this as a tool to encourage my children to do the job the first time and diligently. It seems to be working as my children are always anxious to see how many stars they have earned so far.

And, if any of you have been wondering where I disappeared...I have been on Planet Laundry...I did 4 loads on Monday, 5 loads on Tuesday, and 6 loads today....ugh...The laundry still isn't done,
but that is no thanks to the beautiful weather that called my children outdoors to play in the water on Monday and Tuesday... ;OD I love the warm weather, but I don't love the laundry it creates, LOL!

Well, I'm off again to find SOMETHING to clean...it's getting there. Once most of my laundry is folded and put away (& winter things in temporary storage...my closet), I will be 75% there. (O;

Have a great day! & Blessings!
Heather