The HomeRoutines app makes it simple for you to keep track of your regular household chores and routines - and adds a bit of fun with gold stars and the world's most triumphant music at the end of the 15 minute timer! And at the end of the day, you can look at your Accomplishments list and say "Go me!"
Do you have one little thing that would make a big difference if you got it done? We often have these little things on our “quality of life” to do list! I have a giant toddler handprint on my living room window – I think I will get to it because it is terribly distracting!
and then kept on sitting on my butt reading through my feeds and stuff.
And then I Dream of Clean popped up on my page and asked
Nice!!! Should we hold you to it? Maybe, let us know when it’s complete? 🙂
Ohhhh busted.
So I got up and took a photo of my toddler besmudge’d window:
and got out my window cleaner and cleaned that window, and the other window.
And then, since I was standing up without my laptop, I couldn’t help but notice that there were a few…other…. issues with my living room. Seriously.
This is pretty typical – laundry baskets, neary-finished folded washing, train track to nowhere, cushions off the sofa, and books every-which way. What can I say, I have preschoolers!
But getting up and cleaning that one spot on one window totally gave me a burst of energy!
So I went with it. I set my timer for 11 minutes… turned on Dora The Explorer to distract wee Hank from further destruction… and by the time it went off, the living room was looking much better. I kicked some cleaning butt!
For reals, Tim just came upstairs and said “So clean!!!
Sure, the floor could use a vacuum and I have still got a planter box of weeds outside the window.
But it’s a heck of a lot better, and that is just fine with me.
Here are some relevant blog posts I’ve come across this week. I usually post cool links straight to the HomeRoutines Facebook page when I find ’em, so Like us there to read them first!
Imagine a string with a series of beads on it. The beads represent your goals, relationships, and priorities. Tip the string this way or that way, and the beads easily slide off and onto the floor. But tie a knot on each end of the string, and the beads stay put. Those knots are your morning and evening routines. They keep the priorities of your life from falling apart and thus help you progress and become a better man.
… our daily routines and schedules have a huge impact on not just our productivity, but also our mood and relationships. Being over-committed, wasting time and misprioritizing all lead to stress and chaos.
Scheduling tasks like cleaning can give you a tremendous sense of  freedom…and even room for spontonaeity! What works for you? Do you prefer to have a cleaning schedule…or does your life work better with out one?
Far and away, my most searched posts are the ones on setting up a housekeeping schedule. I imagine women stumbling across my easy system, and I can hear them saying, “FINALLY! A schedule that doesn’t make me feel like a failure before I even start!”
Fifteen minutes of organizing in any home won’t get the job done forever.
But when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your clutter the goal isn’t to get the job done…it is to get the job started!
This week, consider making the time to accompany the kids on a leisurely walk around your local area. Grab the hats, pack some drinks, choose a walking stick and get the kids to carry a basket or bag in which to keep any leaves that happen to take their fancy.
Our latest update, HomeRoutines 2.0.2 is available now. Thanks to everyone who has sent us feedback and reports of the app misbehaving – it helps us get to the bottom of these pesky bugs.
Added Syncing for users of old iPod Touches and iPhones running iOS 3.1
When we released syncing in HomeRoutines 2.0, we only made that feature available to people whose devices were running iOS 4 or later. iOS 4 is a free upgrade for all devices, except for the iPod (1st Generation) and the original iPhone.
While we were testing the 2.0 update, we felt that on these older devices, syncing was too slow. We were also concerned that the app could not automatically sync when you exited, only when the app opened and when it was running.
However, we have received quite a few messages from people who want syncing to work on their older devices, so we have changed our mind and enabled syncing for these devices in HomeRoutines 2.02.
iPad users aren’t affected by this change, because HomeRoutines for iPad 2.0 and later requires the free the iOS 4.2 update. If you’re still running iOS 3.2 on your iPad 1, please do upgrade. iOS 4 fixes many bugs, and runs great on the iPad 1.
Fixed Bug: Saving Problems on 2nd Gen iPod Touch, and iPhone 3G
We’ve discovered a bug which specifically affects users with the iPod touch (2nd generation) and the iPhone 3G, who have registered for My.HomeRoutines. This bug can prevent recent changes being saved if you exit the app by pressing your device’s home button. We’ve fixed this bug in HomeRoutines 2.0.2.
In the meantime, press the power/lock button at the top of your iPod touch (2nd generation) or iPhone 3G when you’re done making changes in HomeRoutines, and your changes should be saved correctly.
We’d like to apologize to anyone affected by this bug.
Other Improvements
Version 2.0.2 also makes syncing faster, makes star reset when using syncing more reliable, and fixes a bunch of other bugs.
If you do have any problems with the app, please contact us at support@homeroutines.com. We’re happy to help.
Update: we’ve now resolved this problem on the server — you can move and edit your rooms without any problems now. If you’ve had some problems with this in the last couple of days, and the app doesn’t seem to be syncing now, then drop us a line at support@homeroutines.com, and we’ll get you going again.
We have become aware of a bug that occurs when you move rooms between zones in the app. Because of an error in the way that the syncing works, you can end up with unexpectedly duplicated or deleted rooms, and this can also cause HomeRoutines to crash.
We apologize for this bug, and recommend that you avoid moving rooms between zones for the time being. We are working on the code on the syncing website to fix the bug, today, and will keep you posted.
Thanks to everyone who reports bugs to us – it helps us track them down and fix them as quickly as possible.
We have identified some bugs in the HomeRoutines 2.0 update, and on the My.HomeRoutines website (sigh!), which we have fixed now. We have submitted another update to Apple this morning. In the meantime, if you haven’t updated your app yet, you might want to wait until the next update appears, or just be aware of the issues described here:
My.HomeRoutines website
This morning we’ve updated the software on the My.HomeRoutines website. If you were having trouble editing data online when you first registered, try again.
HomeRoutines app
If you’ve registered for My.HomeRoutines, and then add several lists in one go using the app, it can cause the app to crash. This sucks. We have identified and fixed this bug and are submitting an update to Apple today, which will hopefully go through quickly. What’s more, a few people won’t be able to register for My.HomeRoutines at all. If you’re one of these people, hang tight, and the update should fix the problem within a few days.
iPad version of HomeRoutines only
There is a bug in how HomeRoutines detects the version of iOS that your iPad is running, and this is causing the My.Homeroutines button to not appear on some devices. If you’ve updated HomeRoutines on your iPad and you can’t see the My.HomeRoutines button, please update to the latest version of iOS. (Plug your iPad into iTunes and click Check for Updates) Alternatively, wait until our next update is approved, as this will fix it.
As always, if you have any further questions or issues, please email us on support@homeroutines.com
If you wondered why we’ve been a bit quiet, it’s because we’ve been working very hard to get this awesome update ready for you!
Thank you so much to our beta testers who provided some excellent feedback and asked sensible questions – we couldn’t have done it without you!
FREE Multi-Device Sync
You can now keep all the devices that are running HomeRoutines in sync with our shiny new sync service.
This shares and syncs all your lists and the completion of tasks between the devices, so whether you’ve got your iPhone or iPod touch in your pocket, or you’re working with the family on your Saturday chores on the iPad, they will all say the same thing.
To register for this free service, just scroll down the home screen and tap My.HomeRoutines.
Do this on your main device, if you have more than one; you want the syncing data to be based on your “best” version of HomeRoutines, where you’ve got it set up just so.
You will need to register, then confirm your email address.
How does the Syncing Work?
Once you’ve created an account, and confirmed your email address, you will be able to sign in to that account with any other devices you wish to sync with.
The syncing works by sending a copy of your data to our web server, where it is kept safe and private. (You can read our privacy policy, also under My.HomeRoutines on your app)
HomeRoutines will sync only when it is the foreground app (ie, the one you are looking at right now, not when the phone is locked or sleeping, or you’re using another app. While it is the foreground app, it will sync every minute, and also when you leave the app. Syncing sends a very small amount of data, detailing any changes to your lists or your completed tasks.
Although the data is copied and synced to the web server, it is still on your device, so if you’re out and about you don’t need internet or wifi access to view your lists. (I’ve suffered through trying to get slow internet access in a supermarket to view my online shopping list enough times that I’m not inflicting that on you!)
But Wait There’s More! My.HomeRoutines.Com
Since we were getting all the data going to the web in order to make syncing work, we thought “What the heck” and decided to make it editable online as well. This is a special FREE service that is only available to users of the HomeRoutines app.
When you register for My.HomeRoutines on your device, you can use the same user name and password at http://my.homeroutines.com. Online, you can edit your routines, to do lists and zone tasks.
You can also back up and restore your HomeRoutines data on the site.
The web version does not yet have all of the features of the app, so you can’t yet:
Change routine or zone schedules.
Edit your daily messages (although they are displayed).
View your accomplishments.
Use the timer
Also, scheduled routine and zone reset only happens when you run the app.
So, yeah.  We’re really proud of this update, and hope you enjoy it!
Do you menu plan? I do, in a sort of ad-hoc way. I always plan a week’s worth of dinners before I go to the supermarket. Before I write my list, I have a look at what’s left in the fridge, and check out what is going to come in our weekly fruit and vege box, and check the calendar for any upcoming events where I’m supposed to “bring a plate.”  Having a list doesn’t mean that I cook the exact things I thought of when I wrote my list, but it means that I have the general ingredients in stock to make something. I don’t plan dinners for particular days of the week because I don’t like being bossed around, even by my past self. We usually just see what we feel like on the day.
I’m not very high-tech with my list – I have a stack of little index cards that I bought years ago thinking I’d rock me a Hipster PDA, and so I write a list of 7 dinners on a card and stick it on the fridge with a magnet. Past weeks’ lists are in a stack on top of the fridge, which I review for ideas if I’m feeling uninspired, or whenever they cascade onto the surprised head of whoever’s opened the fridge door
So that isn’t a very sophisticated way of menu planning, but it works for me.
Here are some great posts on Menu Planning from some of my favourite Housework Ninjas:
A few people have mentioned that they use the daily reminders feature of HomeRoutines to put their menu plan for the week in, then they get a reminder of what’s for dinner whenever they look at the app. That is an excellent idea!
Spring is an excellent time for fresh starts; for clearing away the cozy winter clothes and heavy blankets, opening the windows wide and letting in the fresh air.
(I am using my imagination here, as it is currently a dark and rainy Autumn day here in the southern hemisphere, and I’m wrapped in a dorky snuggle sack thing as I type.)
Let’s just say that a change of seasons is a good time for a change of scenery and a fresh look at your place.
Do you use your focus zone lists in HomeRoutines much? As well as keeping your own customized lists for detailed cleaning, you can also use them to keep track of things that need doing in each part of the house.
A useful exercise is to take a stroll around your house and look at it as a visitor or a potential buyer, and noting down some small things that would make a difference to each space. These are the sorts of little changes that Tim and I used to call our “Quality of Life Improvements.”
You can record these ideas in HomeRoutines, right in the focus zones section. I’m looking around the study right now, and I made a new “room” list in there called “Study Makeover” to record the tasks as I notice them:
(Why are there gumboots on the desk? I think they were a thrift-store triumph, but they certainly do not deserve to be sitting there)
At Organize The Whole Shebang, Krista has an excellent idea of dividing your to-dos between “Function” and “Fabulous”.
Think about what would make the space work better, and what would make it more , Krista has an excellent idea of dividing your to-dos between “Function” and “Fabulous”.
Think about what would make the space work better, and what would make it more glorious. Then do it!
Here are some more great articles on how to review each room and choose what you can do to improve them: remember to take it slow and don’t unpack all your cupboards until your surfaces are clear 🙂
I’m a former newspaper editor, and one of the things I learned was to edit brutally (no sarcastic comments about why I don’t do that with my blog posts). Cut out everything that’s not necessary, and you’ve got a more meaningful story.
I highly recommend editing your life.
Today’s edit: The rooms in your house, one at a time.
Have you ever started to pack to move and after the first few hours where you just packed away the nonessential decorative nothings you look around and think, hmmm, my house looks kind of good like this..? That’s what we are doing when we Quiet the House.
You deserve to live in a home that looks its best, so pretend you’re getting it ready for a sale! Stage your home for you and your family and you’ll fall in love with it all over again.
Clearing’s goal is to look at your home, your surroundings–or yourself!–with new eyes. When you disconnect yourself from what you see, you become open to new ideas. As S.H.E.™’s know, sidetracked brains become immune to disorder and disarray. By clearing, you wipe the slate clean, and give yourself the power to change, to simplify, and to enjoy!
Before I was a mum-of-three and an app developer, before the kids (or the app) were even a twinkle in anybody’s eye, I used to design and develop computer based training. We’d take the staff development goals of businesses, and find which ones could be turned into learning objectives, then design training programmes to run on a CD or the internet. As we designed the programmes we continuously improved them – so many rounds of feedback, so many changes and tweaks.
Sometimes a idea I thought was the best thing since sliced bread didn’t work out in the real world, so I changed it to suit. And that’s life. Eventually, we delivered the project to the customers and they were happy, of course… but we were straight onto the next project, taking with us what we had learned from the last one. (Maybe we stopped to walk down to Serious Espresso in between.)
The process looked something like this:
That’s what life and learning is all about – we can’t stay still. Circumstances change all the time – children arrive, health issues surprise us, jobs change, roles change, and seasons change. It’s unreasonable to expect that a plan you made a year or even a month ago would still be totally in synch with your current life.
So that’s why I suggest – have a look at your routines. See what’s working, and what isn’t. If you’re getting overwhelmed, drop some tasks that don’t matter as much. Turn off some reminders.
At first I had too many things in my routines and was constantly not getting to some things, which was stressing me out. Then I reminded myself this is for me. I have no one to impress. I removed the tasks I was not ready for yet and it relieved the stress. I have added some back on when I was ready to do them. I will continue to add tasks as time goes on.
No matter whether you choose a housework system to adapt, or cobble one together, or come up with your own ideas – it has to suit your home. It’s your home, not the home of some self-proclaimed internet expert, or your in-laws, or your grandmother, or that guy on that one infomercial!
Plan: Look around you. See what needs doing…Â add it to your routines and zones.
Do: Use those routines, work through the zones, see how you go
Review: Have a look back over what you’ve been doing. Is it working for you? Are you getting overwhelmed or avoiding your lists because they’re too long?
Revise: Add some things, remove some tasks, switch your zones around!
Enjoy your own system in your own place. You totally deserve it.
A couple of years ago I had one of those Keep Calm and Carry on posters on my wall. I felt kind of cool for awhile, because I was ahead of the curve with it down here in the Antipodes (They’re all over the shops here now, along with those fake bus blinds. Welcome to 2008, New Zealand!) But after awhile its very presence on my wall started to stress me the heck out.
At the time I was just.getting.through.the.days with a major house renovation, a difficult pregnancy, my big girl starting school, and all the other usual dramas of family life, and somewhere along the line the poster’s admonition didn’t help.
Stop telling me what to do, poster!
But here’s the thing I found in the midst of it. If I got going and did something – anything – I’d have more go to do something else. Sitting in my armchair while the room grew dark around me, playing that damn whack-a-mole level of Plants Vs Zombies, was not an effective way of getting started on any endeavours, creative or practical.
If you improve your habits and put routines on autopilot, you’ll have more time for creative endeavors.
The art of habit leads to the habit of art.
Tim and I have found time and time again that if the kitchen is tidied, the living room floor isn’t covered in unfolded laundry and the books that Mr 18-months has ripped off the bookshelf (again) then we find ourselves magically Doing Things. Making jam, collage-ing stuff, sending out Postcrossing postcards, or doing some coding on some side-project of Great Awesomeness. Whereas if we’re sitting in a Living Room of Great Squalor after the kids are in bed, then we’re more likely to dive down the rabbithole of the Internets, or start playing dumb computer games without enjoying it or even really wanting to.
Does this make us tidy up immediately after dinner? Not always! But we’re trying, and it makes a difference. Baby steps down the hall, and all that.
How to get started, get excited, and do something:
Run a dash
9/10 productivity experts on the internet agree, timers are the way to go! Merlin Mann calls this Running a Dash:
My favorite tonic for procrastination—which I have mentioned in passing previously—is what I call a dash, which is simply a short burst of focused activity during which you force yourself to do nothing but work on the procrastinated item for a very short period of time—perhaps as little as just one minute. By breaking a few tiny pebbles off of your perceived monolith, you end up psyching yourself out of your stupor, as well as making much-needed progress on your overdue project. Neat, huh?
He online casino has some excellent techniques on how to do this. I particularly like how he suggests giving yourself two criteria for success: 10 minutes of picking up crap in your garage or one trash bag full, whichever comes first.
In order to be successful, we have to work hard, no matter what. We can’t always be at the mercy of our motivation.
I am lazy. But that’s okay, because I have some tricks for fooling myself into working, every single day. Actually, I’m quite productive thanks to these tricks.
What is it that you love to do? Which activities make you forget about time and put you in an enticing flow? That’s what you need to figure out, birdies!
Get those ideas out there, imperfect though they are
I run out of ideas every day! Each day I live in mortal fear that I’ve used up the last idea that’ll ever come to me. If you don’t wanna run out of ideas the best thing to do is not to execute them. You can tell yourself that you don’t have the time or resources to do ’em right. Then they stay around in your head like brain crack.
No matter how bad things get, at least you have those good ideas that you’ll get to later.
Some people get addicted to that brain crack. And the longer they wait, the more they convince themselves of how perfectly that idea should be executed. And they imagine it on a beautiful platter with glitter and rose petals. And everyone’s clapping for them.
But the bummer is most ideas kinda suck when you do ’em. And no matter how much you plan, you still have to do something for the first time. And you’re almost guaranteed the first time you do something it’ll blow. But somebody who does something bad three times still has three times the experience of that other person who’s still dreaming of all the applause.
When I get an idea, even a bad one, I try to get it out into the world as fast as possible, ’cause I certainly don’t want to be addicted to brain crack.
Watch the video below for the inspiring speech. (Probably PG)
HomeRoutines is an essential app when it comes to managing your chores. The app is universal and is ideal for anyone. Chores are broken down by days of the week, but it doesn't end there. Each day is then broken down into morning and evening chores. The app includes a feature called "Focus Zones," which assigns certain rooms of your house to specific days for cleaning. The organization this app provides for a household is revolutionary and is well worth twice its price.
