Is It Worth Cleaning Before Or After DC?

[melilley]

Another thread got me thinking.

Did you know that any cleaning that you do outside of dc hours can be claimed as time/space percentage on your taxes?

Of course that means that you would have to do most cleaning before or after hours. I'm not sure if the deduction that you would get would outweigh having to do things before or after dc or if it's just worth it to get it done while children are here.

What are your thoughts?

[SSWonders]

I have to get it done during the day. I am just too tired at the end of the day. I kid you not that I can fall asleep sitting straight up in a chair after dinner.

[SilverSabre25]

i hate keeping track of what i do outside daycare hours so i aim for all during the day.

[butterfly]

I do both. I do my best to get it all done during the day, but I do keep track of the time spent on things I just can't possibly get done while I have a bunch of littles here.

I'd much prefer to just be done at closing and not think about work again until opening the next day, but it doesn't always work out that way.

[daycarediva]

Originally Posted by butterfly

I do both. I do my best to get it all done during the day, but I do keep track of the time spent on things I just can't possibly get done while I have a bunch of littles here.

I'd much prefer to just be done at closing and not think about work again until opening the next day, but it doesn't always work out that way.

Same here. SOME days I can get them all sitting at the table doing an activity and then I will dust, sweep, vacuum and mop the playroom and clean the bathroom, take the trash to the garage (attached), etc. Other days it's all I can do to get the toys picked up by closing.

[renodeb]

SSwonders, I hear yeah. Almost every night I dose off where ever Im sitting. I do my main cleaning on the weekend. I pick up every evening after the last kid leaves. If I wait to long it doesnt happen!
Deb

[kitykids3]

I've never taken the time to figure it out, but I do both. Straightening up, some light dusting, dishes, taking garbage out and some minor yard work is done while the kiddos are here. Things like touching up paint, mopping, vacuuming, etc. are done outside of hours, but usually right before they come. By the time they leave, I am done. Unless of course it is summer and I am working on projects and motivated to keep going after they leave. Winter time I am usually dead by 8. I keep track of my outside hours on my attendance sheet and only takes a couple minutes. Then enter it into mmk.

[melilley]

Originally Posted by kitykids3

I've never taken the time to figure it out, but I do both. Straightening up, some light dusting, dishes, taking garbage out and some minor yard work is done while the kiddos are here. Things like touching up paint, mopping, vacuuming, etc. are done outside of hours, but usually right before they come. By the time they leave, I am done. Unless of course it is summer and I am working on projects and motivated to keep going after they leave. Winter time I am usually dead by 8. I keep track of my outside hours on my attendance sheet and only takes a couple minutes. Then enter it into mmk.

I used to do that, but Tom posted a video and it showed how to actually keep track and what to enter into MMK and to do it for two months to average your hours for a whole year and I was doing it totally wrong!

[Lorri]

I clean the floors vacuuming and mopping after hours. On Friday morning before kids get her I clean the windows and do the dusting before work.

[kitykids3]

Originally Posted by melilley

I used to do that, but Tom posted a video and it showed how to actually keep track and what to enter into MMK and to do it for two months to average your hours for a whole year and I was doing it totally wrong!

Yeah, I've read about taking the average of 2 months to get your hours for a year, but like I said, in the warmer months I spend a lot more time working on stuff outside of daycare hours ( as much as 2-3 hours per day and more on weekends). In the colder months I spend very little time, so I like doing it this way to have an accurate measurement. I don't mind the little extra work. I'm kinda anal like that. hehe

if you do it outside of actual work hours it adds to your time space percentage that you can claim on taxes

[Crazy8]

I've always spent at least 15-20 min. before and/or after children leave cleaning and have always added that in my time space percentage. I am not comfortable bleaching, vacuuming, mopping, etc. when children are in the room. How does one do that if you are the only provider? Bathroom gets wiped down with bleach each evening after children go home - I can't do that when kids are still here either.

[Play Care]

Originally Posted by Crazy8

I've always spent at least 15-20 min. before and/or after children leave cleaning and have always added that in my time space percentage. I am not comfortable bleaching, vacuuming, mopping, etc. when children are in the room. How does one do that if you are the only provider? Bathroom gets wiped down with bleach each evening after children go home - I can't do that when kids are still here either.

I have an assistant but before I did I utilized quiet time to get those things done (bleaching a bathroom, mopping) For vacuuming I have the kids clean up the toys and set them at the table with an activity and quickly run the vacuum. I used to wait until the kids left to do these things, but as you know, things come up. Kids get ill and you need to clean up. I quickly realized that I needed a better plan for keeping things clean and safe for my dck's.

[MotherNature]

I clean floors & wipe stuff down after work, but I do straighten up, do dishes, wipe stuff down during work as well.

[kitykids3]

Originally Posted by Crazy8

I've always spent at least 15-20 min. before and/or after children leave cleaning and have always added that in my time space percentage. I am not comfortable bleaching, vacuuming, mopping, etc. when children are in the room. How does one do that if you are the only provider? Bathroom gets wiped down with bleach each evening after children go home - I can't do that when kids are still here either.

The stars program requires we spray the toilet, sink, etc. after each use with bleach water.