Comments on: Keeping House

By: Marita

Marita — Thu, 13 May 2010 07:57:12 +0000

Yep I so get that.

I’ve been sick this week and really struggling to keep on top of the housework. The messy house is so depressing yet I keep falling asleep before I can get any work done.

Like the timer idea, might have to steal that for myself and the girls.

By: river

river — Wed, 12 May 2010 04:22:31 +0000

P.S. Have you tried combining your routines? For instance your Mondays, Tuuesdays and Thursdays,; mornings for cleaning, afternoons for bill payings (online?) baking, and anything else which crops up.
I found my house was always clean (still, even now) if the mornings were for cleaning, and afternoons for everything else.
For instance, wake kids, shove a load of clothes in the washer, all eat breakfast, clean dishes away together, older kids make their beds and help younger ones to make theirs while I zoomed the vacuum quickly over their floors. (toys were put away before getting into bed the night before). Hang the now finished washing, walk to school, come home and have coffee, do any dusting etc, go grocery shopping if necessary, pay bills while out, home again, have lunch, youngest has nap while I spend time reading, or baking, walk to school and home again with kids, prepare dinner veg while they let off steam outside, supervise homework, tv time while dinner cooks, after dinner everyone helps with dishes. Then it’s free time until bedtime for kids while I get the ironing done. This worked well right up until the kids left school, then home. Now of course it’s easier because there’s no ironing and much less cooking……
I know it sounds like we were regimented, but it was routine, we followed it without thinking. Then of course in those days, sports activities (which my kids weren’t much into) were usually held on Saturdays, so didn’t take up valuable after school time.
I guess life for most people is more complicated now.

By: river

river — Wed, 12 May 2010 04:05:19 +0000

I find housework easy, always have. Clutter however is a horse of a completely different colour. Simply, I have way too much “stuff” that I haven’t been able to let go of. In these past couple of weeks though, I’ve felt the need to purge the house of unnecessary things. Today I cleared out the top section of my built in wardrobe, which is where I stuffed everything I couldn’t find a place for when I moved in here 7 years ago and haven’t looked at since. It’s all boxed and bagged and ready to go out for the annual kerbside “hard rubbish” collection. most if it isn’t even rubbish, but people get out there trawling the streets looking for good useful items, so they can have them. And I have no way of getting all this stuff to local op shops which are already over stuffed with clutter anyway. I actually have clear surfaces now! Just don’t look into the back bedroom…..

By: Jodi

Jodi — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:06:11 +0000

I loathe housework.

However, it is something that needs to be done and so I have built maself a wee bridge and am working on getting the hell over it. When I only worked part-time, I did stuff on different days and that more or less worked. Now, though, I am working full time. I’m out of the house for around 10 hours a day, five days a week - so I end up cleaning, doing bills, planning for the week and doing washing on Saturday. I aim to have *everything* done by 3pm Saturday so the rest of the weekend is mine. I have a list (a word document) that I update each week and work my way through it. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of crossing off something! However, stuff happens - and when the bloke works alternate weekends…

Argh.

So I have the MUST do section of the list - must do the washing, pay the bills and make sure there’s food. The world won’t collapse if nothing else happens. I also do 52-pickup when I get home from work. Strangely enough, I am the MOST organised I have ever been in my entire life!

By: Lynette

Lynette — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:24:31 +0000

Well the 3 men in my home are my vacuumers each Sat and in between if really necessary. THis helps me get on with other tasks if i am well enough or can be bothered! I do like clean floors and carpets and a clean sink and the toilet roll holder full! Bizarre I know!
I dont struggle with day to day things so much (except i hate but tolerate clothes airers) but do with other things like dusting, spider webs, decluttering, car cleaning, window cleaning etc.. the things i freak out about when having people over that they probably dont even notice but I DO!!
Because our home is small things tend to accumulate in piles if not kept under control.. so i try to have the place reasonable when i walk out the door to school each morning, also knowing whats for tea really helps me keep sane!
I find that if things have a home then its more motivating to put them away! ITs when they are junky bits that i get frustrated no end.
Think this sounds like i am a control freak…. yikes!~

By: Kelli

Kelli — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:57:15 +0000

I understand exactly what you are saying. My life often feels like it is spinning out of control & there is no time to look after the house. Washing I am good at - that is something that works in my house. The rest of it, I just struggle with.

Lists work beautifully for me, as does being accountable to someone. But sometimes it all just feels like too much, especially when I have very messy children who make a mess behind me as I clean up - and they are very lazy children too who I have to bribe to do things.

I am trying to do something everyday, but today - I just can’t! I need to cook 3 dinners so need to start on that, which means nothing else will get done. So off to make soup, spag bol & a chicken dish for tomorrow night!

By: Sharon

Sharon — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:56:34 +0000

I ducked home for lunch today (took Steph home, she has a major assignment due on Friday and two frees this afternoon - wasn’t achieving anything at school and wanted some peace and quiet). Anyhoo…ducking home I couldn’t help but look around me and think to myself “WHAT HAPPENED!” The place was semi tidy on Sunday afternoon. Sigh. I am only barely keeping up at the moment - and none of those extra jobs are getting done.

By: katef

katef — Tue, 11 May 2010 01:30:54 +0000

Ah I so need to learn some tricks to get on top of things again…. I blame my DH’s stupid changeable shifts for our lack of routine and that is why our house never stays organised for more than a week…. but really I just need to do it!

Good luck with your plan!