Keeping on top of housework when you're ill or in other times of crisis?

Imelda

I second (or third) the advice to get a cleaner. We have had ours for a couple of months now and is well worth the expense (£10/hr). We only have her for 2hrs on a Monday, I spend an hour or so on a Friday straightening up and giving the bathroom a wipe over and changing the bedding so it's nice for the weekend and general as and when needed type cleaning (I am not house proud!)


Another thing I advocate is online shopping, if possible on your phone. It has revolutionised my life (ok, maybe a bit strong!) as I can meal plan on the run, see what I previously bought and keep tabs on the cost. I do mine weekly as it suits our lifestyle but I also have a small supply of meals in the freezer for those ad hoc days. I honestly don't know when I had the time to spend an hour going to the supermarket

Does your DH know how you feel? I know you said he has a lot on his plate too but it does appear he has more time at home than you. Don't want to sound horrible but is he (and the kids) doing as much as they can to help? You're not superwoman

bargainbetty

I believe Quentin Crisp once said 'Don't bother dusting. After six months, the dirt gets no worse.' Point being, don't worry, its more important to spend time having fun with your family than trying to polish them.

(I've heard of ironing, but I think it's mostly something that happens to other people.)

lostinrates

Can your husband join fly lady?

If he's going to be at home more...even with his kids and parents and education it looks likely, then HE can meal plan and fly lady. I'm sure the oldstylers can take care of him and help find order.

Things that helped me when I was working were to never go to bed with the sittig room messy. Not cleaning, just aking sure if someone came to the door I had somewhere to ''put them''. That said, now I'm looking around me and despairing.


I use a ''ten things'' rule. So when home, walk in and pick up ten things on the floor, or dust ten things, or dust five and pick up five..) same in tv commercial breaks when you are droppig after work and need to ''chill'' chill but in the ads do ten small things.

Get the kitchen and the bathroom clean (kids can help....I did when I was a kid...r get them doing their rooms) and maintainable. Then get DH to try and keep them that way flylady-ing and each weekend just spend a couple f hours together expanding on reclaimed gound.

Don;t worry too much....houses are cleanable....it will be ok.

sandraroffey

ironing?? never iron a thing. best way to iron sheets is to lay on them!!! if my son wants his shirts ironed, he does them himself.

my mum used to iron everything, even my dads socks had a nice crease down the front of them. when my sister was a baby, she even ironed her nappies. (terry ones then!!).

use ironing time to do something else.

dandy-candy

As a starting point I would rope everyone into a "one off" mega tiday up - you, DH, kids, nearby friends or relatives if you have any who are willing! Just get the house as straight as you can and from then on only aim to keep the kitchen and bathroom really scrubbed clean. If you have time for the other rooms its a bonus, but seriously fluff balls behind the sofa or under the bed won't be the end of the world. I NEVER tidy the kids rooms anymore. If it gets too bad (ie. I trip up walking in) then I tell them tv/xbox is off and they don't go out with their mates until its straight, and tbf they are fine with doing it. They throw everything into the cupboards/laundry basket, wipe the sides with a damp cloth and hoover the carpet, and that's me happy! The kitchen and bathroom are the two rooms I feel you must get clean from a health point of view. Also if you can have a ruthless throw out of stuff then so much the better - we had a free council skip in our road yesterday and boy did I get my moneys worth!!

GreyQueen

Allegra wrote: »

Have we met ? :whistle:

Smashing post, btw

Thanks for the compliment. I don't believe we've met, but I'm always glad to tip the nod to a fellow anarchist. A pal of mine (high-flying professional type) calls housework Domestic Engineering. My Mum always reckons you can tell how long a woman has been married by seeing how much ironing she does...new brides do everything, old hands do beggar all. Saw someone giving away their iron and ironing board on my Freecycle group recently and raised a cheer; another woman liberated!!!!!!!!

morganlefay

EllieA I really feel for you. My house is CHAOS and it's all my stuff. I am a hoarder and for many years worked long days like you do and when I retired I acquired a lot of stuff from my late mother's house and it's all just overwhelming. The room i'm typing in ought to be a dining room but is actually just piles and piles of filing, books and precious things of my mother's. Just after the v cold weather I realised I had a mouse in here (droppings, nibbled choclate) so I assumed it was a little lone chap sheltering from the snow. I have now caught 7 of them (in a nice humane trap and then I take them for a longish drive before letting them out) so I clearly have a bIG problem and am now going to HAVE to clear the room out in order to prevent a huge mouse outbreak. I can't think what to suggest to help you because other people have given such wise answers, but think of me as I grapple with my awful room, racing against time against the breeding habits of the mice !

PS Greyqueen: when OH and I were first married (38 years ago) I deliberately ironed his shirts badly and he's never let me touch them since - tee hee !

EllieA_3

Thanks for the advice guys, i've just got home from work and i've just wolfed down some stew before i hit the flylady's thread and get some stuff done then im going to see if i can't turn this food in my cuboards into a food plan for the month.

Honestly i'm not sure about the idea of a cleaner i can see the merit and i could mostly likely afford it as a one off, but i think i'd been too ashamed to let someone into my house in it's current state because it's really gross.

leed

My advice - Little and often and don't try to do too much too soon. Don't try to tidy the whole bedroom - do a drawer or the hanging space and get rid of stuff that you either never wear, is old fashioned or you don't like. Don't be afraid of getting rid of clutter - it is quite liberating.

Bitsy_Beans

I second the suggestions of little and often. If you sit and look at the whole house you're going to feel overwhelmed and that in itself is going to be a big demotivator. Tackle what you can in small chunks, set a timer and go for 15 mins that way your doing a little bit. Your house didn't get into this state in a week so don't put yourself under pressure to get it cleaned and immaculate in a week either.

You mention you have too much stuff. Unless you do something about this cleaning will always take twice as long. I speak from experience here I spend as much time tidying up as I do cleaning. Takes even longer to flick the duster round when I am having to pick up paperwork etc clothes, toys etc. Try and get everyone (depending on ages) into the habit of "if you get it out then you put it back". Then using the 15 min timer start a bit of delcuttering. Be ruthless and get your excess stuff shifted. Bin it (if absolutely necessary), freecycle it, give it to charity but don't hang on to the stuff you don't really need. Once you have less stuff staying on top of the cleaning should be easier.

As for hiring a cleaner - just do it. If everyone had pristine houses they'd be out of a job, even if you just use their services to give the house a thorough clean to help your sanity.