Keeping the house tidy

gadgeteer_2

OK, how does everyone do it???

I go to my friend's houses and they always have pretty tidy houses. Some are always immaculate, some have a little mess.

Don't understand it!?!?!

Try as we might, our house is always looking untidy. There are always toys lying around, dishes on the side. Clutter on the worktops. I spent most of the day yesterday in the kitchen just tidying! As soon as I move one thing, something magically takes it's place.

Kids don't help! They leave c*ap everywhere. Asked the little one to move his shoe, he went to the shoe cupboard and just threw them on the floor.

I just don't understand where people get the time & motivation to keep their house so immaculate!?!?!?!

jackieglasgow

Flylady, over on the Old Style board, the secret seems to be little and often. I am still learning.

balletshoes

Most of the day my house looks untidy in at least one room - but 15 minutes in the evening we spend tidying stuff off surfaces and taking them to their proper home. I do the dishes once a day after dinner during the week, and twice at the weekends (after lunch and dinner). Twice a week wipe round the living room and dining room with a clean almost-dry cloth (instead of furniture polish and dusters - much quicker and the dust doesn't settle again so quickly). Wipe around the bathroom surfaces, same again, clean damp cloth. Bathroom tiles and bath get a good clean once a week with lemon juice/water in a spray bottle. I do hoover every day downstairs, but that doesn't take long because we have mostly laminate laid, plus a couple of rugs and the hall carpet.

That sounds like a lot, but as its not every day we're doing everything, its easy to do and doesn't take a lot of time.

DKLS

Easy I dont let kids in the house.

balletshoes

DKLS wrote: »

Easy I dont let kids in the house.

Yes, this would definitely help :rotfl::rotfl:!

Becles

Split your house up into sections and draw up a rota with a few jobs to do each day. It's more manageable and you are more likely to do if you know there is just a little bit of work to do rather than thinking "oh no I've got the whole house to clean, arrgh where do I start? Oh sod it, I'll do something else instead!"

It'll take longer at first as you'll be cleaning manky stuff, but once you get into your routine, it'll be quicker as things will not get as mucky between cleans.

I work part time and I'm doing a degree part time, have three children and two dogs and manage to keep the house reasonably tidy by doing that. It's never going to be show home standard, but it's tidy enough so I wouldn't be ashamed if a visitor turned up on my doorstep right now!

1more?

DKLS wrote: »

Easy I dont let kids in the house.

its my dh who is the messy one do you think it will work with him:rotfl:
he is so untidy its annoying, yesterday he took the children out while cleaned up just living dinning & kitchen & there was 3 pairs of his shoes just left where he had taken them off hes worst than the 3 children put together
i dont usually clean up after him but my house was desperate yesterday
sorry gadgeteer no advice there but if you find a solution let me know im off over to visit flylady x

penelopedee_2

Decide which messy areas you notice the most and that wind you up. Then each night before you sit down to chill - tidy these bits only. If the kids are in bed then they will stay tidy until you get up again in the morning. For me that is the kitchen sink, the worktops and around the sofa in the lounge. I can ignore everything else if these areas are calm and tidy.

I find it easier and calmer to blitz the kitchen and put everything before I go to bed as we have teenagers in the house who are up as late as me. Bathroom gets a quick swish when I think it looks a mess and a big clean once a week. The living room is tidied most evenings after work before I sit down and then blitzed on a Sunday morning when everyone else is still in bed.

Bedrooms are only seen by us so are done as and when we have the time. Bedding is washed onced a week and I hoover up there weekly too. Its up to the kids to keep their rooms tidy though.

talulahbeige_2

I find the best way is to actually put things away once you have used them rather than just putting them to one side. Once you've trained the others in your house to do the same it's much easier.

BitterAndTwisted

A nice big, plastic laundry-basket for stuff which doesn't belong in the kitchen. Anything which is put down anywhere which is not its home gets chucked into the laundry-basket and moved to the upstairs landing every bed-time. If it's still there 24 hours later it gets chucked in the dustbin as it's obviously not needed or valued.

do_it_today!

Hi :hello:
A book and website that has helped me is Cut the Clutter by Cynthia Townley and Ewer there also is a website OrganizedHome.com
my house isnt prestine but its not horrific either - Im still working on improving things
what helps me is trying to put things in their place after use and having rules like 'a clear table policy' I find once you put one thing down then other things gather and then its out of contol before you know it!
it might be time for a really good clear out I regularly assess whether the things I have are still loved or useful - if not they have to go.
If I have to many things in a space that is too small ie kitchen cupboard then I have to store some of the mugs somewhere else or get rid of extras that we dont really like or use.
papers or mail coming into the house looked at dealt with asap and then disposed of or filed toys / books I have a box in the front room play room and DS bedroom so they can be chucked straight in.

If I dont have time to sort a whole room out then I'll sort one areas so at least that is clear.

For me the main thing is trying to have adequate storage / minimising unnecessary things around the house and trying to get family to put things back where they belong.

I hope this helps

its an ongoing journey