Is my Windowcleaner right? Need advice from the OS ladies and MATH.

angelatgraceland

Oh wow! I'm feeling rather slovenlly!(SP)
Cleaning is not my hobby though-I think you must enjoy it. I wish I could be like you for a week OP-it would last me all year I think!
Being sensible hough it does sound rather over enthusiastic. Maybe just miss out one chore each day? But I think you would then feel guilty.

I would buy you a bottle of ice cold g&t if you came to mine!

CFC

FRUGAL, your windowcleaner is right. You do too much.

As you said at the end of your first post, when reading it back 'OMG reading this back I need to get a life'. Yes, you do. You know it yourself when you actually look at what you do....you said it, and you're right.

Either that or you can come and live with me. Clean and cook. I'd be grateful

reverie

Frugal, I think you sound completely marvellous. :T

To be that committed, organised and disciplined in day to day life is really to be commended I think. If you were that super efficient in a 9 - 5 office job people would instantly be wowed by your skills.

The fact that you are so efficient at home making makes people wonder, because some see it as domestic drudgery and can't understand that it can give any satisfaction. I don't think those people have realised yet (it comes to most of us) how lovely it is to live in domestic bliss. It is so much nicer to open a fridge that doesn't smell, get into a sparkly shower and walk on clean floors. It just is. If anyone denies it they are kidding themself.

I think the important thing is to have a balance, you sound so efficient that you will still be able to manage the house fantastically in only a few hours a day AND do more 'you' things, more things with the family or any other non housey things you fancy. I imagine that, as someone else said, once you have started doing so much, it's easy to then feel bad if you don't do so much. You shouldn't. Your house will still look suitably amazing, spending less time than you do at the moment.

With regard to "Only dull women have clean houses" I have seen that on mugs etc and giggled at it too, but it is tongue in cheek, because most people wish that they did have a cleaner house than they do. So it makes those of us that aren't always (or ever ) as hard working and organised as you feel better. So you should just feel smug about that comment


PS. I make a mean G &T if you fancy bringing your duster over to my house

jennybb

Frugal, whatever floats your boat, I'd say - but it sounds like you deserve a bit of guilt free time out for yourself and some help from the rest of your family so that you can then have more quality time together. :j

We all have different priorities. Some of you have made me feel a bit sluttish but TBH cleaning isn't my priority. I'd rather spend the spare time I have cooking decent food than chasing dirt with environmentally unfriendly chemicals. I keep washing to a minimum for ecological reasons. (Daily towel washing :eek: ).I like the place to be tidy and not too cluttered - but have to admit you can generally find a bit of dust or a cobweb if you are looking . I work and study and about a year ago I decided that spending four hours a week ironing was a waste of time that could be spent otherwise - now only things that REALLY need it see the iron. Once a week as a family we have a quick blitz and then go out and do something together.

You're a long time dead. But at the end of the day we all have to do what feels right for us.

jennybb

By the way.................your window cleaner should keep his eye on the job!

vfairbrass

I agree with the majority of the posts which think you are doing too much and I would endorse the Flylady system as a way of keeping the cleaning under control and manageable.
Like you I get real enjoyment out of the house being clean and tidy and visitor-ready but I think I could only ever achieve that if I had neither a husband nor children, nor pets It is their home as well and while they understand my pleasure in tidiness none of them share it. I work full time and my husband is retired. He does all the cooking and any tasks I think need doing during the day (I leave a list each morning). On the odd occasion I have come home early the house has looked like the proverbial bombsite because he hasn't done his 'before the wife comes home' clear up. So I know he is happy to live in a tip but he accepts that it drives me mad.
The Tightwad gazette advocates that the stay at home partner put in a full day's work on keeping the family ticking over so it sounds like Frugal is doing something similar.

mikeD

All the excellent advice given above seems to lead to one conclusion. Stop being a perfectionist. Believe me Perfectionism can have a deadly sting. It's called insanity. Remember nothing or no-one is perfect, so perfectionists are chasing a lost cause.

So, lighten up sweet one, you only have one life. ENJOY it!! :beer:

dolly_day_dream

Frankly I envy you. I would love to be able to organise my home and keep it clean. I live in constant crisis management. Yes I do know about Flylady and her system. I do try it and I know that it stopped me from going under completely. However I have had to realise that my mindset is unable to cope with housework. I cook very well (even if I do say so myself) I can sew, craft and make things from nothing. I know all of the routines and all of the things that I need to do - but do I stick to them - do I heck. I was able to organise 3 children, work part time and study for my OU degree and then teacher training single handed, but I can't keep my house clean:o Forget those who say that "dull women keep clean homes" I suspect that like me deep down they would love to be like you. I want to know how a reasonably intelligent woman cannot keep a house clean and tidy.

HariboJunkie

I really just do what needs doing. some days that's a little and some days that's alot. but my routine looks roughly like this;

Daily

Clean kitchen and utility
Hoover stairs
Brush and wash kitchen floor
Make beds
Swish bathroom after my OH aka dolphin boy has been for a splash. :rolleyes:
Tidy girl's room
Cook tea
Do packed lunches
1 load of washing
A bit of gardening

Weekly (the day varies)

wash beds
dust whole house
Wash all wooden floors
Deep clean the bathroom
Do a batch cook for the freezer
Weekly shop
Ironing

This is on top of supervising homework, fetching and carrying to after school clubs and working PT for OH. The one thing I will say is that my cleaning did get a bit obsessive a couple of years ago when I was really unhappy and had lots of problems and I realised I was spending too little time with my kids. I think I've reached a happy medium now though I'm still quite tidy.
I'm not suggesting that you are filing a void in your life with housework but I did.
As for the negative comments. Some people like to clean, some people don't. If you enjoy it why is it any different from any other hobby? I doubt anyone would slate you for reading too much or knitting too much, would they?

OP if you are happy doing what you do then do it. We are all different and it's really up to you.

I do consider being at home my main job and I try to do it well but we all have days when we can't be bothered working. lately my garden has been calling and I haven't washed the upstairs flors for over a week.

mikeD

HariboJunkie wrote: »

If you enjoy it why is it any different from any other hobby? I doubt anyone would slate you for reading too much or knitting too much, would they?

/quote]Well I don't know. If what you enjoy becomes an obsession then this can lead to dangerous ground. Ask any psychiatrist. My view on life is that it should be balanced and that moderation in all things is to be desired. I could go on and on about this but enough is enough. For now!:o