Working full time & running a house

Little_Vics

Hi,

In a couple of weeks I'm going to go back to working full time and commuting an hour each way. I've had the luxury of a local part-time job for a year (almost like a gap year for me!), and am starting to think about how to run the house so I don't get worn out and can use the weekends for a break.

I could put together a rota of jobs and tick a couple off each night? Or do I blitz everything in one evening and then have the rest of the week to relax? I'm lucky that OH is fully behind me and does his share, but equally we're both out 2 evenings a week and I don't want anything to get on top of me.

How do you guys do it?

xLV

BitterAndTwisted

A couple of chores every evening to keep on top of things if you don't want to do the whole place at the weekends.

I live by myself and am a complete slattern so I do what jobs I feel like and when. It goes without saying that I rarely have any guests visiting.

Eliza_2

Do the bits that show once they start to annoy you - whether that's a weekend or weekday or get up early. Takes no time at all.

Then once a month have visitors - you will blitz the place in 2 hours and be done with it.

My now ex-husband could never 'see' what needed doing so asked me to draw up a list and he would put his initials against the tasks he felt he would or could do. He put his initials against about half of them which I thought was great, and spoilt it all by saying 'of course, you can't rely on me to do them though' . What's the point of that? No wonder he's now ex!

It all depends on how houseproud you are - with summer coming then I wouldn't want to be cleaning any more than I have to. There are loads of short cuts.

If your salary is going up with this job, why not splurge on a cleaner a couple of hours a week if it's really going to bother you.

Hermia

I do a bit of each. Each night I sort the post, do the washing up and wipe over the kitchen. I also put away any bits and bobs I have used that day. I also do the laundry on some nights. On Saturday morning I do the hoovering, change the beds, clean the bathroom and do any other necessary tidying. I will do the occasional special jobs when I feel like them. I do live on my own which makes a difference on course.

A big thing that really helps is not having clutter and always putting things back in their place.

Mojisola

Little_Vics wrote: »

How do you guys do it?

Employ a cleaner for a couple of hours a week.

Floss

I do a bit each night when I get in, or a quick task in the morning if there's time. Then we both do a bit at weekends, but I tend to do more than DH as he's often away midweek.

PlymouthMaid

A few thing early evening before and after dinner and a couple of hours blitzing at weekend. Deep clean only on high days and holidays. Yesterday i did a bit of clutter relocation and hoovered all downstairs as well as tidying back yard a little. Today I did washing and hung it before work, after work I have emptied a couple of bins, brought dry washing in, washed up and wiped down kitchen and given bathroom a cursory clean. I sometimes leave a small list for OH but he is good at forgetting unless I leave the hoover where he will fall over it for instance. I try to at least keep tye living room at its best so that I can relax in the evening and not feel obliged to do any chores.

Little_Vics

Thanks - that's really helpful.

I think that we're going to do a big declutter blitz over the next week or so, and employ a cleaner.....it's the only way I think I'll keep sane. I'm going to have to meal-plan a bit better too. Sigh.

hoglet121

I have the joy of an hours commute each way (on a good day) too.

I'd love a cleaner but it doesn't fit in the budget. So I just accept that during the week the house will go down hill, but we do the washing up, and wipe the kitchen (very briefly) every day. Also hoover up any disasters with the little dyson as they happen, but proper hoovering gets left for the weekend. I also clean the toilet and downstairs bathroom if anyone's coming round.

So Saturday is our week's washing, kitchen clean, bathroom clean (I do the shower when I'm in it), I do the hoovering, DH does the dusting. Sunday DH does the bed sheets and I do the ironing (work stuff only and bedsheets - it's a faff but I just love ironed bedsheets), and either Sat or Sun I make our work lunches and 2 evening meals for the week and freeze. It sounds like we spend our weekends cleaning not relaxing, but we blitz it when we get up and then we get on and enjoy the weekend.

Uniscots97

If you commute by public transport use this time for writing shopping and to-do lists and also time for you to read or listen to music. It's amazing what you can get done in only a few minutes I.e. the ad break during a program. Decide which chores get done during the week and which bigger ones get done at the weekend. Use the lists to remind yourself what there is to do and what needs replaced etc.

maman

Little_Vics wrote: »

Thanks - that's really helpful.

I think that we're going to do a big declutter blitz over the next week or so, and employ a cleaner.....it's the only way I think I'll keep sane. I'm going to have to meal-plan a bit better too. Sigh.

I'd definitely stress meal planning and shopping list. Then either on-line shopping or a quick whizz around with your list. I find that saves me ages rather than wandering around SM thinking what to have. I prefer to go and shop one night after work then it doesn't cut into weekend. Also lots of meals mid-week that don't need me standing over them too much then I can whizz around and do a few jobs while it's cooking. To be honest, if you're not there all week and get a cleaner then housework should be minimal just keep tidying up as you go.