How clean is your house?

dragonette

supersaverkerry wrote: »

I am busy, I work shifts both in a job and doing a placement for my uni course, I also have some online work I do on a rota, I have to otherwise I cannot afford to live.

I've got 2 children who I encourage to clean up after themselves, but let's face it if I don't lead by example how can I expect them to be tidy?

Please tell me I am not alone on this? I have just had 2 days off and all I have managed to do is some washing up, a load of washing and sort through some paperwork (only because I lost something I needed!).

OP, you are essentially working 3 jobs. As long as theres clean clothes and the dishes are clean, Its really not worth beating yourself up over. You are doing crazy amounts already!

What might help is having fewer things, or a set rota for the kids to do their own stuff (if age appropriate). Every item having a home can help, but it isn't worth complete exhaustion

barbiedoll

Oh, I'm unashamedly bone idle and I can think of much better ways to spend my time than doing housework. Time off is for reading, eating chocolate, loafing around and daydreaming. Not dusting!

I do have a few tips which I'm happy to share with you though.

Dusting: I only ever dust anything which is at eye level or below. Who cares about dust on top of the wardrobes or on the top shelf in the living room? (This only works if your friends/family are all short, luckily mine are!)

Hoovering: Get a small, lightweight hoover and make it a chore for the kids. I haven't hoovered for around 5 years, it's my son's job.

Cleaning the oven: Cook everything at 200 degrees, it kills all germs. Spending ££££ on expensive oven cleaners is a waste of money, just save the cash and buy a new oven. Job done!

Clutter: I may be a lazy skank but I am quite tidy. I just throw everything away, if no-one looks for it, they clearly won't miss it. If they do look for it, just give a huge, exasperated sigh and loudly proclaim "Do I have to do everything around here? If you can't find it, it's obviously lost"....Also, make use of all available storage space. It's amazing how much !!!! you can fit under the stairs, on top of wardrobes and under your kid's beds.

Ironing: I can't bring myself to give up ironing, I hate it but I can't stand seeing any of my brood in creased clothes (note: I have one husband and one kid)....I just do the lot on a Saturday afternoon, whilst singing along to Tony Blackburn's golden oldies (Oh, wait a minute.........:( )

Dirty kitchen cupboards: Who cares? No-one looks in there anyway.

Bathroom....hide all razors so no-one can leave horrid little bits of hair in the sink. Encourage everyone to grow a beard.

Life is too short to worry about the state of your house. If you can live with it, then do so.

Georgiegirl256

Can't abide a messy unclean house, it stresses me out. Kitchen and bathroom are cleaned daily. Infact anywhere where any visitors might see is kept clean and tidy as I'd be ashamed if anyone just popped in and it was a mess. Not judging anyone else, that is purely my views and probably comes from a having a fastidiously tidy Mam!

I'm not a fan of homes that look unlived in and that have very few personal items out. I have plenty of items out that are personal to me, but try and refrain from having any clutter, purely because it makes it a lot easier to hoover and dust. I'm a big fan of having a place for everything.

Being a bit hypocritical here, but atm the bedrooms are a bit of a tip. I'm in the middle of sorting clothes out (charity shop, eBay, throw out) and so they're everywhere! But that doesn't bother me as much as bedrooms are private areas that no one else sees!

selement

Me and OH are both naturally messy! Housework is not done particularly frequently... We make the effort to tidy the more social rooms of the house if we know people are coming over (currently at least once a week). Clutter is part the problem so I am slowly working my way through konmari, but we both work full time and end up without much free time... It is something we both want to get better at though! Less clutter will help. We don't have kids so we don't even have a good excuse

onomatopoeia99

I'm very untidy and have a lot of stuff cluttering the place. I don't notice it to be honest. While my parents live in a show home, I do not.

Dusting is something that other people do

lynsayjane

I'm a naturally clean and tidy person, when the house is a mess it can make me really wound up. At the same time I'm a habitual diyer and have spent the last 2+ years doing up my house so have had to deal with a less than perfect home. Carpets are going in in just over a week and once they are those rooms will be 'finished' and will be kept clean and tidy!

I work full time, have an occasional part time job, currently have a lodger in the spare room and have a flat leased that I'm trying to sell. I'm also trying to still have quality time with the OH (not live in) and a social life.

I find a rigid schedule goes off plan and then I feel guilty so I do a load of washing when the basket is full, clean the bathroom and kitchen properly once a week when it needs done. I tidy up after me, washing is always put in the basket, dishes in the washer etc. Ironing done when I run out of clothes, but in front of the tv with a cuppa to make it more enjoyable.
That's how I manage to maintain a house that I'm comfortable living in but still manage all the aspects of my life.

Weirdly though I think I'd love to go into one of these messy houses like on OCD cleaners or hoarders and give the place a thorough clear and clean. It must be a very satisfying feeling to see the difference in it!

Faith177

I'm useless I feel like im losing a never ending battle!

I live with my OH who works long hours so is hardly home so gets away with doing SFA most of the time

My housemate tries but he again works long hours so does what he can on his days off

I work 9-5 but leave the house at 7 don't get home till 6 or 6:30 but which time I'm normally shattered. I spend the whole weekend revising for exams that I have in April

It doesn't help that I still have hundreds of boxes left over from clearing my mums house out after she passed away. I've unpacked a fair few but I get really upset unpacking them and it stress me out so I can only do a few at a time.

Plus we have a lot of animals so they are constantly knocking stuff down or breaking into cupboards to get their treats (they are little thieves)

I hate my home most of the time but just can't seem to break the cycle as it seems it's just me cleaning 3 people's mess! I'm sick of keep asking for help because it's a waste of energy.

I am going to try and sort my room and the bathroom this weekend it really needs doing but there is just too much stuff laying about I need to do a spring clean but just can't get myself together to do it#

Mojisola

Faith177 wrote: »

I live with my OH who works long hours so is hardly home so gets away with doing SFA most of the time

My housemate tries but he again works long hours so does what he can on his days off

Split the cost of a cleaner between the three of you.

happilymarried2013

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I'm feeling smuggly clean at the moment because I had somebody in yesterday to spring clean. Not very MSE but £110 well spent!

Me too! Glad I'm not the only one. However, I am sat in work worrying like mad incase they let my cats out (they're indoor cats and have never been out). Or that they'll steal something. Irrational? Definitely.

Faith177

Mojisola wrote: »

Split the cost of a cleaner between the three of you.

Wish we could OH is about to go bankrupt. I haven't had a decent payrise in 3 years and will now be picking up the slack from OH's bankruptcy and housemates money is all over the place depending on how many hours he gets at work

Plus I'd have to get it into a position so a cleaner could actually come in lol And I'm not sure I'd be comfortable having a cleaner in with my dogs they are REALLY big and quite intimidating if you're not familiar with the breed